Search Revere Obituary Records
Revere obituary records are held at the City Clerk's office at 281 Broadway and go back well over a hundred years. You can search for Revere death records by going to City Hall in person, sending a mail request, or using the state's online vital records tools for older entries. The Revere Public Library also keeps newspaper files that help with obituary research, and the Revere Journal has run local death notices for decades. Suffolk County records and state archives hold additional Revere obituary data for different time periods. This page walks through each way to look up and get copies of obituary records in Revere.
Revere Overview
Revere City Clerk Obituary Records
The Revere City Clerk is the main office for death certificates and obituary records in Revere. It sits at 281 Broadway in Revere City Hall. The clerk keeps records of all deaths that took place in the city, plus deaths of Revere residents that happened elsewhere in Massachusetts. If someone died in Revere or lived in Revere at the time of death, this office should have a record on file. You can call them at 781-286-8161 to ask about a specific record before you make the trip.
To get a copy, you need to go in person or send a written request by mail. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. Staff can look up the record and print a certified copy while you wait. By mail, send a letter with the full name of the person who died, the date of death if you know it, and your return address. Include a check or money order for the copy fee payable to the City of Revere. Processing time for mail requests varies but plan on a few weeks at least.
The Revere City Clerk page lists the services and forms you may need when you request obituary records from this office.
Check the site for current hours and any changes to the request process.
| Office | Revere City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 281 Broadway Revere, MA 02151 |
| Phone | 781-286-8161 |
Revere Death Records Through State Sources
Massachusetts started collecting death records from every city and town in 1841. That means Revere obituary records from 1841 onward exist at the state level too. The Massachusetts Archives Vital Records Search is a free tool that covers 1841 to 1910. Type in a name, pick Revere as the location, select "Death," and set a year range. Results show volume and page numbers. Digital images of Revere death records from 1841 to 1925 are free to view on the site.
For records the database does not show, you can email the State Archives at archives@sec.state.ma.us. Staff will email scans of up to five records from 1841 to 1930 at no cost. If you need a certified copy from the archives, that runs $3.00 per certificate. Send a check to the Massachusetts Archives at 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125. Allow four to six weeks for processing.
The Revere city website has links to city departments and services, including information on how to reach the City Clerk for death record requests.
The site is also a good starting point for finding other Revere government offices.
For more recent Revere obituary records from 1936 to the present, the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics in Dorchester has copies. Walk-in cost is $20 per copy. By mail, the fee is $32. You can also order through VitalChek for $54 for the first copy and $42 for each one after that. VitalChek takes credit cards and offers fast shipping. The RVRS office is at 150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125. Phone is 617-740-2600.
Note: Revere death records from 1931 to 1935 were recently moved to the State Archives and may require a direct email request to access.
Revere Obituary Newspaper Archives
The Revere Journal is the main local newspaper for death notices in Revere. It has published obituaries for decades and remains the go-to source for recent Revere death notices. Families in Revere typically place obituary notices in the Journal, and many of those notices include details you won't find on a death certificate. Things like surviving family members, memorial service times, and charitable donation requests show up in newspaper obituaries but not in official records.
The Revere Public Library is a solid place to search old obituary files. The library keeps microfilm and newspaper archives that cover Revere going back many years. Staff can help you find specific dates or names in the collection. For genealogy work, the library also has access to databases and reference materials that tie into obituary research across Suffolk County and the rest of Massachusetts.
The library website lists hours, services, and any special collections that can help with Revere obituary searches.
Beyond local sources, several online databases index Revere obituary records. FamilySearch has free Massachusetts death collections that include Revere entries from the 1800s and early 1900s. You need a free account to use it. AmericanAncestors.org from the New England Historic Genealogical Society has indexed Massachusetts vital records from 1841 to 1920, and Revere deaths are in those files. That site requires a paid membership for full access.
Getting Revere Death Certificates
There are a few ways to get a certified death certificate for someone who died in Revere. The fastest is to go to the City Clerk's office at 281 Broadway. Bring your photo ID. Tell the clerk the name and date of death. They will pull the record and make you a certified copy on the spot. Cash or check is the usual form of payment.
Mail requests work too. Write a letter with the deceased person's full name, date of death, and your own name and address. Include payment by check or money order. Mail it to the Revere City Clerk at 281 Broadway, Revere, MA 02151. Give it two to four weeks for a response. If the clerk can't find the record, they will let you know.
You can also try the state-level options. The RVRS in Dorchester handles records from 1936 forward. Walk-in visits cost $20 per copy. Mail orders are $32 each. VitalChek online orders run $54 for the first copy. For older Revere records from 1841 to 1930, the Massachusetts Archives is your best bet at just $3.00 per certified copy.
- In person at Revere City Hall: fastest option, bring photo ID
- By mail to City Clerk: include name, date, and payment
- RVRS walk-in: $20 per copy, records from 1936 to present
- RVRS by mail: $32 per copy, allow 30 business days
- VitalChek online: $54 first copy, $42 additional
- State Archives: $3.00 per certified copy for 1841 to 1930 records
Revere Obituary Record Access Rules
Death certificates in Revere are public records. Anyone can request a copy under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46. You do not need to be a relative of the person who died. The one catch is the cause of death. Under Section 46-2A, only close family members can see that part of the record. That includes the surviving spouse, parents, children, siblings, legal guardians, and legal representatives. If you are not in one of those groups, your copy will have the cause of death left blank.
The Massachusetts Public Records Law gives you the right to request records from any government office in Revere. The city must respond within 10 business days. Copy fees are capped at $0.05 per page for standard copies. Search time for the first two hours is free for cities with more than 20,000 people, and Revere falls well above that mark. After the free hours, the maximum charge is $25 per hour for staff search time.
Note: Certified death certificate copies cost more than standard public record copies because they carry official certification from the clerk.
Suffolk County Obituary Records
Revere is part of Suffolk County along with Boston, Chelsea, and Winthrop. Each city and town in the county keeps its own death records at the local clerk level. Suffolk County does not have a single centralized office for obituary records. Instead, you go to the city or town where the death happened. For a full look at obituary resources across all of Suffolk County, check the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Revere also maintain obituary records at their local clerk offices.