Search Autauga County Obituary Records

Autauga County obituary records are available through local newspapers, funeral homes, and the Autauga County Heritage Association in Prattville. The county was formed in 1818 and has records going back to the early days of Alabama statehood. The Prattville Progress publishes current obituaries while historical death notices can be found through genealogy resources and the county archives. Funeral homes like Davis Funeral Home and Ridout's Prattville Chapel maintain their own obituary archives online. The Autauga Genealogical Society helps researchers locate older records that might not be digitized yet.

Autauga County Probate Court

The Autauga County Probate Court in Prattville handles estate matters including wills and probate files. These records often list family members and can help when you cannot find an obituary through other means. Probate records in Autauga County go back to 1824, with land records dating to 1819.

The probate office also maintains marriage records from 1839 and military discharge records. If you need to trace a family member who died in Autauga County, the probate court can be a good backup source when newspapers and funeral homes don't have what you need.

Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, probate records are public records. Anyone can request copies of wills and estate files. These records may list heirs and family members that can help with genealogy work in Autauga County. Records from November 1996 to present are computerized while older records going back to 1820 are on microfilm or in bound volumes.

Autauga County Newspapers

The Prattville Progress is the main newspaper serving Autauga County. It publishes obituaries for Prattville and the surrounding area. You can find current death notices through their print and online editions.

For older obituaries, you will need to check genealogy databases. USGenWeb Archives has transcribed obituaries from historical Autauga County newspapers. GenealogyBank and Newspapers.com may have digitized copies of older editions of local papers.

Legacy.com maintains a page for Autauga County obituaries at legacy.com/us/obituaries/local/alabama/autauga-county. This site collects death notices from newspapers and funeral homes across the county. Echovita also lists Prattville obituaries at their site.

Historical newspapers in Autauga County include various publications that existed before modern times. The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has microfilm copies of many old Alabama newspapers. They can help if you need to find an obituary from the 1800s or early 1900s.

Autauga County Obituary Resources

The Autauga County Heritage Association maintains local history and genealogy records. They can help you find obituaries and death records that are not available online.

The Heritage Association is located at 102 E Main Street in Prattville. You can reach them by phone at 334-361-0961 or email at buenavista@autaugahistory.org. They have Bible records, family files, and other materials that might contain death information not found elsewhere.

Autauga County Funeral Homes

Funeral homes in Autauga County post obituaries on their websites. If you know which funeral home handled the services, check their site first. Many keep archives going back several years.

Major funeral homes serving Autauga County include:

• Davis Funeral Home, LLC - Prattville (davisfhofalabama.com)
• Ridout's Prattville Chapel - 347 E. Main Street, Prattville, AL 36067
• Prattville Memorial Chapel & Memory Gardens - Prattville

Dignity Memorial operates locations in the area and maintains a searchable obituary archive at dignitymemorial.com. This covers all their Alabama locations so you might find Autauga County obituaries there.

Autauga County Genealogy Resources

The Autauga Genealogical Society helps researchers find family records including obituaries. You can contact them at PO Box 680668, Prattville, AL 36068-0668 or by email at jkbrown2@knology.net.

FamilySearch has free digitized records for Autauga County. Their collection includes Alabama Wills and Probate Records from 1753 to 1999, covering Autauga County records from 1800 to 1940. These probate files often mention family members and death dates.

USGenWeb Archives maintains Bible records, transcribed obituaries, and court records for Autauga County. This is a free resource run by volunteers. The quality varies but you can find some useful records there.

Ancestry.com has Alabama probate records that cover Autauga County. Many libraries offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition. Check with the Prattville Public Library to see if they have this available for patrons.

How to Search Autauga County Obituaries

For recent obituaries in Autauga County, start with Legacy.com or the funeral home websites listed above. Most obituaries from the past few years will be in these places.

For older obituaries, check the USGenWeb Archives and FamilySearch first since they are free. If you don't find what you need, try GenealogyBank or Newspapers.com which require subscriptions but have more complete newspaper archives.

Find a Grave has burial records for Autauga County cemeteries. This free site can help you find the date of death and burial location. Once you have that info, you can search newspaper archives for the obituary more effectively.

If all else fails, contact the Autauga County Heritage Association or the Autauga Genealogical Society. They may have records in their files that are not available online. The county archivist at 334-361-0961 can also point you in the right direction.

Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates are restricted for 25 years. After that period, anyone can request a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health for $15. Death certificates list the cause and place of death but not the biographical info you find in obituaries.

Cities in Autauga County

Autauga County includes Prattville (the county seat), Autaugaville, Billingsley, Booth, Jones, Marbury, Pine Level, and other communities. Residents of these towns use Autauga County resources for obituary research.

None of the cities in Autauga County meet the 50,000 population threshold for a separate city page. For obituary searches in any Autauga County city, use the county-level resources on this page.

Nearby Counties

Some obituaries may appear in newspapers from neighboring counties. These counties border Autauga County and their papers sometimes carry death notices for Autauga residents.

Autauga County is part of the 19th Judicial Circuit along with Chilton and Elmore Counties. Some court records might overlap between these counties depending on where cases were filed.

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