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Search Massachusetts Obituaries
Look up obituaries, death records and people by name.
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Obituary guide
How to find an obituary in Massachusetts
For a recent death, start with the funeral home's website and the obituary pages of the Boston Globe, Boston Herald or your regional paper. For an older obituary, the Boston Public Library's obituary database and Boston Globe archive are the best first stops, and the Massachusetts Archives holds death records from 1841 to 1935.
What to have ready
- Full name, including a maiden name
- Approximate date and place of death (city or town, and county)
- Age at death or birth year
- Names of close relatives (spouse, children, parents)
Tip: Knowing the county, and especially the town, narrows the search the most. Massachusetts records are kept town by town.
Where to look, by when the person died
| When the person died | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Last few years | Funeral home websites; the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and The Republican (Springfield); Legacy.com's Massachusetts page |
| 1990s to recent decades | The Boston Public Library's Obituary Database (1953–2010) and its Boston Globe archive, which runs from 1872 to the present (BPL card needed) |
| Older or historic | BPL's Obituary Database (1932–1941); BPL newspaper resources; Chronicling America; microfilm at local libraries; American Ancestors (New England Historic Genealogical Society) |
| Official death record | The Massachusetts Archives holds 1841–1935. The Registry of Vital Records holds 1936 to the present, and town clerks hold records from before 1841. See how to order a Massachusetts death record. |
Major newspapers' obituary pages
- Boston Globe and Boston Globe on Legacy.com: Globe news articles may need a subscription
- Boston Herald
- The Republican / MassLive, on Legacy.com
Libraries and archives
- BPL Obituary Database: indexes the Boston Evening Transcript, Globe and Herald for 1932–1941 and 1953–2010
- BPL Boston Globe archive
- Massachusetts Archives vital records and its vital records search
- American Ancestors: membership-based
Timeline expectations
- Recent obituaries: these appear online once the family or funeral home publishes them, so timing varies.
- Boston Globe archive: runs from 1872. Regional papers' coverage varies.
- Massachusetts Archives: digital images for 1841–1930 are on FamilySearch.org. Certified copies cost $3 each. The Archives currently reports a wait of 20+ weeks for certified copies, so request a non-certified copy if that's all you need.
Tips
- If the person died in the Boston area between 1953 and 2010, search the BPL Obituary Database first. It gives you the paper and date to look up.
- Massachusetts Archives reference staff will email digital images of up to five records from 1841–1935 at no charge.
- Western Massachusetts deaths are often covered by The Republican rather than the Boston papers.
Last verified:
Note: Coverage years, fees and web addresses are set by the libraries, archives and newspapers listed and can change. PublicLibraries.com is not affiliated with them.