Pickens County Obituary Records
Pickens County obituary searches begin with the Pickens County Herald newspaper and local funeral homes near Carrollton. The Probate Court maintains estate records and publishes legal notices about estates in the Herald. Records go back many decades, and FamilySearch has digitized Alabama probate files from 1809-1985 that include Pickens County materials. The courthouse at 50 Courthouse Square handles probate matters. For recent obituaries, funeral homes in the Carrollton area post death notices online. Legacy.com also aggregates obituaries from across Alabama including Pickens County.
Pickens County Quick Facts
Pickens County Probate Court
The Pickens County Probate Court processes wills and administers estates. When obituaries are hard to find, probate records can fill in the gaps with names of heirs and family members. The court publishes estate notices in the Pickens County Herald as required by law.
The 24th Judicial Circuit serves Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens counties. This means court resources and legal services cover a broader area than just Pickens County alone.
| Address | 50 Courthouse Square, #106, Carrollton, AL 35447 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | PO Box 370, Carrollton, AL 35447 |
| Phone | (205) 367-2010 |
| Circuit Clerk | (205) 367-2050 |
| Website | pickensalabama.com |
The probate office has online services through ingprobate.com. You can contact them through the website to request information about specific estate cases. Under Alabama law, probate records are generally public records once the estate is closed.
Pickens County Newspapers
The Pickens County Herald is the main local newspaper serving the county. It publishes legal notices from the Probate Court including estate cases. These notices can help identify when someone passed away even if a full obituary was not published.
For historical obituary research in Pickens County, you may need to search multiple sources:
- Pickens County Herald current and back issues
- AlacourtAccess for court records (may require a fee)
- FamilySearch Alabama Probate Records collection
- Regional newspapers from Tuscaloosa area
Smaller rural counties like Pickens sometimes had obituaries published in larger regional papers. If the deceased had connections to Tuscaloosa or Birmingham, check those papers too.
Pickens County Records Research
Researching obituaries in Pickens County requires patience. Not all death notices were published, especially for earlier generations. Combining probate records with cemetery records often yields better results than newspaper searches alone.
The Pickens County Public Library can help with local research. They may have newspaper microfilm or know of other resources for family history research in the county.
Pickens County Funeral Homes
Funeral homes in the Carrollton area serve Pickens County families. When you know which funeral home handled services, contact them directly for obituary copies.
Rural funeral homes often maintain detailed records even if they do not have elaborate websites. A phone call to the funeral home can get you information that is not available online. They may have files going back decades.
Some Pickens County families use funeral homes in Reform, Aliceville, or even Tuscaloosa for services. Consider checking funeral homes in these nearby cities if you cannot find records in Carrollton.
How to Search Pickens County Obituaries
Begin your search with Legacy.com for recent obituaries. The site pulls death notices from newspapers and funeral homes across Alabama. Enter the person's name and filter results by location.
FamilySearch offers free access to historical Alabama probate records covering 1809-1985. These records include:
- Estate files with family information
- Will records naming heirs and executors
- Inventory lists of estates
- Court minutes regarding estate matters
Find a Grave has burial records for cemeteries throughout Pickens County. Volunteers photograph headstones and record burial information. This free site can give you dates that help narrow newspaper searches.
The USGenWeb Archives Project includes Alabama county pages with transcribed records. Check their Pickens County section for obituaries and other vital records that volunteers have contributed over the years.
Death certificates from Alabama are restricted for 25 years under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21. After 25 years, you can request a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health. The fee is $15 for the first copy.
Nearby Counties
Pickens County shares borders with several Alabama counties. Obituaries for Pickens County residents may have appeared in papers from these neighboring areas.
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