Obituary & people search
Search New York Obituaries
Look up obituaries, death records and people by name.
- Search by name
- All 50 states + D.C.
Obituaries in another state
Obituary guide
How to find an obituary in New York
For a recent death, start with the funeral home's website and the obituary pages of the New York Times, Newsday, the Daily News or your regional paper. For an older obituary, search NYS Historic Newspapers (1795–2014) through the New York Public Library or your local library. To get an exact date first, use the state death index (outside New York City) or NYC's Historical Vital Records.
What to have ready
- Full name, including a maiden name
- Approximate date and place of death (city or town, county, and for New York City, the borough)
- Age at death or birth year
- Names of close relatives (spouse, children, parents)
Tip: Knowing the county, or the borough in New York City, narrows the search the most. New York City and the rest of the state keep separate records.
Where to look, by when the person died
| When the person died | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Last few years | Funeral home websites; the New York Times, Newsday, Daily News, Times Union (Albany), Buffalo News and Post-Standard (Syracuse); Legacy.com's New York page |
| 1990s to recent decades | Newspaper databases at your public library with a library card; NYPL's newspaper genealogy guide |
| Older or historic | NYS Historic Newspapers: over 400 New York papers, 1795–2014; Chronicling America; microfilm at public libraries; county historical and genealogical societies |
| Official death record | Outside NYC: state death indexes from June 1880. NYC: Historical Vital Records, 1855–1950. See how to order a New York death record. |
Major newspapers' obituary pages
- The New York Times, on Legacy.com: NYTimes.com news obituaries may need a subscription
- Newsday (Long Island)
- New York Daily News
- Times Union (Albany)
- The Buffalo News
- The Post-Standard (Syracuse)
Libraries and archives
- New York State Archives: birth, marriage and death records: explains the state indexes and lists the libraries that hold microfiche copies, including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton and the National Archives at New York City
- NYC Municipal Archives genealogy: digitized birth, death and marriage records from 1855–1950
- NYPL: NYS Historic Newspapers and its genealogy guide
Timeline expectations
- Recent obituaries: these appear online once the family or funeral home publishes them, so timing varies.
- State death indexes: released after 50 years.
- NYS Historic Newspapers: covers 1795–2014, and coverage varies by town.
- Lookup turnaround: not stated by these sources.
Tips
- NYC vs. the rest of the state: the state death index doesn't cover New York City. For NYC deaths through 1950, use the Municipal Archives. After 1950, contact the NYC Department of Health.
- Deaths in Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers before 1914 aren't in the state index. Check the State Archives page for where to look.
- Get the exact date from an index first, then search that week's 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.