Guide
Free obituary search: what is free and what is not
Almost every obituary published in the last 20 years is free to read at its source: funeral home websites, newspaper sites, Legacy.com and Find a Grave all show notices at no charge. The exceptions are scanned newspaper archives for older deaths, which sit behind a subscription.
What a free search reaches
The search on this site is free, needs no account and shows no ads. It covers the pages that obituary publishers make public: funeral home obituary pages, newspaper obituary sections, and the memorial platforms. For a death in the last two decades that is nearly everything.
Where a paywall appears
Three kinds of pages may ask for payment after you click through:
- Newspaper archives (Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank, NewsBank) for scanned pages, mostly pre 2005 notices.
- Some newspaper websites with a metered paywall, which may limit how many articles you can read a month; the obituary section is often exempt.
- Ancestry and similar genealogy services, which index obituaries among other records.
None of these charges apply to the search itself. If a result leads to a paywall, look for the same notice on the funeral home's site or on Find a Grave, where a volunteer may have transcribed it for free.
Getting the most from a free search
Use the full formal name, add the town, and try the maiden name and nicknames if the first search fails. For older deaths, the local library's obituary index is free and often more complete than anything online; librarians will usually check a name by email.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search obituaries by name?
Yes. The search here is free with no account or ads, and the sites it links to (funeral homes, newspapers, Legacy, Find a Grave) show recent notices for free.
Do I have to pay to read an old obituary?
For notices older than about 20 years, the scanned newspaper page is often behind an archive subscription. A free transcription may exist on Find a Grave, and the local library holds the microfilm for free.
Why do some obituary sites ask me to sign in?
Memorial platforms ask for an account to sign a guestbook or post photos, not to read the notice. Reading is free.
Run a free obituary search now, or start with the guide on how to find an obituary.