How To Find An Obituary For A Specific Person In Canada

Finding an obituary for a specific person in Canada is simpler than ever, thanks to the proliferation of digital records and online databases. While obituaries have traditionally been published in local newspapers, today, many resources exist to help find an obituary for a specific person through online search engines, newspaper archives, genealogy websites and more.

This article will walk you through the critical steps for locating Canadian obituaries both online and offline. We’ll cover everything from leveraging search engines to accessing physical newspaper archives so you can track down any obituary notice.

What are Obituaries in Canada?

An obituary is a notice of a person’s death, typically written by family members or the funeral home. Obituaries include several vital details about the deceased, such as:

Full legal name
Date and location of birth
Date and location of death
Cause of death (optional)
Biographical info like education, career, interests, accomplishments
Names of immediate family members and survivors
Funeral/memorial service information

Obituaries fulfill several purposes:

Inform the community about an individual’s passing
Provide details for those wishing to send condolences or attend funeral/memorial services
Memorialize the deceased by highlighting their life achievements and most significant relationships
Furnish valuable genealogical information for future generations researching their family tree

In Canada, obituaries traditionally appear in local newspapers serving the town or city where a person died and had longtime residency. Major metro newspapers like the Toronto Star or Vancouver Sun will only publish obituaries for prominent individuals.

Cost of Publishing an Obituary

Placing a newspaper obituary notice involves a fee, with prices varying depending on:

Number of words/lines
Circulation size of newspaper
Inclusion of a photograph of the deceased

For a small-town paper, expect to pay $50-150 CAD for a standard obituary without a photo. For metropolitan dailies, prices are significantly higher, ranging from CAD 200-800+.

Many families choosing newspaper publications will subsequently post the obituary on funeral home websites, offering free, permanent online hosting.

Where Can I Find Recent Online Obituaries?

If you’re looking for an obituary within the last month or two, your best bet is searching online sources like:

Funeral Home Websites

Funeral homes will post obituaries on their websites as a courtesy to families. The notices are often left online indefinitely.

If you know about funeral home handling arrangements, visit their website and look for an obituaries section. These are sometimes listed by the person’s first name.

Local Newspaper Websites

Almost every newspaper publishes obituaries on their website. Identify the most relevant papers based on the person’s residence and death.

Look for a link to obituaries or death notices from the homepage. Some newspapers integrate legacy.com listings.

Legacy.com

With over 500 newspaper partnerships, Legacy.com houses the largest online obituary database.

Search by name, location, date, and any other details you may have. Results include newspaper-published listings.

Google

A simple Google search can surface online obituaries. Use syntax like:

[“Johnny Doe” obituary]

Add location or dates to narrow results. Google indexes listings from newspapers, funeral homes and sites like Legacy.com.

Check Facebook groups and alumni pages related to the deceased’s school, workplace, church, or civic organizations. Family members will sometimes post obituary information on the person’s social media profiles.

Which Online Databases Have Historical Obituaries?

life buzz quote in canada new 8 1 — Which Online Databases Have Historical Obituaries?

If the death occurred more than a month ago, published newspaper obituaries may no longer be online. Your best option is to search the following comprehensive obituary databases:

Ancestry

The largest genealogy resource, Ancestry, has over 1 billion searchable records, including obituaries dating back to the early 1800s.

Access is through paid subscription ($24.99/month). Search filters include name, year, location, keywords and more.

MyHeritage

Similar to Ancestry, MyHeritage houses 13 billion historical records. Subscribe to search obituaries by name, date, location, etc.

Monthly plans start at $29.95. Free 14-day trials available.

Find A Grave

On Find A Grave, you can search over 212 million burial records. Register for a free account to access records and obituaries.

Advanced filters include cemetery location, birth/death years and keyword.

FamilySearch

Operated by the Mormon church, FamilySearch has free access to billions of genealogy records, including Canadian obituaries.

The database can be searched by name, birth/death years, keywords and more.

Remembering.ca

This database includes present-day and archived obituaries from 80+ Canadian news sources.

Search by name, birth/death years, province and other filters. Access is free.

Searching Archives to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person

For obituaries 50+ years old, physical newspaper archives will likely provide the best results.

Major resources include:

Local Libraries

Most library systems offer access to historical newspaper archives, often via microfilm. Large city libraries may have digital archives.

Consult a librarian for help locating their newspaper archive index.

Library and Archives Canada

This free government database includes Canadian obituaries dating back to the 18th century.

Records can be browsed online or accessed in person. Remote research assistance is available.

Local Universities

University libraries, especially those with historical mandates, often house extensive newspaper archives available to the public.

Contact the university library to ask about their archival newspaper holdings.

Ancestry Library Edition

Available through most public libraries, this database contains billions of global records searchable from home with a library card.

Obituary holdings include digitized newspapers dating back 300+ years.

What Offline Resources Help Find Obituaries?

If online searches yield no results, try these offline approaches:

Funeral Homes

Call or visit funeral homes in the area where the individual died to ask if they have any record of handling arrangements.

If the funeral home published an obituary, they may still retain a copy in their records.

Local Government Archives

Municipal archives often contain copies of historical local newspapers. For example, the City of Toronto Archives holds newspaper records dating to the 1800s.

Church Bulletins

If you know where the person worshipped, old church bulletins may contain obituary details. Call the church office to ask about accessing bulletin archives.

Cemetery Records

Cemetery offices maintain records of burials and headstone inscriptions, which can provide death dates.

This can help narrow an obituary search if the death year is unclear.

Probate Files

Wills filed with the county probate court may provide exact or estimated death dates. Search probate records at the relevant courthouse.

Obituary Aggregators

Sites like ObitsArchive.com publish listings aggregated from various newspapers and online sources. Coverage spans Canada and worldwide.

Search Strategies for Finding Obituaries of Specific People

Searching for an obituary notice of a friend, relative or ancestor requires a targeted approach. Follow these tips to improve search success:

Identify the Correct Name

Married women may be listed under their spouse’s last name rather than their maiden name.
Include middle name or initial if known – this helps rule out false positives.
Try alternative nicknames or name spellings. Vary wildcard searches.

Pinpoint Timeframe and Location

Zero in on the place of death first when records may be in local sources.
Leverage online family trees to deduce approximate death years.
Expand location search to areas where the person formerly lived.

Leverage Genealogy Resources

Resources like Ancestry have billions of interlinked records to help identify death timeframe and location.
Use historical address directories to pinpoint ancestors’ residences year-by-year.

When possible, filter by first name, last name, birth year, death year, city, etc.
Keyword searches on maiden name, relatives’ names, employer, church etc. can help surface records.

Check Ethnic Sources

Websites like AfriGeneas focus on African American family histories.
Consult genealogy guides tailored to French-Canadian, Chinese-Canadian or other ethnic groups as needed.

Related: Writing Heartfelt Condolences Message

What are the Vital Resources for Canadian Obituary Searches?

To recap, here are the top online and offline resources to utilize when searching for someone’s obituary in Canada:

Local newspaper archives – Most comprehensive obituary sources but coverage timeframes are limited.
Public library microfilm – Physical archives provide historical regional paper records.
Ancestry – Largest online collection of global obituary records spanning 300+ years.
MyHeritage – Similar paid genealogy resource with billions of searchable records.
Find A Grave – Massive crowdfunded database of burial and obituary listings.
Remembering.ca – All-Canadian obituary archive with advanced search filters.
Funeral home records – Direct source for obituaries handled by a specific home.
Church bulletins – May contain original obituary details for parishioners.
Cemetery files – Burial listings help deduce year/place of death.
Library and Archives Canada – Free national archive with early Canadian obituaries.
Courthouse probate records – Wills can provide an estimated death timeframe. ( If the deceased did not have a will, you should refer to this article for details: What Happens If You Die Without A Will In Canada? )
Municipal archives – Potential source for historical regional newspapers.
University libraries – Expansive newspaper holdings in some collections.

Key Takeaways for Finding Canadian Obituaries

Locating Canadian obituaries is easier than ever thanks to digitization efforts, online aggregators and collaborative genealogy databases. Key tips include:

Search newspaper and funeral home websites for recent obituaries published in the last few months.
Leverage comprehensive databases like Ancestry and MyHeritage for historical notices.
Utilize filters to narrow results by name, date, location and other attributes.
For pre-internet historical notices, consult physical newspaper archives via libraries, universities and government archives.
Expand searches to include alternate locations where the person lives or has relatives.
For common names, add keyword filters related to the individual’s occupation, interests or family members.

With a strategic, multifaceted search process, you can likely uncover any Canadian obituary. Hot online sources make finding recent notices easy. For the 20th century and earlier obituaries, physical archives provide valuable genealogical records.

Other guidance for families who have lost a loved one in Canada includes:

FAQs on How to Find an Obituary For a Specific Person in Canada

How can I find someone's obituary in Canada?

You can find Canadian obituaries through newspaper websites, funeral home websites, online databases like Ancestry and MyHeritage, library archives, church records, cemetery files, and government archives.

What websites post recent obituaries in Canada?

Major websites publishing recent Canadian obituaries include funeral home sites, Legacy.com, local newspaper websites, and social media pages related to the deceased.

Where can I find historical obituaries in Canada?

Older Canadian obituaries can be found through Ancestry, MyHeritage, Find A Grave, FamilySearch, library microfilm archives, university archives, municipal archives, church bulletins, and government databases like Library and Archives Canada.

Why can't I find an obituary online?

If an obituary is not online, it likely means it was only published in print, not digitized, or published in an obscure local paper not covered by larger databases. In these cases, physical newspaper archives will need to be searched.

When were obituaries first published in Canadian newspapers?

Canadian newspapers began publishing obituaries and death notices as early as the 18th century. Major metro papers and community newspapers carried them throughout the 19th and 20th centuries as well.

How do I access archive obituary records offline?

To find offline archival obituaries, visit local library newspaper records, university library special collections, municipal government archives, provincial archives, church bulletins, and funeral homes.

Can I access Canadian obituary archives for free?

Many options like Library and Archives Canada, local library microfilm, church records and some online aggregators offer free access. Genealogy sites like Ancestry require paid subscriptions to search full databases.

Is there one definitive source for Canadian obituaries?

There is no single definitive database because obituaries appear in so many newspapers, archives, genealogy, and funeral home sources. Checking multiple sources gives the most thorough results.

How do I confirm an obituary belongs to my ancestor?

Look for matching details like spouse and children’s names, residence, occupation, and other identifying information to confirm an obituary is your ancestor.

Where can I get help finding a Canadian obituary?

Librarians are extremely helpful with obituary searches. Also try local genealogical societies, archivists, or professional genealogists who can assist navigating records.

Sources:

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