Portland Obituary Records
Portland obituary records help you trace the lives of people who lived in Oregon's largest city. Multnomah County keeps death records for all Portland residents. You can search for obituary records through the county vital records office, local archives, and online databases. Portland has a long history that dates back to the mid-1800s. Many of the city's oldest obituary records are held at the Oregon Historical Society and the Portland Archives and Records Center. These resources let you look up death records from past and present.
Portland Quick Facts
Where to Get Portland Obituary Records
Multnomah County Vital Records is the main office for death records in Portland. The office is at 847 NE 19th Ave, Suite 350, Portland, OR 97232. You can call them at 503-988-3745. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Plan to arrive by 3:30 PM so staff can help you before close. This office serves all of Multnomah County, and Portland is the county seat. Each certified copy of a death record costs $25, with a $7 fee for online processing. The office follows a six-month rule that limits who can get recent records. Under ORS 432, vital records in Oregon have strict rules on access and release.
Three ways exist to order Portland obituary records from Multnomah County. You can order online, send a request by mail, or visit in person. Online orders go through the Multnomah County website. Mail requests need a signed form and payment. In-person visits let you get copies the same day. Processing takes one to three business days for most requests.
The Portland Archives and Records Center makes city records open to the public. It holds a wide range of documents tied to Portland's past. While the focus is on city government records, you may find death-related documents in older files. Visit the Portland Archives site for more details on what they hold.
You can view the Portland Archives portal, which provides access to city records and historical documents.
The archives hold records that span more than a century of Portland's history.
Historical Obituary Resources in Portland
Portland has rich historical resources for obituary research. The Oregon Historical Society Research Library sits at 1200 SW Park Ave. Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday 1 PM to 5 PM, and Wednesday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. Call 503-306-5240 for help with your search. The OHS library holds newspapers, city directories, and family files that can lead you to Portland obituary records from the 1800s to now.
Historic Oregon Newspapers is a key tool for finding Portland obituary listings. The database has 2.8 million pages from 1846 to 2025. You can search it for free at oregonnews.uoregon.edu. Type in a name and date range to find death notices and obituary write-ups from Portland papers. This is one of the best ways to find old obituary records when you do not have exact dates or details.
The Genealogical Forum of Oregon is based in Portland and holds more than 60,000 items. Their collection includes death indexes, cemetery records, and church burial logs. Members and guests can search these holdings to find Portland obituary records and related vital documents. The group also runs classes on death record research in Oregon.
Note: Portland Deaths from 1915 to 1924 and Coroner's records from 1894 to 1923 are both available through Ancestry for those who want to dig into older Portland obituary records.
How to Search Portland Obituary Records
Start with what you know. A full name is the most useful piece of data. A year of death helps narrow things down fast. If you have both, your search will go much more smoothly.
The Oregon Deaths Index covers 1903 to 1996 and is available at the Multnomah County Library. This is a free resource for Portland residents. The index gives you the name, date of death, county, and certificate number. With the certificate number, you can then order the full death record from Multnomah County Vital Records. This two-step method is one of the most reliable ways to find Portland obituary records from the twentieth century.
The Portland public records request system lets you ask for specific documents from the city. Visit the Portland public records portal to start a request.
This portal handles requests for all types of city records, including those that may relate to death investigations or city-held vital documents.
For older records, check church and synagogue files. Congregation Beth Israel records from 1876 to 1908 include burial and death data for Portland's early Jewish community. Other faith groups kept similar logs. These records often hold details not found in government files. They can fill gaps in your search for Portland obituary records.
Note: The Oregon State Archives can be visited by appointment. Call 503-373-0701 to set up a time. They hold statewide death indexes and other vital records that cover Portland.
Portland Cemetery and Burial Records
Portland has 92 cemeteries. These range from large managed sites to small historic plots. Portland cemetery records are a strong source for obituary research. They often list dates of birth and death, next of kin, cause of death, and the funeral home that handled the burial. Many Portland cemetery offices keep their own death record files and will help you look up a burial or obituary listing.
Some of the most well-known Portland cemeteries include River View Cemetery, Lone Fir Cemetery, and Willamette National Cemetery. Lone Fir is one of the oldest burial grounds in Portland and holds remains from the 1800s. Its death records have been indexed and are useful for tracing early Portland obituary records. Willamette National Cemetery in Portland serves veterans and is run by the federal government. Portland burial records from these sites can fill gaps when vital records are hard to find.
You can also search the Portland Police public records page for records tied to death investigations in the city. Visit the Portland Police public records page for more.
This page provides access to police reports and other documents that may contain death-related information for Portland cases.
Ordering Portland Death Record Copies
You can order a copy of a Portland death record from Multnomah County. Certified copies cost $25 each. Online orders have a $7 processing fee on top of that. You can also use VitalChek to order copies from the state. VitalChek charges its own service fee in addition to the state copy fee.
When you order by mail, send your request to the Multnomah County Vital Records office at 847 NE 19th Ave, Suite 350, Portland, OR 97232. Include the full name on the record, the date of death, your reason for the request, and a check or money order for $25. Processing takes one to three business days once they get your form. The Oregon Health Authority also handles statewide requests for death records.
In-person visits to the Portland office let you get copies the same day. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff will search for the record while you wait. If the record is on file, you can leave with a certified copy that day. This is the fastest way to get Portland obituary records when you need them right away.
Note: Under the six-month rule, only close family and certain authorized parties can get copies of death records less than six months old in Portland.
Online Databases for Portland Obituary Research
Several online tools help with Portland obituary research. Each one covers a different time period or type of death record. Using more than one source gives you the best chance of finding Portland obituary records and vital documents.
- Historic Oregon Newspapers at oregonnews.uoregon.edu with 2.8 million pages
- Oregon Deaths Index 1903 to 1996 at Multnomah County Library
- Portland Deaths 1915 to 1924 on Ancestry
- Coroner's records 1894 to 1923 on Ancestry
- Genealogical Forum of Oregon with 60,000 plus items
Ancestry Library Edition is free to use at most Portland-area public libraries. You can search death indexes, cemetery records, city directories, and newspaper obituary archives without a paid subscription. HeritageQuest is another database you can use from home with a Portland library card. Both tools have large collections of Portland obituary records and death-related vital documents.
The Oregon State Archives holds death indexes and other vital records that cover Portland. You can visit by appointment or request copies by mail. The archives also has a growing set of digital death records you can search from home. This is a strong resource for anyone looking for Portland obituary records from the early 1900s and before. Portland researchers should also check the Oregon Historical Society for obituary records tied to early Portland families.
Multnomah County Obituary Records
Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County. All death records and obituary documents for Portland residents are filed with the county. The Multnomah County Vital Records office handles Portland obituary record requests for copies, verifications, and searches. For more about county-level obituary records, death certificate resources, and how to order copies for Portland, visit the full Multnomah County page.