Kent County Obituary Records

Kent County obituary and death records cover one of Michigan's largest counties, anchored by Grand Rapids. The county clerk has kept death records since 1867, and several free online indexes make searching faster. Whether you need a recent death certificate or an obituary from the early 1900s, this guide walks you through every available source in Kent County.

Kent County Clerk Office

The Kent County Clerk stores official death records for the county and issues certified copies of death certificates. The office is located at 300 Monroe Ave. NW in Grand Rapids. Certified death certificates from the clerk cost $10 for the search fee plus copy costs. Staff can help with records going back to 1867 when Michigan made death registration mandatory under Public Act 194 of 1867.

Walk-in requests are handled Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also send a written request by mail with a check, a copy of your ID, and a completed application. The clerk can confirm whether a record exists and provide certified copies. For older records not yet digitized, in-person visits often work best. The phone number for the clerk's office is 616-632-7640.

WMGS Kent County Obituary Index

The Western Michigan Genealogical Society maintains the most comprehensive free obituary resource for Kent County. Their index covers 1910 to the present and includes 97,785 death records drawn from Kent County newspapers and funeral home records. This is a strong starting point for any Kent County obituary search. You can access it at wmgs.org.

The WMGS index is particularly useful for filling gaps between formal death certificates and published newspaper notices. Many entries link directly to scanned obituary images. The society has been collecting and indexing these records for decades, making their database one of the most reliable free tools for Kent County genealogy research. Searches are free and do not require an account.

The Kent County Death Index within the WMGS collection draws from the Grand Rapids Press, the Grand Rapids Herald (published 1884-1916), and other local papers. For deaths before statewide online records are available, this index often provides the only accessible reference point outside of the clerk's office.

The WMGS obituary index page at wmgs.org gives access to the full Kent County collection.

The WMGS index is updated regularly and reflects ongoing volunteer efforts to add new obituary entries from current Kent County newspapers.

Grand Rapids Public Library Obituary Resources

The Grand Rapids Public Library holds one of the strongest local history and genealogy collections in western Michigan. The History and Special Collections department is on Level 4 of the main library. Staff there have access to the Grand Rapids Press digital archives, which cover 1893 to the present and include more than 3.2 million pages. This archive is searchable and includes obituary notices published across more than a century.

Researchers who visit in person can use microfilm readers, genealogy databases, and local newspaper archives. The library also holds city directories, funeral home records, and church registers that supplement official death certificates. Some of these resources are available remotely through the library's digital access tools. Visit grpl.org to explore what's available online or to plan an in-person visit.

The library's digital newspaper archive allows keyword searches across decades of the Grand Rapids Press, which is especially useful when you know the approximate death date but don't have the exact issue.

Note: Library card holders may have broader remote access to some databases. Check grpl.org for current availability.

Kent County Obituary Search Online

Several free online databases cover Kent County death records. The Kent County MiGenWeb project at kent.migenweb.org provides links to indexes, transcribed records, and county-specific genealogy resources. This volunteer-built site often points to resources not found through broader searches.

The MiGenWeb site connects to state-level resources as well, including the Michigan Death Records collection at michiganology.org/gendis. GENDIS provides free access to early death records. For deaths from 1897 to 1952, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services maintains a free searchable index at michiganology.org. Records after 1952 require contacting the MDHHS directly or going through the county clerk.

Under MCL 333.2882, death certificates in Michigan are open records. Anyone can order a certified copy. Deaths within the last 75 years may have restricted images online under Public Act 73 of 2006, but the underlying index data is still searchable. The MDHHS charges $34 for the first certified copy and $16 for each additional copy. VitalChek at vitalchek.com handles online orders with an additional service fee.

FamilySearch has also compiled Kent County resources at familysearch.org, including links to online collections and guidance for in-person research.

Kent County Death Records Background

Grand Rapids was known as Furniture City through much of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Large Dutch immigrant communities settled in Kent County starting in the mid-1800s, and many Dutch-language newspapers and church records from that era survive. These records often supplement or predate official death registration. If you are researching Dutch-heritage families, the WMGS and the Grand Rapids Public Library are particularly well-equipped to help.

Kent County's death records go back to 1867, when Michigan required counties to begin formal registration under Public Act 194 of 1867. Before that, church records and cemetery registers are often the only documentation. The county has one of the most complete historical death record collections in western Michigan, in part because Grand Rapids maintained a consistent local newspaper presence from the 1880s onward.

Researchers looking at the 1800s should check the Grand Rapids Herald archives (1884-1916), which are partly indexed through the WMGS. The Grand Rapids Press digital archive at the Grand Rapids Public Library picks up from 1893 and runs to the present.

Cities in Kent County

Kent County includes several communities. The following cities have dedicated obituary and death records pages on this site.

Other communities in Kent County include Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, and Cedar Springs. Death records for these areas are also filed through Kent County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Kent County. If you need to search records in a neighboring area, each county has its own clerk office and genealogy resources.