North Little Rock Obituaries
North Little Rock obituary records are accessible through several strong institutions in Pulaski County, including the North Little Rock Public Library, the CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in neighboring Little Rock, and the Arkansas State Archives just across the river. Death records for North Little Rock go back to before state registration began in 1914, and the resources in the metro area make this one of the better-served cities in Arkansas for genealogy and obituary research. This page covers the main places to search and what each one holds.
North Little Rock Public Library
The North Little Rock Public Library at 2801 Orange Street, North Little Rock, AR 72114 is the starting point for local obituary and genealogy research. The library provides genealogy services, access to historical newspapers, and Arkansas government records including a link to the Arkansas State Archives at https://www.ark-ives.com/. Staff can assist with research requests and direct you to the right database or microfilm collection.
The library's genealogy collection gives access to Arkansas-specific materials that cover North Little Rock and the wider Pulaski County area. Historical newspaper runs on microfilm can include obituary columns from local and metro area papers. The collection also includes Arkansas government records that support death research, such as probate indexes and court records relevant to the North Little Rock area.
The North Little Rock Arkansas FamilySearch Center provides affiliate library access to FamilySearch databases. That affiliate status means you can access records on-site that require an in-library connection, including some collections that are not freely browsable online. The center provides in-person research assistance, which is particularly useful when you are new to FamilySearch's Arkansas collections.
The screenshot below shows the CALS website, which provides access to genealogy collections and the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, a key resource for North Little Rock and Pulaski County obituary research.
The Central Arkansas Library System serves both Little Rock and the greater Pulaski County area, with the Butler Center holding the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Historical Archive and decades of local newspaper obituary collections.
CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies
The CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies is across the river in Little Rock at 401 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone is (501) 320-5700. Hours run Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday noon to 4pm. For North Little Rock research, this is a critical resource because the metro papers covered both cities.
The Butler Center holds the full run of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Historical Archive with searchable image editions. Collections include the Arkansas Gazette from 1867 through 1991, the Arkansas Democrat from 1947 through 1992, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from 1992 through 1994. Obituaries published in those papers for North Little Rock residents are searchable here. The Arkansas Gazette Obituaries Index covering 1819 to 1879 alone contains 14,329 entries.
Beyond newspapers, the Butler Center maintains genealogy reference books, microfilm for all Arkansas counties, and in-library access to Ancestry and Newspapers.com. FamilySearch Affiliate Library access is also available on site. The center also provides access to African American Heritage, Fold3 for military records, HeritageQuest Online, and the Newspapers.com World Collection.
Arkansas State Archives
The Arkansas State Archives at One Capitol Mall, 2nd Floor, Little Rock, AR 72201 is the state's main repository for historical death records. Phone is (501) 682-6900. For North Little Rock researchers, the Archives is within easy reach and holds collections that directly cover Pulaski County and the metro area.
The In Remembrance database covers deaths from 1819 to 1920 and pulls from church publications, cemetery records, mortality censuses, newspaper obituaries, and county records. For deaths in North Little Rock before state registration began on February 1, 1914, this database may be your best indexed source. The database shows the name, the source where the record can be found, and the record date.
The Archives also holds printed death certificate indexes for 1914 to 1948 and 1967 to 1971, mortality census schedules from 1850 through 1880, and about 3,000 newspaper titles published in Arkansas. For researchers who cannot visit in person, the Archives accepts requests by mail and email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Note: The Arkansas Digital Archives has digitized historical newspapers and provides online access to the In Remembrance database and other indexed collections from the Archives.
Online Obituary Databases for North Little Rock
Several free databases cover North Little Rock and Pulaski County obituary records. FamilySearch holds the Arkansas Death Index 1914 to 1950 with roughly 594,000 deaths indexed. Arkansas Deaths and Burials covers 1882 to 1929 and 1945 to 1963. Digitized death certificates from 1914 to 1969 are free to access at FamilySearch and at the Arkansas State Archives research rooms.
CourtConnect allows you to search probate filings by name across Arkansas counties. When someone in North Little Rock died with property in Pulaski County, an estate case was typically opened at the courthouse. Those records name the deceased, note the date of death, and list heirs. Probate files often contain more detail than a published obituary and can surface information that no other source holds.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas provides context for local history, organizations, and institutions that appear in North Little Rock obituaries. When you encounter an unfamiliar organization or business name, the Encyclopedia can help place it in time and location. The Arkansas Genealogical Society also maintains statewide resources and can connect you with Pulaski County volunteers.
Death Certificates and Vital Records
Death certificates for North Little Rock are filed with the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office at 4815 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone is 800-637-9314. The office is a short drive from North Little Rock and holds records from 1914 through the present.
The cost is $10.00 for the first certified copy and $8.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. A $10.00 non-refundable search fee applies if no record is found. Walk-in service provides same-day issuance Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Online ordering is available through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com. Phone orders go to 866-209-9482.
Under Arkansas Code Ann. ยง 20-18-304, death certificates remain restricted for 50 years. After that period they become public records. An online death index through the Department of Health covers deaths from 1935 to 1961. For deaths before 1935 or after 1961, a formal records request is required.
Pulaski County Records
North Little Rock is part of Pulaski County. Probate records, estate filings, and court records for North Little Rock residents are maintained at the Pulaski County Courthouse. The county circuit clerk handles filings that connect directly to obituary research. When a North Little Rock resident died and left an estate, the probate case is on record at the courthouse and searchable through CourtConnect.
The Pulaski County Clerk maintains older vital records including marriage records dating back to the county's early years. Land records and deed books can help trace family connections when obituary records are incomplete or missing. For recent obituary notices, Legacy.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette online edition carry current death notices for the North Little Rock metro area.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying cities in the Little Rock metro area and across Arkansas with obituary pages on this site include:
For county-level resources and courthouse contacts in North Little Rock, start with the Pulaski County page, which covers the circuit clerk, county archives, and local genealogy organizations serving the whole county.