How to Find Local Obituaries in Texas (2024)

Start with a basic internet search when trying to find Texas obituaries. However, the process may be a bit more complicated if, for instance, you are trying to complete family tree research and are looking for an ancestor’s obituary or vital records pertaining to someone’s death. Keep reading to learn how to find local obituaries in Texas.

Table of Contents

Finding Texas Obituaries

Are you looking for an obituary for someone who had ties to Texas? Here’s how to find an obituary using online resources.

Start by searching online – using the person’s full name (middle names may make it easier to narrow down the list of obituaries to the one you are seeking) and the word “obituary” or “death” and “Texas.”

If too many options arise, add more identifiers to help narrow your search. The name of another known close relative (such as the person’s father or mother) or the town or county where they lived or died might narrow your search results.

Here are some other resources people use to search for the obituary of someone who died in Texas.

Use an online search tool to find an older obituary for family tree research.

There are several obituary search sites. Some are paid sites – but you may be able to access these resources for free at your local library or historical society.

Ancestry is a handy source for those researching and preserving a family tree. The website will help you complete a detailed search for obituaries published from 1930 to current times. Additionally, you may be able to find the Texas obituary you are looking for by looking at other users’ family trees.

You may also consider exploring Find a Grave, the world’s most extensive gravesite record collection.

Newspaper Archives is another paid site that allows you to explore billions of newspaper archives, which might include the Texas obituary you are seeking.

Also, search Chronicling America, a joint venture sponsored by The Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities that allows you to explore some of America’s historic newspaper pages from 1770 to 1963.

How to Find Local Obituaries in Texas (1)

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services may be able to help you by providing a death verification letter, a document that includes the deceased’s name, the date of death, and the place of death. Verification letters are available for deaths that have occurred since 1903.

Local historical societies or churches may also help you find historical documents or records of a person’s death.

Consider reaching out to that family member whose passion is genealogical research. There’s usually one in every family.

Finally, if you discover you are fascinated by genetic genealogy and want to learn more about your family story, consider hiring someone to complete the research for you.

Use these resources to find a newer obituary.

Again, an online search is the best bet for finding a modern obituary. Here are some resources to help if your search results are too long.

Look at the website of the local funeral homes or cremation providers. Many funeral homes allow families to preserve their loved one’s story by publishing obituaries on the company website.

In addition, Legacy is the world’s largest provider of online memorials.

Finally, Tributes is a website that allows families to submit the obituaries of their loved ones for a fee.

Help Others Learn About Your Loved One’s Death by Writing an Obituary

Smart Cremation is a direct cremation provider in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and areas across the United States. We will assist you by publishing your loved one’s obituary on our website so that people near and far can learn about the death of your family member.

Contact Smart Cremation today to learn about our services and Texas cremation costs.

Key Takeaways About Finding Texas Obituaries

  • There are a lot of online tools that can help you find older Texas obituaries. Some libraries offer free access to these online tools and resources.
  • Complete a simple search to find a newer obituary from Texas. Also, look at the funeral home websites in the deceased’s local community.
  • Preserve a loved one’s life story by writing an obituary soon after death.
How to Find Local Obituaries in Texas (2024)

FAQs

How to find local obituaries? ›

Many funeral homes publish obituaries on their websites. These can usually be located with a Google search on the person's name. Local genealogical and historical societies, public libraries, and some newspaper publishers maintain clipping files of obituaries.

How do I look up deaths in Texas? ›

Vital Statistics maintains death records for the state of Texas. A death record is a vital document that records a person's death. Vital Statistics issues certified copies of death certificates or death verifications. You can work with Vital Statistics to order certified copies of or make changes to death records.

How do I find old obituaries in Texas? ›

Ancestry is a handy source for those researching and preserving a family tree. The website will help you complete a detailed search for obituaries published from 1930 to current times. Additionally, you may be able to find the Texas obituary you are looking for by looking at other users' family trees.

Is there an app for local obituaries? ›

MyObits: Obituary Listings on the App Store.

What is the largest obituary website? ›

Legacy.com. Search the world's largest obituary database.

How to check if someone has died? ›

Regardless of your reason, pursuing one (or any combination of) these six options should help answer your questions:
  1. Online.
  2. Social Media.
  3. Word of Mouth.
  4. The Newspaper or Local News.
  5. Archive Facilities.
  6. Government Records.

Are death certificates public information in Texas? ›

Death records are considered confidential information; therefore, all requirements must be met. If you are unable to meet the requirements, please contact the State Bureau of Vital Statistics in Austin. The toll-free phone number is (888) 963-7111. The fax number is (512) 458-7506.

How to look up public records in Texas? ›

Some courts make their records available online, but you may have to contact the court clerk to get access and pay a service fee.
  1. re:SearchTX. ...
  2. TAMES Search. ...
  3. District Clerk's Office. ...
  4. County Clerk's Office. ...
  5. Justice of the Peace Courts. ...
  6. Municipal Courts. ...
  7. Legal Databases.
6 days ago

How do I find the exact date of death for a person? ›

Funeral home records vary in format and content, but they can all be valuable for determining someone's death date. Check genealogical and historical societies; state, county, and local libraries; and municipal archives for possible holdings.

Can I access the Social Security Death Index? ›

The SSA provides an extract from its file for distribution through the Department of Commerce's National Technical Information Service. Because this extracted file deals with deceased persons, the information is considered to be in the public domain.

How do you find out the cause of death of a person? ›

A death certificate is a permanent public record of the disease or injury responsible for the death (the cause of death) and the explanation of how the cause arose (the manner of death).

How do I find a local obituary? ›

Most of the time, if an obituary is available online, you will be able to find it with a Google search. However, if you still fail to see the results you want, consider looking through the websites of local funeral homes or newspapers. Unfortunately, you may have to pay to access content in a local online paper.

How do I find obituaries in the US by name for free? ›

Using Online and Print Newspapers to Find Free Obituaries
  1. Use Legacy.com to Search for a Free Obituary. ...
  2. Newspaper Archive Sites. ...
  3. Look for Obituaries in Newspapers at a Public Library. ...
  4. Ancestry.com and Its (Brief) Free Trial. ...
  5. MyHeritage Free Trial. ...
  6. FamilySearch. ...
  7. The Mormon Church Family History Library. ...
  8. Mennonite Archives.

How do I find an obituary for a specific person on Ancestry? ›

With a name and general publication date, you can start searching obituary records like the Newspapers.com Obituary Index: 1800s to current on Ancestry now.

How do I find someone who died in California? ›

Two state-level California Death Indexes can be found at Ancestry.com (a database anyone can access from any library branch and Central Library) or FamilySearch.org (a free internet database). California, Death Index, 1905-1939 provides the digitized index page, plus its transcription.

How do I find an obituary for a specific person in MA? ›

Obituaries in Massachusetts and other parts of New England can generally be found in the local town or county papers. Many obituaries for Boston and the surrounding area can be found in: Boston Athenaeum. Index of Obituaries in Boston Newspapers, 1704-1800.

How do I find an obituary for a specific person in Florida? ›

Begin by entering the name of the person, the word obituary, and “Florida” into your favorite search engine. If the deceased had a common name, you might need to add additional search terms, such as the name of a family member, the town where they lived, or the date of death.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Catherine Tremblay

Last Updated:

Views: 5824

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Catherine Tremblay

Birthday: 1999-09-23

Address: Suite 461 73643 Sherril Loaf, Dickinsonland, AZ 47941-2379

Phone: +2678139151039

Job: International Administration Supervisor

Hobby: Dowsing, Snowboarding, Rowing, Beekeeping, Calligraphy, Shooting, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Catherine Tremblay, I am a precious, perfect, tasty, enthusiastic, inexpensive, vast, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.