Obituary Index
The Obituary Index references obituaries and death notices published in New Orleans newspapers from 1804-1972 and biographical information published in older Louisiana collective biographies. The original index, housed in the City Archives & Special Collections, is an alphabetical card file of more than 650,000 names.
This project was a joint effort of the City Archives & Special Collections and the Historic New Orleans Collection.
About this Index
Search for a name in the obituary index to find a citation. If the obituary ran in the Times (Daily) Picayune, States, Item, or States-Item, you can access the newspaper digitally.
Any other newspaper referenced must be accessed on-site at the City Archives, or you must order a copy from the archives.
About the Online Index Project
WPA staff working in the City Archives began the obituary file in the 1930s, when the Archives were located in then City Hall (present-day Gallier Hall). The massive card file traveled with the Archives to the Main Library on Lee Circle in 1946 (when the Archives came under the purview of the New Orleans Public Library), and finally to it’s home in the present-day City Archives & Special Collections at the Main Library. Library staff continued work on the obituary file, completing indexing through 1972. The index was digitized through a joint effort of staff from the City Archives and the Historic New Orleans Collection. The complete version of the online Obituary Index launched in 2009.
