Nebraska Obituaries

Nebraska’s first newspaper was printed in 1854, the year the territory opened. The free Nebraska Newspapers site, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and History Nebraska’s collections are the main places to look.

Recent Nebraska obituaries (2000 to today)

Most obituaries published since about 2000 are online. Daily papers post paid death notices and family-written obituaries in an Obituaries section, usually hosted by Legacy.com, and keep them online with a guest book. The largest daily papers in Nebraska are:

• Omaha World-Herald
• Lincoln Journal Star
• Grand Island Independent
• Kearney Hub
• Norfolk Daily News

Legacy.com’s Nebraska page searches the obituaries of most of these papers and many smaller ones at once. Funeral homes also post obituaries on their own websites, often before the newspaper does and sometimes instead of it: search the person’s name with the town and “obituary” or “funeral home.” For obituaries no longer online, ask your public or state library: many offer NewsBank or ProQuest databases with the full text of recent newspapers, free with a library card.

Nebraska obituaries in historic newspapers

The Nebraska Palladium was printed at Bellevue in 1854. Omaha, Nebraska City, Brownville and later Lincoln became newspaper towns, and their notices recorded deaths along the Overland Trail and in the early settlements on the Missouri River.

The Homestead Act and the railroads brought settlers from Europe and the eastern states. Nebraska had a strong Czech-language press, such as Omaha’s Pokrok Západu, along with German, Danish and Swedish papers. Obituaries in small-town weeklies often describe a family’s arrival by covered wagon or train.

Nebraska Newspapers, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries, hosts digitized papers contributed to Chronicling America. History Nebraska in Lincoln holds the state’s largest newspaper microfilm collection.

Where to find older Nebraska obituaries

Digitized Nebraska newspapers

• Nebraska Newspapers, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — Free digitized historic Nebraska newspapers.

Archives and libraries

• History Nebraska — The state historical society, with Nebraska newspaper microfilm and research help.
• Nebraska Newspapers, FamilySearch Research Wiki — Volunteer-maintained guide to Nebraska newspaper archives, indexes and microfilm, with local links.

Also search the nationwide archives: Chronicling America, FamilySearch, Find a Grave, Newspapers.com. See all nationwide obituary resources.

Nebraska death records

Nebraska has registered deaths statewide since 1904. DHHS issues certified copies to family and others with a direct interest. History Nebraska has guidance on older death records and the state's newspaper microfilm.

• Nebraska DHHS Vital Records — the office that issues Nebraska death certificates, with ordering instructions and fees.
• Where to Write for Vital Records: Nebraska — the CDC’s summary of where to order, current fees and which years the office holds.
• Nebraska Vital Records, FamilySearch Research Wiki — free death indexes and certificate collections, with the years each covers.

Tips for finding an obituary in Nebraska

• Search the county paper. Most rural Nebraska obituaries ran in the county seat's weekly.
• Ask History Nebraska. It holds the largest collection of Nebraska newspapers on microfilm.
• Check Iowa papers. Omaha-area deaths sometimes ran in Council Bluffs papers.
• Look beyond the word “obituary.” Older papers reported deaths under headings like “Died,” “Deaths,” local news and personals columns, funeral notices and cards of thanks, and often listed married women under the husband’s name (“Mrs. John Smith”). See death notices vs. obituaries.

Common questions