Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia) Newspaper Obituaries (1865 - Current)

The Virginian-Pilot Obituary Archives is an essential tool for anyone looking to explore their Virginia roots.

Older newspapers often lack comprehensive indexes, making it difficult to pinpoint specific information. With this online archive, you can access a wealth of information from newspapers across the country with just a tap.

Why Explore Virginian-Pilot Local Obituaries?

• You can uncover unknown parts of your family tree.
• You can learn about family members you may not have known.
• You gain insights into the experiences of those who came before you.
• You access nearly 150 years of local history.

How to Search the Virginian-Pilot Obituary Archives

It’s easy-peasy. Enter the last name of a relative you’re curious about, then click “Search” to begin.

For a more refined search, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Include your relative’s first, last, and if possible middle names.
• Step 2: Add a specific keyword, like a school or town.
• Step 3: Use exclusion keywords to filter out obituaries unrelated to your family.
• Step 4: Specify a time frame to help differentiate between people with the same name.
• Step 5: Sort your results to view the best matches, the newest entries, or the oldest records first.

Tips for a more effective search:

• Use information from recent ancestors as clues to trace older ones.
• Older obituaries often use initials instead of full names so search by initials.
• For female relatives, search under their husbands’ names.
• Consider common misspellings, as past editors may not have verified correct spellings.

Explore additional resources in our archives

• U.S. newspaper archives
• Records of births and marriages
• Passenger lists
• Social Security Death Index
• Cultural and specific ancestry records

Start exploring and expanding your family tree today with GenealogyBank. For more tips and inspiration on tracing your family history, visit the GenealogyBank Learning Center.