Grand Rapids Obituaries and Death Records
Grand Rapids death records and obituaries are searchable through Kent County, the Grand Rapids Public Library, and the Western Michigan Genealogical Society. Grand Rapids is Michigan's second-largest city, and it has strong local genealogy resources built up over many decades. The WMGS free obituary index alone covers over 97,000 Kent County death records and is one of the best free resources of its kind in the state.
Grand Rapids Overview
Kent County Clerk Death Records
Grand Rapids death records are processed through the Kent County Clerk's office. The clerk is located at 300 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, and can be reached at 616-632-7640. The Kent County search fee is $10. Under Michigan's open records law at MCL 333.2882, any person can request a certified death certificate without needing to show a family relationship. Visit accesskent.com for current request forms and procedures.
The Kent County Clerk handles death certificates for all cities and townships in the county, including Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, and surrounding areas. If you need a certified copy for legal or administrative purposes, the county clerk is the right place to start. For genealogy and obituary research going back further, the resources at GRPL and WMGS are more useful and often free.
| Office | Kent County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 |
| Phone | 616-632-7640 |
| Website | accesskent.com |
| Search Fee | $10 |
The Kent County Clerk's office portal at accesskent.com shows the county's online access tools for vital records and other public records.
The Kent County online portal shown above is the official gateway for requesting death records and searching county vital record resources in Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids Public Library Genealogy Collection
The Grand Rapids Public Library holds Michigan's second-largest open-stack genealogical collection. That means you can browse the shelves directly without needing to request materials through staff. GRPL's genealogy collection covers Kent County and all of West Michigan, with particular depth in local history, obituary files, and newspaper archives. The Grand Rapids Press, which dates back to 1893, has over 3.2 million pages available for obituary searching.
GRPL is free to use and open to the public. You do not need a library card to use the genealogy collection on-site. Staff in the Michigan and Family History Room can help you navigate the collection and find obituary notices from specific date ranges. The library also provides access to subscription genealogy databases like Ancestry.com and newspapers.com for in-library use at no charge. Visit grpl.org for location, hours, and collection details.
The GRPL genealogy department shown above is one of the top free obituary and death records research centers in West Michigan.
Note: GRPL's Michigan and Family History Room has specific hours that differ from the main library schedule. Check grpl.org before visiting to confirm availability.
Western Michigan Genealogical Society Obituary Index
The Western Michigan Genealogical Society runs the most comprehensive free obituary index for Grand Rapids and Kent County. The WMGS Obituary Index covers 1910 to the present and contains 97,785 death records from local newspapers, funeral home notices, and church bulletins. This is a remarkable volunteer-built resource that is available at no cost through their website. The Kent County Death Index compiled by WMGS is searchable by name and can direct you to the original newspaper source for the full obituary text.
WMGS also maintains a collection of physical resources at the Grand Rapids Public Library. Their volunteers have been indexing local death and obituary records for decades, and the depth of their database reflects that long-term commitment. Dutch immigrant genealogy is a particular area of strength, given Grand Rapids' history as a center of Dutch-American settlement in West Michigan. Many families with roots in the Dutch Reformed Church community have obituaries and death records indexed through WMGS that would be hard to find elsewhere.
The WMGS index at wmgs.org is searchable for free online. If you find a reference to a newspaper obituary, you can then check the physical papers at GRPL or request a copy from the library. This two-step process is the standard way to get the full text of a historical obituary notice in Grand Rapids.
The WMGS obituary index shown above contains 97,785 entries covering Grand Rapids and Kent County deaths from 1910 to the present.
Michigan Statewide Death Record Access
Grand Rapids death records from 1897 to 1952 are available free through Michiganology at michiganology.org. The GENDIS system at michiganology.org/gendis covers earlier death records. Both are free to use and cover Kent County deaths alongside records from across the state. Public Act 194 of 1867 established statewide death registration in Michigan, so records before that year may be incomplete or only available through church and local sources.
For deaths after 1952, request a certified copy from the Kent County Clerk at accesskent.com or directly from MDHHS in Lansing at 517-335-8666. Public Act 73 of 2006 sets a 75-year restriction on free online images of death records, which is why you need a certified copy from the clerk or state for more recent deaths. VitalChek at vitalchek.com can also process requests with a service fee of $12.95 added to the state fee.
Kent County Death Records
Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County, and all death records for Grand Rapids residents go through the Kent County Clerk. For full details on Kent County death record fees, search procedures, and resources, visit the Kent County obituary records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death records and obituary resources in the region.