Why Do Obituaries Say "Survived By"?

Almost every obituary ends with a list of family names, introduced by the words “survived by.” Where did that convention come from? This article looks at how obituaries developed. None of the sources I found says exactly when the phrase itself began, so I describe the history around it.

What does “survived by” mean?

It names the living relatives and loved ones the person left. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism says that the traditional news-style obituary includes the full name of the deceased, age or birth date, address or hometown, occupation, affiliations, significant accomplishments, survivors, and details of the memorial service.

When did obituaries begin?

In 17th-century England. SAGE quotes a historian saying the obituary art in its first form was practiced by the newsbook writers of 17th-century England, flowered in the 18th century, grew lavish in the 19th, and fell out of fashion in the 20th. A doctoral thesis at Flinders University says the obituary became established as a journalism genre in the 1700s, with the Boston News-Letter leading the American version in 1704.

How did they change?

They grew longer and more flowery. SAGE says the invention of the rotary press in the mid-19th century gave newspapers more room, and short death notices became elaborate obituaries. It says most 19th-century obituaries focused on character, and that for a long time they mostly covered prominent men, typically excluding women and children. That changed in the 20th century. Ohio Memory says that in the early to mid-19th century, obituaries were often written in verse for people whose deaths would stir strong feeling, such as soldiers or politicians.

What is the difference between an obituary and a death notice?

Who writes it, and who pays. SAGE says a death notice is a paid announcement of the death and funeral details, written by the family and placed in a newspaper by the family or the funeral home. GenealogyBank says that, inside the newspaper industry, articles supplied by family and friends became known as death notices, and articles written by staff continued to be called obituaries. Over time newspapers treated the family-supplied ones as paid classified ads and charged for them.

What should I do with this?

If you are writing one, a typical outline is a name, age, a short life story, survivors, and service details. For where to find them, see Where to Look for Someone’s Obituary. For writing, see Could AI Write Your Obituary? and The First Document to Write After a Loss.