Search Centerton Obituary Records
Centerton obituary records fall under Benton County courthouse jurisdiction, with the Benton County Clerk and Circuit Clerk in Bentonville maintaining vital records and probate filings for the area. Centerton is a fast-growing Benton County city in northwest Arkansas, and its residents can access the full range of Benton County public records for death notices, estate files, and historical obituary research. This page covers the key offices, archives, and online tools available for Centerton obituary searches.
Benton County Courthouse Records
Centerton is a Benton County city, so all county-level records for Centerton residents are filed at the Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville. The Benton County Clerk maintains vital records including births, deaths, and marriages. The Circuit Clerk handles probate and estate filings. When someone dies in Centerton and leaves an estate, the Circuit Clerk in Bentonville is where that case gets opened.
The city government at centertonar.gov handles official Centerton city records. The city has a Finance Department that processes financial data and maintains budget documents. The City Clerk's office manages official records, meeting minutes, and ordinances. For records that go beyond city government, Benton County courthouse offices cover everything from probate to vital records.
The Arkansas CourtConnect portal provides public access to Benton County probate and court filings. You can search by name and pull case summaries. The Benton County page on this site has complete contact information for courthouse departments, addresses, and details on what records are available online versus in person.
The screenshot below shows the Bentonville Public Library, which serves as a key research hub for obituary and genealogy resources in Benton County including Centerton.
The Bentonville Public Library provides genealogy databases, local history collections, and access to newspaper archives for researchers working on Centerton and Benton County obituary records.
Library and Archive Resources in Benton County
Centerton residents have access to the Bentonville Public Library, which is the primary public library serving the Benton County area. The library holds genealogy materials, local history collections, and databases for newspaper and obituary research. Newspaper microfilm for northwest Arkansas papers is available at the Bentonville library and through the Benton County library system.
For deeper archival research, the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale covers six northwest Arkansas counties including Benton. The museum holds over 500,000 historic images and more than 40,000 archival artifacts. Collections may include funeral home records, family papers, and cemetery documentation for Benton County families. Online collections are available through the museum's website. Hours run Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Washington County Library System is also accessible from Centerton given its proximity to Fayetteville and Springdale. If a Centerton family had ties to both counties, checking both library systems will give you better coverage for newspaper obituaries.
Arkansas Death Certificates and Vital Records
Official death certificates are issued by the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office. Records begin in February 1914. Under Arkansas Code Ann. ยง 20-18-304, death certificates are restricted for 50 years from the date of death. After that point, the records are open to the public. Immediate family members can access recent certificates with identification.
The fee is $10 for the first certified copy and $8 for each additional copy. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM, with same-day issuance. For Centerton deaths from 1914 forward, this is how you get an official certified copy from the state.
The Arkansas State Archives "In Remembrance" database covers deaths from 1819 to 1920 and includes entries from newspaper obituaries, cemetery records, and church publications. Benton County records are part of the statewide collection held there. The Arkansas Digital Archives provides online access to digitized historical newspapers that may cover Centerton-area families.
Probate Records for Centerton Estates
Probate court filings are among the most detailed sources for Centerton obituary research. When a Benton County resident died with property, an estate case was almost always opened in circuit court. Those filings name the deceased, list the date of death, identify heirs, and often contain more detail than a newspaper notice. They are public records and can be accessed without a subscription.
CourtConnect covers Benton County probate filings and is searchable online by name. For older records not yet digitized, the Benton County Circuit Clerk in Bentonville holds the physical files. FamilySearch has digitized Arkansas Probate Records from 1817 to 1979, which covers Benton County estates going back to the county's formation in 1836. These are free to search without an account.
Note: Benton County was formed in 1836 from Carroll County. For families in the Centerton area before that date, Carroll County records held at the Arkansas State Archives may be the relevant source.
Statewide Genealogy Resources
The Arkansas Genealogical Society maintains statewide research guides and a network of county volunteers. Their Arkansas Family Historian publication covers genealogy across all 75 Arkansas counties. For Centerton and Benton County research, the society's Benton County contacts may have access to local indexes and collections not available through major databases.
Free transcribed records from community contributors are available through the USGenWeb Obituary Project's Benton County section, GenealogyTrails Arkansas, and Arkansas Genealogy. These volunteer-contributed collections can turn up cemetery records, church death registers, and newspaper notices not found in any commercial database. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas has Benton County articles that provide historical context useful for Centerton research.
Nearby Qualifying Cities
These cities near Centerton have dedicated pages on this site:
- Bentonville - Benton County
- Rogers - Benton County
- Bella Vista - Benton County
- Siloam Springs - Benton County
- Springdale - Washington/Benton County
- Fayetteville - Washington County
Smaller communities in Benton County near Centerton, such as Highfill and Elm Springs, do not have their own pages on this site. For those areas, Benton County courthouse resources in Bentonville handle all record filings.