Find Massachusetts Obituary Records Online
Massachusetts obituary records go back nearly four centuries, with statewide death record collection starting in 1841. You can search for obituary records through the Massachusetts State Archives, the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, and city or town clerk offices in all 14 counties. Online databases cover many years of records and some are free to use. Whether you need a certified death certificate or want to trace your family history, several options are open to you. This guide walks through how to find, request, and search Massachusetts obituary records from every major source that is available today.
Massachusetts Obituary Records Overview
Where to Find Massachusetts Obituary Records
Massachusetts runs a three-tier system for obituary and death records. The Massachusetts State Archives holds records from 1841 to 1930. It sits at 220 Morrissey Blvd. in Boston. Free digital copies of death records from 1841 to 1925 are available online. Staff will also scan and email up to five records from this period at no charge if you reach out to them at archives@sec.state.ma.us. Call 617-727-2816 for help. Certified copies cost just $3.00 each but take four to six weeks to arrive by mail. Cash or check only, payable to Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The State Archives vital records page shows how to access historical Massachusetts obituary and death records online.
The archives building is near the JFK/UMass commuter rail and Red Line T stop, about a five minute walk from the station.
The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics keeps death records from 1936 to the present day. This office is at 150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125. You can reach the registry at 617-740-2600. Records from 1931 to 1935 were recently transferred to the State Archives. Before 1841, records exist only at the city or town level. Boston, for one, has had death records since 1630. For those older obituary records you will need to go straight to the local clerk in the city or town where the death took place.
How to Request Massachusetts Death Records
Getting death records from the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics can be done in three ways. In person costs $20 per copy and is the fastest. Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. By mail costs $32 per copy. Send a check or money order payable to Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the registry at 150 Mt. Vernon St., 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125. Standard mail orders take about 30 business days to process. If you address the envelope to "Attention: Expedited Mail Service," it drops to 7 to 10 days.
The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics is the main state office for recent Massachusetts obituary and death record requests.
Parking near the registry runs $2 per hour with a $6 daily cap.
Online or phone orders go through VitalChek. The first copy costs $54 and each extra copy is $42. VitalChek also offers next-day shipping for urgent needs. Call them toll free at (866) 300-8535. You will need to provide the person's full name, date of death, and the city or town where it happened. A valid photo ID is always required. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46, Section 2A, death certificates are public records, but the cause of death section is restricted to close family, legal guardians, and those with a documented legal interest.
The registry offers genealogical research hours on select days: Monday 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday 1 to 4 p.m., and Friday 9 a.m. to noon.
Search Massachusetts Obituary Records Online
The Massachusetts Archives Vital Records Search database is free. It covers records from 1841 to 1910. Enter a first name, last name, and town or city. Pick the record type and year range. Results show volume and page citations from the original books. Digital images of many of these old records are also free to view through the archives website.
VitalChek is the authorized online service for ordering Massachusetts death certificates and obituary records from the state registry.
Expedited and next-day shipping options are available through VitalChek for urgent obituary record requests.
FamilySearch has several free Massachusetts collections. The site includes Massachusetts Deaths and Burials from 1795 to 1910, Town Clerk Vital and Town Records from 1626 to 2001, and Massachusetts Deaths from 1916 to 1919. A free account is required but anyone can sign up. These records can fill gaps in your obituary research, especially for records that fall between the archives and the registry coverage.
Paid services offer even more depth for Massachusetts obituary research. AmericanAncestors.org from the New England Historic Genealogical Society has the Massachusetts Vital Records Index from 1841 to 1920. It also holds the Boston Jewish Advocate Obituary Index with over 24,500 notices from 1905 to 2007.
The AmericanAncestors.org portal provides in-depth Massachusetts obituary indexes and vital records through the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
The society has been helping people trace Massachusetts family lines since 1845.
Ancestry.com carries the Massachusetts Death Index from 1970 to 2003, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records from 1620 to 1988, Death Records from 1841 to 1915, and the Social Security Death Index. Both AmericanAncestors and Ancestry need paid subscriptions.
The Ancestry.com platform hosts searchable Massachusetts obituary collections and death record indexes spanning several centuries.
The Massachusetts Death Index on Ancestry covers over three decades of state records.
Note: The State Archives will email free scans of up to five records from 1841 to 1930 by request at archives@sec.state.ma.us.
Massachusetts Death Certificate Details
Massachusetts death certificates hold key details for obituary research and family history work. Each one lists the full legal name of the person who died, including maiden names for married women. The record shows the date, place, county, and state of death. It includes the person's age in years, months, and days, plus their gender, race, and marital status at the time of death.
Other information on Massachusetts death certificates helps with obituary research and building a more complete picture. The document includes:
- Home address and occupation of the deceased
- Birthplace of the deceased
- Father's name and birthplace
- Mother's name, maiden name, and birthplace
- Spouse name if married
- Burial place and date of burial
- Funeral director information and informant name
The informant is whoever gave the death details to the authorities. Usually it is a close family member or the funeral home. This name can be a useful lead when you are looking for living relatives or trying to trace connections in your obituary research.
Massachusetts Obituary Access Laws
Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to begin collecting vital records statewide in 1841. The legal rules for obituary and death records sit in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46. This chapter covers how death certificates get filed, who can access copies, and how record errors are fixed. Section 9 says the funeral director or the person handling the remains must file the death certificate with the city or town clerk. Section 11 details the duties that fall on funeral directors when it comes to filing. Section 17B gives the state registrar authority over original records and certified copies.
The Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46 sets the legal framework for obituary record access, death certificate filing, and vital records management across the state.
These statutes apply to every city and town clerk office in all 14 Massachusetts counties.
Section 46-2A restricts cause of death to a limited group. Only the surviving spouse, parent, child, sibling, legal guardian, legal representative, or funeral director can see that part. The general public can still get a death certificate for obituary research, but the cause of death will not appear on it. Section 19 allows vital records, including death certificates, to be used as evidence in legal matters. Section 26 sets the fee schedule for certified copies.
The Massachusetts Public Records Law under MGL c.66, Section 10 makes most government records open to anyone. Agencies must respond to record requests within 10 business days. The first two to four hours of search time are free. After that, the fee caps at $25 per hour. Copy costs run $0.05 per page for black and white.
Fees for Massachusetts Obituary Records
The cost for Massachusetts obituary and death records varies by source. The State Archives charges just $3.00 per certified copy for records from 1841 to 1930. Most city and town clerks charge between $10 and $20 per copy. The Registry of Vital Records charges $20 if you walk in, $32 by mail, or $54 through VitalChek online. VitalChek charges $42 for each extra copy after the first one. Some records are completely free. The State Archives will email scans of up to five records at no cost. FamilySearch offers free access to a large collection of historical Massachusetts death records as well.
Local fees do change from clerk to clerk. Some offices accept credit cards, while others take only cash or check. A few city clerks in Massachusetts now offer online ordering through their own websites or third-party payment systems. In-person visits tend to be cheapest and fastest. Same-day service is standard at most clerk offices if the record is on file.
Note: Fees change from time to time, so contact the issuing office to confirm costs before you send any payment.
Browse Massachusetts Obituary Records by County
Each of the 14 counties in Massachusetts has city and town clerks that maintain obituary and death records for their communities. Pick a county below to find local clerk contact info and obituary record resources.
Obituary Records in Major Massachusetts Cities
Residents of major cities across Massachusetts can request death records at their local city or town clerk office. Pick a city below for details on how to search obituary records in that area.