Ann Arbor Obituaries and Death Records
Ann Arbor death records and obituaries are available through Washtenaw County, the Ann Arbor District Library's free OLD NEWS obituary collection, and the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. With about 121,000 residents and home to one of the country's top research universities, Ann Arbor has unusually strong genealogy and death record resources. The AADL OLD NEWS collection alone covers 10 local newspapers from 1841 to 2009 and includes a free obituary lookup service.
Ann Arbor Overview
Washtenaw County Clerk Death Records
Ann Arbor death records are handled by the Washtenaw County Clerk at ewashtenaw.org. The Washtenaw County fee for a certified death certificate is $15 per copy. Under MCL 333.2882, anyone can order a death certificate in Michigan without showing a family connection. Ann Arbor is the county seat of Washtenaw County, so the clerk's office is centrally located for city residents. Note that the ewashtenaw.org site may be temporarily down at times, so calling the office directly is a good backup.
The Washtenaw County Clerk handles death registrations for all cities and townships in the county, including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, and others. Certified copies are needed for legal purposes such as settling estates, updating beneficiaries, or changing names on official documents. For research and genealogy purposes, the Ann Arbor District Library and the Bentley Historical Library offer free resources that go much deeper into the historical record.
| Office | Washtenaw County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Website | ewashtenaw.org |
| Fee | $15 per certified copy |
AADL OLD NEWS Obituary Collection
The Ann Arbor District Library's OLD NEWS collection is one of the finest free obituary resources in Michigan. The collection covers over 10 digitized Ann Arbor newspapers from 1841 to 2009, creating a nearly complete record of local death notices and obituaries for more than 165 years. The AADL also offers a free obituary lookup service where you can submit a name and the library staff will search the collection for you. This service is available at no charge to anyone, not just Ann Arbor residents.
The collection includes the Ann Arbor Argus, Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor Courier, and other local papers that ran detailed obituary sections throughout their publication runs. The Signal of Liberty, an early abolitionist newspaper published in Ann Arbor in the 1840s, is also part of the collection. That paper covered deaths in the local community at a time when Ann Arbor was an active stop on the Underground Railroad. For genealogy researchers with roots in this community, the Signal of Liberty obituaries and death notices are an extraordinary resource.
Visit aadl.org/oldnews to access the OLD NEWS collection online. Much of it is full-text searchable, meaning you can type a name and find mentions across all years and publications. The free obituary lookup service submission form is also on that page.
The AADL OLD NEWS collection shown above is accessible free online and covers Ann Arbor newspapers from 1841 to 2009, making it the most comprehensive local obituary resource in Washtenaw County.
Note: The free obituary lookup service at AADL is a mail or email request process. Response times vary but are typically within a few weeks for standard requests.
Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan
The Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan holds the Alumni Files Index covering 1841 to 1968. This index documents deaths of University of Michigan alumni and faculty, which represents a large portion of Ann Arbor's educated community over more than a century. The Bentley Library is a major research institution with collections that go beyond UM records into broader Michigan history. It is particularly valuable for Ann Arbor obituary research involving university community members.
The Bentley Library is open to the public and free to use on-site. Researchers do not need a University of Michigan affiliation. Staff can assist with searches of the alumni files and other collections. The library is located on the North Campus of the university. Visit bentley.umich.edu for current hours and access policies.
The Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County maintains an Obituary and News Item Index covering the 1840s through the 1930s and beyond. This volunteer-compiled index is a useful supplement to the AADL collection, particularly for earlier decades. The society's records are available through their meetings and through partnerships with the Ann Arbor District Library and Washtenaw County historical collections.
The Bentley Historical Library shown above at the University of Michigan holds the Alumni Files Index 1841-1968 and broader Michigan historical collections useful for Ann Arbor obituary research.
Michigan Statewide Death Records for Ann Arbor
Michiganology at michiganology.org provides free access to Michigan death records from 1897 to 1952. The GENDIS database at michiganology.org/gendis covers earlier records. Public Act 194 of 1867 established statewide death registration, so records become more reliable after that year. For Ann Arbor genealogy researchers, these databases complement the AADL and Bentley collections well.
Public Act 73 of 2006 restricts free online image access to deaths older than 75 years. For more recent deaths, contact the Washtenaw County Clerk or MDHHS at 517-335-8666 in Lansing. MDHHS fees are $34 for the first copy and $16 for additional copies. VitalChek at vitalchek.com handles online orders for a $12.95 service fee on top of state charges.
Washtenaw County Death Records
Ann Arbor is the county seat of Washtenaw County. All death records for Ann Arbor residents go through the Washtenaw County Clerk. For full county-level procedures, fees, and resources, visit the Washtenaw County obituary records page.
Nearby Cities
This nearby city also has death records and obituary resources in the region.