Automated Monitoring for
Genealogy & History.
Monitor distant relatives and historical figures across thousands of sources. Get notified instantly when new obituary information becomes available to enrich your family history research.
2,500+
Sources monitored
50
States covered
24/7
Real-time scanning
90%+
Match confidence
Family Connections Are Time-Sensitive
Every genealogist knows the heartbreak of discovering a relative just months after they passed. The oral histories, the photos, the family stories—gone forever. Monitoring lets you know when elderly relatives pass, giving you the chance to attend funerals and connect with family members you've never met.
"When my great-aunt passed, I was notified in time to attend the funeral and meet cousins I never knew existed. One of them had boxes of old family photos. It changed my understanding of my family history."
— Patricia K., Genealogy Researcher
Preserving Family History Before It Disappears
Every genealogist understands the urgency of family history preservation. Oral traditions, personal memories, and physical artifacts like photographs and documents exist primarily in the hands of older family members. When these individuals pass away, the knowledge and materials they hold often disappear as well, lost to heirs who may not understand their significance or who lack the means to preserve them properly. This creates a race against time that most genealogists eventually lose, despite their best efforts.
The challenge is compounded by the fragmented nature of modern families. Unlike previous generations where families often lived in close proximity and maintained regular contact, today's families are frequently scattered across states and countries. You may have distant relatives you have never met, whose existence you only discovered through DNA testing or documentary research. These relatives may hold pieces of your family story that you have been searching for, but without regular contact, you may not learn about their passing until it is too late.
Memorial services and funerals serve an important function beyond mourning. They bring together family members who may not have seen each other in years, creating natural opportunities for sharing stories, photographs, and genealogical information. Cousins who never knew about your research may mention that they have boxes of old family papers in their attic. Elderly relatives may share memories of people and events that appear nowhere in the documentary record. These connections can only happen if you know about the death in time to attend.
Automated obituary monitoring ensures that you receive timely notification when relatives pass away, giving you the opportunity to attend services and make these valuable connections. Even when attendance is not possible, early notification allows you to reach out to other family members while memories are fresh and materials are still being sorted. This window of opportunity closes quickly as families move on with their lives and dispose of items they do not recognize as significant.
Building Complete Family Records from Obituary Information
Obituaries contain a wealth of genealogical information that can significantly advance your research. Beyond basic vital data like birth and death dates, obituaries often include maiden names for women, names of parents and siblings, lists of surviving family members, places of residence, occupations, religious affiliations, and organizational memberships. This information can fill gaps in your family tree and provide leads for further research that would be difficult or impossible to find elsewhere.
The biographical narratives in obituaries often reveal details about family history that appear in no other source. You might learn that a great-grandmother immigrated from a specific town in Italy, that a grandfather served in a particular military unit, or that a family business operated for several generations in a specific location. These details provide context that transforms a list of names and dates into a living narrative about real people and their experiences.
Perhaps most importantly for genealogists, obituaries identify living relatives who may be willing to share information and collaborate on research. The list of survivors in an obituary tells you who is still alive and potentially reachable. These individuals may have photographs, documents, and memories that you cannot access any other way. Reaching out after a death, while sensitive, often leads to productive relationships with cousins and other relatives who share your interest in family history.
ObituaryMonitor preserves obituary content as part of your notification records, ensuring that you have access to this valuable information even if the original source removes or archives the obituary. This archival function is particularly important because many obituary websites charge for access to older obituaries or remove them entirely after a period of time. By capturing the information when it first appears, you ensure that it remains part of your permanent research files.
Why Genealogists Choose ObituaryMonitor
Keep track of the relatives you've discovered and never miss an opportunity to connect.
Track Extended Pedigrees
Monitor distant relatives across multiple family branches simultaneously. Never miss a connection opportunity with family you've discovered through research.
Preserve Oral Histories
Know when elderly relatives pass so you can attend services and connect with family members who hold precious stories, photos, and genealogical records.
Automated Archive Scanning
Our system monitors 2,500+ obituary sources 24/7. Capture obituaries before they're removed and build a permanent archive of family records.
Connect at Funerals
Funerals bring family together. Knowing when distant relatives pass gives you the opportunity to attend services and meet cousins you've never known.
Common Research Scenarios
See how ObituaryMonitor supports your genealogy workflow.
Elderly Relatives
Monitor aging relatives you've discovered in your research. Be notified in time to attend services and meet living family.
DNA Matches
Track biological relatives discovered through DNA testing. Get notified when they pass to connect with their families.
Historical Figures
Research notable individuals and their descendants. Capture obituaries for historical documentation.
Adoptee Research
Monitor biological family members discovered through search. Get timely notification to connect before it's too late.
Surname Studies
Track all bearers of a surname in specific geographic areas. Build comprehensive family group sheets.
Cemetery Research
Monitor individuals whose graves you're researching. Get obituaries with additional family details.
Built for Family History Research
- Track distant relatives across all 50 states
- High-confidence matching with location filtering
- Email and SMS alerts for immediate notification
- Obituary links preserve genealogical data
- Track multiple family branches simultaneously
- Bulk upload research subject lists
- Permanent record of all matches
- Private and respectful monitoring
Linda W.
Amateur Genealogist
Salt Lake City, UT
"I've been researching my family for 20 years. ObituaryMonitor helped me connect with cousins I never knew existed when a distant relative passed. We met at the funeral and shared photos and stories."
Sarah M.
Adoptee & Genealogist
Portland, OR
"My biological father didn't want contact. ObituaryMonitor let me know when he passed so I could attend the funeral and meet my half-siblings for the first time. It was life-changing."
Success Stories from Genealogy Researchers
See how family historians are using ObituaryMonitor to connect with relatives and preserve family stories.
Professional Genealogist
Independent Researcher • Genealogy Research
Challenge
Missing funeral services of distant relatives before oral histories were lost. By the time obituaries were discovered through manual searches, the opportunity to connect had passed.
Solution
Set up monitoring for 150+ extended family names across surname branches, with immediate alerts when matches are found.
Results
3
New Cousins Found
40+ hrs
Oral History Preserved
"I attended my great-aunt's funeral and met relatives who had boxes of old photos from the 1920s I never knew existed. That connection was priceless."
— Linda W., Professional Genealogist
DNA Match Researcher
Adoptee Researcher • Genealogy Research
Challenge
Tracking biological family after DNA discovery, unsure of timing. Birth father refused contact, but wanted to know when he passed to potentially connect with biological siblings.
Solution
Monitoring birth parents and potential siblings with high-confidence alerts, respecting boundaries while staying informed.
Results
24 hrs
Alert Time
2
Half-Siblings Met
"ObituaryMonitor gave me the chance I thought I'd never have. I met my half-brother at the memorial service, and we've built a relationship I never thought possible."
— Sarah M., Adoptee Researcher
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from genealogy researchers.
How can obituary monitoring help with genealogy research?
Obituaries contain valuable genealogical information: maiden names, surviving relatives, children, grandchildren, birthplaces, and family connections. Monitoring helps you discover this information and connect with living relatives at funerals and memorial services.
Can I monitor multiple family branches?
Yes. You can set up monitoring for as many people as your plan allows. Many genealogists track multiple family lines simultaneously—monitoring distant cousins, elderly relatives, and people discovered through research.
Will I be notified about distant relatives I've never met?
If you have their name and approximate location (or even just their name), you can set up monitoring. When their obituary is published, you'll be notified and can potentially attend services or connect with surviving family.
How does monitoring help me meet living relatives?
Funerals bring family together. When you're notified about a distant relative's passing, you can attend services and meet other descendants—cousins, second cousins, and extended family you may never have known about otherwise.
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