Louisiana Division
New Orleans Public Library
219 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 596-2610
The online Index includes references to obituaries in New Orleans newspapers from 1804 to 1972 only.
Indexing for the Daily/Times Picayune is complete for these years. PLEASE LINK HERE for a list of other New Orleans newspapers that are at least partially indexed. The index does not include references to obituaries in newspapers published outside of New Orleans.
PLEASE LINK HERE for information on additional Search/Copy Services provided by the Louisiana Division for obituaries after 1972 (and for searches in additional record types). PLEASE NOTE that the fee structure may be different for other types of searches, so please read the instructions carefully.
Please direct questions or problems encountered in using the Index to archivist@neworleanspubliclibrary.org.
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Before you order copies,
please read the instructions below carefully.
Check locally before you write to us!
- If you would like to order a photocopy of an obituary or a biographical reference located in the online Index, please send your request with a fee of
$2.00 per obituary/biographical reference to the address given at left above.
Check or money order should be made payable to New Orleans Public Library. Although we will accept cash, we do not recommend that you send cash through the mail.
Note: The fee is $2.00 per obituary or biographical reference, not $2.00 per name. For some individuals, the Index may list several references. Each of the items referenced for that individual (even if there are 2 references in a single paper on the same day) requires a $2.00 fee. If there are references to multiple obituaries for a name you're seeking, these TIPS FROM THE STAFF can help you decide which obits to order. If you order all of the obituaries referenced for an individual, you will almost certainly get duplicates. We strongly urge you to consider ordering only one obituary for an individual.
When you send your request for copies, please include the exact reference -- i.e. name of deceased, newspaper, date, page, column or, for a biographical reference, name of deceased, source, volume number (if given) and page number -- as it appears in the Index. There are several ways to do this, any of which is acceptable to us:
- Simply print out the page(s) from the online Index that includes the references for the individual you're seeking and put check mark next to the items that you would like copied
- OR use these online
ORDER FORMS (These pdf forms are fillable online, but must be printed out and mailed in with your payment.)
OR send a typed or handwritten note transcribing the references you found online.
Please limit your requests to 5 obituaries or biographical items. Due to increased demand for copies, we must ask that you do not send multiple letters all at once. Submit one request, limited to 5 obits. Once you've received our response, you may place another order.
Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your request. If you are requesting 5 obituaries, the envelope will require additional postage. Please also note that copies of 5 obituaries do not fit easily into a small envelope; it would be helpful to us if you include a larger envelope.
Since we are not set up to receive electronic payment, and since we must receive pre-payment, we cannot respond to email or telephone requests for copies. All requests for copies must be sent by regular mail.
If you are looking for an obituary in a New Orleans newspaper between 1804-1972 and do not find a reference in our Index, please do not request that we search further for you. Our by-mail services do not extend beyond the obituaries referenced in the Index.
Orders will be processed as quickly as possible in the general order in which they are received. Usually, you can expect a response in about two weeks, but turn around time can be affected by any number of circumstances, especially by the number of requests we are currently working on. Please be patient.
We will always provide the most legible copy that it is possible for us to make from our microfilm. Please be aware that some of New Orleans' newspapers were badly filmed, and the copies will not always be perfect. Also be aware that much of our newspaper microfilm has been heavily used by researchers for many, many years. Expect scratches and flaws in your copies. If we cannot make a legible copy from the microfilm, we will provide a transcription, if possible.
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