Wisconsin Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records
| Access the Records | |
| This article describes a collection of records scheduled to become available at FamilySearch.org. | |
| Wisconsin, United States | |
| |
| Flag of Wisconsin | |
| |
| Location of Wisconsin | |
| Record Description | |
| Record Type | Obituaries |
| Collection years | 1846-1968 |
| FamilySearch Resources | |
| Related Websites | |
What Is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index & images of obituaries from various newspapers in Wisconsin housed at the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison, Wisconsin. The collection covers the following years: 1846-1948, 1954-1958, and 1961-1968.
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
Index and Image Visibility
FamilySearch provides images and indexes subject to contractual limitations and changes. Access to images and indexes may vary. Some collections may only have partial indexes without images. See Restrictions for Viewing Images for details.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
Each Obituary is different. Information found in this collection may include:
- Name of deceased
- Birth date and place
- Death date and place
- Names of parents
- Name of spouse
- Names of children
- Name of cemetery
- Name of newspaper
- Date of obituary publication
Collection Content
Sample Images
- Wisconsin Obituary Examples
_Index_to_Obituaries_DGS_7592026_9.jpg&filetimestamp=20131114162316&)
_Obituary_Sample_DGS_7592026_9.jpg&filetimestamp=20131114162351&)
How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search, it is helpful to know:
- The name of your ancestor
- The location or date death
View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Collection Browse Page:- Select Surname Range to view the images
| Tip: More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog at Wisconsin Obituaries, 1989-2014. Click on camera icon to see images. |
How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.
What Do I Do Next?
I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
- Add any new information to your records
- Use the information to locate the actual death record.
- Use the age listed to determine an approximate birth date to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism and marriage records. Also search for immigration, military, land and probate records.
- Use the information to find additional family members in censuses.
- Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking For, What Now?
- Try viewing the original record. Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
- If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relatives that can be verified by records.
- If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
- Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
- Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
- Search the indexes and records of Wisconsin, United States Genealogy.
- Search in the FamilySearch Library Catalog
Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Wisconsin.
Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.
FamilySearch Catalog
FamilySearch Historical Records
FamilySearch Digital Library
Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.
| Collection Citation: The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection. |
| Record Citation: When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information. |
| Image Citation: When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. |