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.

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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.

See Also
Obituaries

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

Legacy.com and Ancestry.com: These are the Googles of the obituary world. Pop in the dearly departed's name (and any other details you might have, like their hometown) and let the search engine magic do its thing. You might just stumble upon the virtual headstone you crave.

How do I find a local obituary? ›

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.

Is there an app for local obituaries? ›

As funeral homes across America post obituaries to their respective funeral home website, The Obituary App organizes them all into particular cities. Now, a user can look at all the obituaries posted by multiple funeral homes in one place.

How to find out if someone died in Texas? ›

There are a few different ways to find out if someone has died in Texas. One way is to search the Texas Death Index, which is a database of death certificates. Another way is to search the obituaries section of local newspapers. You can also try searching online death records databases.

Are obituaries always published online? ›

Obituaries and death notices can be published by alumni organizations, religious or community institutions, and professional organizations, or online.

Are obituaries public domain? ›

Copyright and Obituaries. To be clear, obituaries are protected by copyright. They are creative works of expression that are fixed into a tangible medium of expression. Both the text and the images that make up an obituary are protected by copyright (even if the facts and information are not).

What is an obituary in local newspaper? ›

An obituary (obit for short) is an article about a recently deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on positive aspects of the subject's life, this is not always the case.

What is the app that writes obituary? ›

MyObits offers obituary creation and sharing, as well as announcements for funerals or memorials and lets you order flowers to send your condolences from the app. Write an obituary that says everything you need about your loved one's life without breaking the bank. MyObits is here to help.

What is obitwaryo? ›

Definition for the Tagalog word obitwaryo:

obitwaryo. a notice or announcement regarding a deceased person, usually published; obituary; death notice; eulogy.

What is the US obituary collection? ›

About U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current. This collection is an index of information taken from online obituaries published in the United States between 1930 and the current year. Many of the obituaries were found on funeral home websites, and the index may include links to the original sources.

Are death certificates public record in Texas? ›

Death certificates are not open records. Access to death certificates is restricted for 25 years from the date of death. An acceptable ID is required to verify your identity and to prove that you are a qualified applicant.

Are obituaries required in Texas? ›

In TX, there is no legal mandate to publish an obituary in a newspaper when someone dies.

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