Find Arkansas Obituary Records
Arkansas obituary records are held across dozens of libraries, newspaper archives, county offices, and state repositories. The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock maintains death records and obituary indexes going back to 1819. Local libraries across all 75 counties hold clippings, microfilm, and digital collections covering generations of Arkansas families. Whether you are tracing a family member or doing historical research, this guide covers where to search for Arkansas obituary records, what databases exist, what you can find online, and how to request materials in person or by mail.
Arkansas Obituary Records at a Glance
Arkansas State Archives Obituary Resources
The Arkansas State Archives is the primary state repository for historical death records and obituary materials. It is located at One Capitol Mall, 2nd Floor, Little Rock, AR 72201. You can reach staff by phone at (501) 682-6900 or by email at state.archives@arkansas.gov. The Archives holds one of the most comprehensive obituary research collections in the state, and much of it is available to the public.
The centerpiece of the Archives obituary collection is the "In Remembrance" database. This electronic index covers deaths in Arkansas from 1819 to 1920. It was designed to supplement state vital registration, which did not begin until 1914. The database pulls from church publications, cemetery records, mortality censuses, newspaper obituaries, and county and local records. Each entry shows the person's name, the source where the record can be found, and the record date. For newspaper obituaries, the date shown is the publication date, not the date of death. The database includes duplicate entries from different sources, which researchers find useful for cross-referencing. It is searchable online through the Digital Archives.
Beyond the "In Remembrance" project, the Archives holds printed death certificate indexes covering 1914 to 1948 and 1967 to 1971. The Arkansas Gazette Obituaries Index from 1819 to 1879 alone contains 14,329 entries from one of the state's oldest newspapers. The Archives also maintains approximately 3,000 newspaper titles published in Arkansas, funeral home records including Gross Mortuary records from 1874 to 1922, city death records from Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Hot Springs that predate state registration, mortality schedules from the federal censuses of 1850 through 1880, and county records on microfilm for all 75 counties.
The Arkansas State Archives maintains the "In Remembrance" database and holds printed obituary indexes dating to 1819, making it the deepest historical resource for Arkansas death records.
Note: The Archives research room is open to the public. For obituary research, call ahead or check their website for current hours and any appointment requirements before your visit.
Arkansas Death Certificates and Vital Records
The Arkansas Department of Health maintains death records from February 1, 1914 through the present day. Some records exist for deaths in Little Rock and Fort Smith going back to 1881, but they are limited. These are official state death certificates, not obituaries. However, they are a critical companion to obituary research because they confirm dates, cause of death, and family details that obituaries may not include. Visit healthy.arkansas.gov for request information.
Fees are $10.00 for the first certified copy and $8.00 for each additional copy of the same record when requested at the same time. A $10.00 non-refundable search fee applies when no record is found. Walk-in services at the Little Rock office provide same-day issuance Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Mail requests typically take four to six weeks to process. Online orders can be placed through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com with additional service fees. Phone orders go through 866-209-9482.
The Department also offers an online death record search for deaths occurring between 1935 and 1961. For deaths outside that range, you must submit a form to request records. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 20-18-304, death certificates are confidential but become public records after 50 years. Access for recent records is limited to family members, legal representatives, and those with a direct and tangible interest.
CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies
The CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies is located at the Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History and Art, 401 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone is (501) 320-5700. Hours are Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday noon to 4pm. This is one of the best research destinations for Arkansas obituary and newspaper records in the state.
The Butler Center holds the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Historical Archive Collection with searchable image editions of the Arkansas Gazette from 1867 to 1991, the Arkansas Democrat from 1947 to 1992, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from 1992 to 1994. The Arkansas Gazette Obituaries Index covers 1819 to 1879 and includes 14,329 entries arranged alphabetically. This index contains last name, first name, middle initial, title, month and day of publication, and page and column information. It is one of the deepest single newspaper obituary indexes available in Arkansas.
In addition to newspaper archives, the Butler Center maintains a substantial genealogy reference collection of books and microfilms, access to Ancestry and Newspapers.com at research terminals, and county records on microfilm for all 75 Arkansas counties. FamilySearch Affiliate Library access is available. Genealogy databases available in the library include African American Heritage, Ancestry Library Edition, Fold3 for military records, HeritageQuest Online, and the Newspapers.com World Collection.
The CALS Butler Center holds the Arkansas Gazette collection from 1867 to 1991 and provides in-library access to Ancestry, Newspapers.com, and other major genealogy databases for Arkansas obituary research.
FamilySearch Death Indexes for Arkansas
The FamilySearch website holds several collections specific to Arkansas death and burial records. The Arkansas Death Index from 1914 to 1950 contains approximately 594,000 deaths indexed with names, dates of death, county, gender, race, age, and certificate numbers. This index is free to search and links to the Arkansas Department of Health vital records system for ordering copies.
Other free FamilySearch collections include Arkansas Deaths and Burials from 1882 to 1929 and 1945 to 1963, which is a name index containing 10,447 records, and Arkansas Death Certificates from 1914 to 1969, which includes digitized actual death certificate images. Printed Arkansas death record indexes compiled by Desmond Walls Allen cover 1914 to 1923, 1924 to 1933, 1934 to 1940, and 1941 to 1948. These are available at the Arkansas State Archives and at many genealogical libraries. Additional indexes available through FamilySearch include Masonic Deaths in Arkansas from 1838 to 1916 and mortality schedules from 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.
Free access to FamilySearch indexes includes the Arkansas Death Index 1914-1950 with 594,000 entries and digitized death certificates from 1914 to 1969.
Arkansas Genealogical Society
The Arkansas Genealogical Society is headquartered at P.O. Box 17653, Little Rock, AR 72222. The society has been publishing the Arkansas Family Historian quarterly since 1962. It provides research assistance to members and maintains information about Arkansas death certificates, obituary collections, and genealogical records statewide.
The society publishes various indexes and research guides specific to Arkansas genealogical research. Members can access resources and guidance for tracing Arkansas ancestry across all 75 counties. For obituary research, the society is a good contact point for locating specific county collections, finding out about local historical societies, and getting referrals to researchers who specialize in particular regions of the state.
The Arkansas Genealogical Society has published the Arkansas Family Historian since 1962 and provides research guidance for death records and obituaries throughout the state.
Key Library Obituary Collections in Arkansas
Libraries across Arkansas maintain some of the richest obituary collections outside of the State Archives. The Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library holds one of the largest obituary indexes in the state. Their index contains over 269,000 entries from 1866 to the present. Coverage includes the Pine Bluff Commercial, Pine Bluff Graphic, Pine Bluff News, Pine Bluff Eagle, White Hall Journal, Negro Spokesman, Jefferson Republican, and Weekly Echo. To order photocopies, send a $7.50 check or money order to the library at 600 South Main St, Pine Bluff, AR 71601, or use their online request form.
The Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library maintains an obituary index of over 269,000 entries from 1866 to the present, making it one of the most comprehensive county-level obituary collections in the state.
The Arkansas State Library at One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, provides access to GenealogyBank, Ancestry.com in-library, HeritageQuest, NewspaperArchive, and the Access Newspaper Archive. The library holds tens of millions of newspaper pages from issues dating as early as the 18th century. Remote access to some databases requires an Arkansas library card. The Fayetteville Public Library's Grace Keith Genealogy Collection holds over 14,000 print resources plus microfilm, microfiche, maps, and digital image archives with a strong Arkansas focus. The Craighead County Jonesboro Library maintains an obituary collection with Jonesboro Sun records and allows up to five obituary requests per week by email.
The Saline County Library runs a dedicated online obituary database for Saline County. The Bentonville Public Library houses the Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society and provides access to Ancestry and local history collections with a Genealogy Basics course free for library card holders. Harding University's library in Searcy offers access to over 200 online databases and is open more than 88 hours per week. The Fort Smith Public Library's Barbara Jones Walker Genealogy Collection contains 25,000 titles including local funeral home records dating to the early 1900s, Fort Smith death and cemetery indexes, and digitized newspapers from 1848 to 1973.
The Fort Smith Public Library holds Fort Smith death records going back to 1881, local funeral home records from the early 1900s, and fully digitized newspapers from 1848 to 1973.
Regional and University Library Resources
Several regional and university libraries in Arkansas hold specialized obituary and genealogy collections. The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale is a regional history museum focusing on Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton, and Washington Counties. Its collection includes over 500,000 historic images, over 40,000 archival artifacts, and extensive vertical files. Research resources include an Online Collections portal, and the museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that welcomes donations and membership support.
The Harding University Library in Searcy provides access to almost 200 online databases. The Bentonville Public Library History and Genealogy section at bentonvillelibrary.org offers local papers, passenger lists, maps, and family histories alongside in-library genealogy database access. Texarkana College's Palmer Memorial Library serves as a U.S. Government documents depository and provides access to a broad range of historical databases including obituary-related newspaper archives. It is open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History holds over 500,000 historic images and extensive vertical files covering six Northwest Arkansas counties, making it a key resource for obituary research in that region.
The Harding University Library in Searcy is open more than 88 hours per week and provides access to nearly 200 online databases including newspaper and genealogy resources useful for obituary research.
Online Obituary Databases and Search Tools
Arkansas has several free online databases for obituary research. The Digital Archives provides access to digitized historical resources including newspapers, photos, indexes, and catalogs. The Chronicling America partnership provides digitized Arkansas newspapers through the Digital Archives. The "In Remembrance" database for deaths from 1819 to 1920 is also accessible through this portal.
CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov gives public access to Arkansas court records including probate filings. Probate records are closely tied to obituary research because they document estate proceedings and often name surviving family members, providing context that newspaper obituaries sometimes miss. The system is maintained by the Administrative Office of Courts and allows searching across most Arkansas counties at no charge.
CourtConnect provides free online access to Arkansas probate and court records, which are valuable companions to newspaper obituaries for death research.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, continuously updated reference maintained by CALS. It covers Arkansas history, geography, and culture with text entries and media galleries on people, places, and events. For obituary research, it provides historical context about communities and notable individuals. The Arkansas Genealogy website aggregates obituary transcriptions and records from across the state and is a useful starting point for researchers who don't yet know which county to target.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a CALS-maintained free reference that provides historical and biographical context useful for understanding Arkansas obituary records.
Access Rules for Arkansas Obituary Records
Newspaper obituaries are generally public records once published. Historical obituary indexes held by libraries, genealogical societies, and the State Archives are also open to the public. The situation differs for official death certificates, which are governed by the Arkansas Vital Records Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 20-18-101 et seq. Death certificates become public records after 50 years under § 20-18-304. For records under 50 years old, access is limited to the registrant's immediate family, legal representatives, and those with a direct and tangible interest per § 20-18-305.
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act governs government records broadly. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105(b), medical records and vital records are exempt from public disclosure. Death certificates fall under that exemption. Obituaries and death notices published in newspapers, however, are not subject to these restrictions. Anyone can request newspaper obituaries and historical indexes without restrictions. There is no requirement to state your purpose or your relationship to the deceased when requesting obituary materials from libraries or the State Archives.
Arkansas Heritage oversees the State Archives and the Old State House Museum, both of which maintain historical collections relevant to obituary research.
County-Level Obituary Collections
Many Arkansas counties have built their own obituary databases and indexes. The Saline County Library runs one of the most accessible, with a free online obituary database at salinecountylibrary.org. The Hot Spring County Arkansas Historical Society publishes "The Heritage" annual journal, which has included "Hot Spring County Obituary List" since 2019. These lists cover names, birth and death years, and places of interment, compiled by researcher Melissa Phillips.
The Saline County Library provides a free online obituary database for Saline County, one of several county-level collections accessible without visiting a library in person.
Scott County has 14 volumes of obituaries from 1887 to 1982 held at the county office. Stone County maintains a three-volume obituary collection organized A to Z. The Benton County Historical Society holds obituary collections for Benton County from 1884 to 1933 and Washington County from 1841 to 1912. The Genealogy Society of Craighead County maintains an extensive searchable Obituary Index for the Jonesboro Sun. The Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society in Paragould is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library at 212 W Court St, serving as a major research hub for northeast Arkansas obituary records.
GenealogyTrails at genealogytrails.com hosts obituary transcriptions for dozens of Arkansas counties. ARGenWeb maintains free databases for each of the state's 75 counties with obituary records, cemetery listings, and family histories contributed by volunteers. The Arkansas Genealogy website at arkansasgenealogy.com aggregates links and transcriptions from these county-level collections and is a useful index to scattered state resources.
Arkansas Genealogy aggregates obituary transcriptions and genealogical records from counties across Arkansas and is useful for researchers who are not sure which county to start in.
Arkansas Heritage and Historical Context
The Old State House Museum at arkansasheritage.com is part of the Arkansas Heritage network and holds historical collections about Arkansas public figures, many of whom appear in newspaper obituaries and death records. The museum's collections provide historical context that can help clarify details in obituary records you may find elsewhere.
The Old State House Museum is part of the Arkansas Heritage network and holds historical collections on Arkansas public figures that complement obituary and death record research.
When researching Arkansas obituaries, working backward from the death date is often most efficient. Start with the newspaper obituary to get the date of death and county. Then use the death certificate index to confirm details. Move to probate records at CourtConnect to find estate filings. Finally, check genealogical databases like FamilySearch for broader family connections. Most of these steps can begin online before you ever contact a library or courthouse directly.
Browse Arkansas Obituary Records by Location
Arkansas obituary resources vary by county. Each of the 75 counties has its own clerk's office, historical society, and library collection. Select a county below to find local resources, addresses, and databases for obituary research in that area.
Arkansas Obituary Records by City
Major Arkansas cities have their own library branches, genealogical societies, and newspaper archives for obituary research. Select a city to find local resources and databases.