Tracking down information about a relative or long-lost friend is difficult, especially if you are trying to figure out if someone you used to be in contact with has recently passed away. This process can be emotional, but there are fortunately some foolproof ways to discover if someone is deceased for free, something that takes some stress away from this process.
Our article gives you details on the best free methods for finding out if someone is deceased and why you might need to obtain this information.
Why Search to Find Out if Someone Is Deceased?
There are many different reasons why you might want to perform a search to discover if someone is deceased or not. In many cases, this search is performed by relatives who want to know if a long-lost family member or a long-lost friend has passed away.
Reasons to search for someone’s death records include:
- Tracking down family history or genealogy
- Looking for details on a relative
- Looking for details on a friend or other acquaintance
- Historic record research
Of course, there may be other personal reasons you have for performing this search. Whatever the reason, it’s important to use the proper methods to discover the information you need.
Best Free Methods for Finding Out if Someone Is Deceased
The following methods are some of the best free ways to find out if someone is deceased. You can generally use these methods to find out historical deaths or to discover more recent obituaries.
Obituaries
Oftentimes, when a person passes, they will have an obituary published in a newspaper. While print newspapers aren’t as in style as they once were, you may be able to access digitized versions of old newspapers or online articles that list both recent and historical obituaries. Typically, access to these articles is free, and you can check the website of your local newspaper or find a print copy for more details.
Local Library Records
Libraries are often the best place to start a free search for death records, especially if you are searching for historical death records or are conducting genealogical research. When visiting your local library, take the time to access the historical section, microfiche records, or old newspapers. You can also speak to a staff member for assistance in conducting research.
Government Records
Sometimes, death records will be considered public records by your state, meaning you can locate them online through your local government’s website. For this process, you will need to access the county record office in the area where you believe the person you are searching for passed, and you can conduct your search from there. While many government searches are free, some websites may charge you a very minimal fee to access this information.
Gravesite Finders
For more historical deaths, a gravesite finder can help you confirm whether or not someone has passed and provide details about their date of birth and death. A quick search online should give you access to numerous different gravesite-finding tools, and you can filter your search by name, location, and suspected date of birth or death.
Social Media Searches
Social media searches are helpful for deaths that have happened recently, and by reviewing someone’s social media profile or a relative’s profile, you might be able to track down information about whether or not someone is deceased. However, keep in mind that the person’s profile must be set to public for this, and you might have to have your own social media account to access the information you need.
People Search Tools
People finder free search tools are a very helpful way to discover whether or not someone is deceased. Searches using these tools can bring up all of the details you might need to know about a person, including their birth date and death date. Make sure when using a people search tool that you are using the proper name of the person you are searching for to get the most accurate results.
What If I Can’t Find Information About a Person’s Death?
If you are having trouble finding details about whether or not a person is deceased, the reality is that the person in question may not actually be deceased. Alternatively, if you are searching through historical records, there may not be enough information available to determine what happened and the exact date of their death. In these cases, more research may need to be performed before you can find the answers you need.
Tracking Down the Personal Information You Need
Tracking down the details of someone’s death can be difficult, and you might find this process both stressful and emotional. There are many ways to discover this information for free, though you might need to trial and error each way to find the details you are looking for. However, with some patience and dedicated research, you should be able to track down the personal information about death records you need to access.
