A Guide to Genealogical Research in the Periodicals Department
If you are researching a Maryland ancestor, the Periodicals Department can help!
Our collection includes historical international and national newspapers (microfilm, databases) as well as historical newspapers from localities throughout Maryland (Baltimore city newspapers on microfilm by title, by year, Maryland local newspapers on microfilm by title, by county, by city).
We also have a collection of genealogy and history periodicals from across the United States.
How do I find a death notice or obituary in a newspaper?
What other genealogical sources are available?
Ask Us
Death notices and/or obituaries are very useful in doing genealogical research. However, many people do not have a death notice published after their death, and even fewer people have an obituary written to note their death. In recent decades, death notices in most newspapers are paid for by the decedent’s survivors, whereas obituaries are news stories.
When searching for a death notice or obituary, there are three pieces of information about the decedent needed before beginning the search:
- The name of the decedent,
- The decedent’s last known residence or place of death or burial, and
- The exact month, day, and year of death or burial for the decedent
Remember that variations in the spelling of names are common. Another person with the same first and last name may have also died near the decedent’s death date. In this case, a maiden name, middle name, or some background information on the decedent might be useful.
The decedent’s last known residence or place of death or burial will determine which newspaper is most likely to contain a death notice or obituary.
The Periodicals Department staff cannot search newspapers without an exact date of death or burial. In cases where the exact date of death or burial is not known, there are indexes that can be searched for this information. One may consult the Indexes to Deaths and Marriages in Maryland Newspapers or the Ancestry Library Edition database. The Ancestry Library Edition database contains the Social Security Death Index which in some cases provides an exact date of death.
For deaths in the Baltimore area, Indexes to the Baltimore Sun and Evening Sun may be useful.
For deaths elsewhere, we have the following indexes available:
Obituary/Name Indexes
| Index |
Years |
Newspaper |
| The New York Times Obituary Index |
1858-1978 |
New York Times |
| Obituaries from the Times |
1961-1970 |
The Times(London) |
| Obituary Index 1988 |
1988 |
Atlanta Constitution
Boston Globe
Chicago Tribune
Los Angeles Times
New York Times
The Times (London)
Washington Post |
| Personal Name Index to the New York Times |
1851-Current |
New York Times |
General Indexes
| Index |
Years |
Newspaper |
| The New York Times Index |
1851-Current |
New York Times |
| The Times Index |
1785-Current |
The Times (London) |
| Virginia Gazette Index |
1736-1780 |
Virginia Gazette |
| The Washington Post Index |
1971-1995 |
Washington Post |
Newspaper Databases
The Enoch Pratt Free Library provides access to many newspaper databases that may be of use to you in your research. All of these databases may be accessed inside an Enoch Pratt Free Library, while a few of the databases may also be accessed outside of a library with an Enoch Pratt Free Library Card. The following databases provide access to historical newspaper articles, many in full text:
| Database |
Years |
Newspaper |
| ProQuest Historical Newspapers |
1847-1858
1872-1963 |
Chicago Daily Tribune |
1860-1872
1963-Current |
Chicago Tribune |
| 1908-Current |
Christian Science Monitor |
| 1851-Current |
New York Daily Times |
| 1889-Current |
Wall Street Journal |
1877-1954
1974-Current |
Washington Post |
| 1954-1973 |
Washington Post & Times Herald |
| ProQuest National Newspapers |
Earliest starts in 1985-Current |
Newspapers from major cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston, London, Manchester, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, New Orleans, Washington. |
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The Periodicals Department also has many genealogical and historical scholarly journals that may be useful:
Genealogy
| Periodical |
Holdings |
| American Spirit |
2001-Current
|
| Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine |
1947-1987; 1989-2001; superceded by American Spirit
|
| Heir Lines |
03/2000-Current
|
| Heritage Quest Magazine |
1997-2005
|
| New England Ancestors |
Current 5 years |
| The New England Historical and Genealogical Register |
1847-Current |
History
| Periodical |
Holdings |
| Afro-Americans in New York Life and History |
1977-Current
|
| Alberta History |
09/2002-Current
|
| American Jewish History |
1978-Current
|
| Arkansas Historical Quarterly |
1937-2000
|
| Black History Bulletin |
07/1997-Current
|
| British Heritage |
1980-Current
|
| California History |
1978-Current
|
| Canadian Historical Review |
1920-Current
|
Canadian Journal of History
|
04/1984-Current |
| Carolina Comments |
Current 5 years
|
| Carologue |
Current 5 years
|
Chinese America (History and Perspectives)
|
1997-Current |
Connecticut History
|
09/2004-Current |
| Delaware History |
1946-Current
|
Florida Historical Quarterly
|
1937-2000 |
Georgia Historical Quarterly
|
1937-Current |
Hawaiian Journal of History
|
1967-2001 |
Hispanic American Historical Review
|
1918-Current |
| Illinois Historical Journal |
1984-1988 superceded by the Journal of the Illinois Historical Society
|
Indiana Magazine of History
|
1908-1909
1914-Current
|
| Journal of African American History |
1998-Current
|
Journal of American Ethnic History
|
1990-2001 |
| Journal of Caribbean History |
1970-Current
|
| Journal of Negro History |
1916-2001 superceded by Journal of African American History
|
| Journal of Southern History |
1935-Current
|
| Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society |
2000-Current
|
| Journal of the Southwest |
1987-Current
|
| Journal of the West |
1962-Current
|
Louisiana History
|
1965-Current
|
Manitoba History
|
03/1996-Current |
Michigan Historical Review
|
03/1999-Current |
Missouri Historical Review
|
1906-1938
1940-Current
|
New England Quarterly
|
1928-Current
|
North Carolina Historical Review
|
1924-Current
|
Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine
|
1951-Current
|
Ohio History
|
1962-2002
|
Oregon Historical Quarterly
|
09/2001-Current
|
Pacific Historical Review
|
1932-Current
|
Pennsylvania History
|
1934-Current
|
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
|
1877-Current
|
Pittsburgh History
|
1989-1999
|
Quaker History
|
1962-2001
|
Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia
|
1955-1956; 1962-1998
|
Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
|
1947-Current
|
South Carolina Historical Magazine
|
1952-Current
|
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
|
1912-1977
|
Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
|
1893-Current
|
Washington History
|
1989-Current
|
West Virginia History
|
1939-Current
|
Western Pennsylvania History
|
1999-Current
|
William & Mary Quarterly
|
1892-Current
|
Wisconsin Magazine of History
|
1917-Current |
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Maryland and Baltimore historical journals are kept in the Maryland Department.
If you have any questions about how to get started or need help using some of these sources, please e-mail us, call (410) 396-5451, or contact us by mail:
Periodicals Department
Enoch Pratt Free Library
State Library Resource Center
400 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
