Find Tulsa County Obituary Records
Obituary records in Tulsa County cover deaths across the county's many cities and towns, from Tulsa itself to Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, and Jenks. The Tulsa County Court Clerk keeps probate files, estate records, and court documents linked to deaths going back to 1907. You can also search old Tulsa World newspaper obituaries, the state death index, and genealogy databases at the Tulsa City-County Library. Tulsa County has more obituary resources than most Oklahoma counties because of its large population and strong library system.
Tulsa County Overview
Tulsa County Death Record Sources
The main source for death-related records in Tulsa County is the Court Clerk's office at the Tulsa County Courthouse, 500 South Denver Ave., Room 200, Tulsa, OK 74103. The Court Clerk's phone is (918) 596-5420. For divorce records call (918) 596-5454. For marriage records call (918) 596-5478. The Court Clerk maintains probate records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and civil and criminal court records. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for paper copies and $1.00 for certified copies.
The Tulsa County Clerk's Office is at 218 W. 6th St., 7th Floor, Tulsa, OK 74119. The County Clerk is Michael Willis. Call (918) 596-5801 or email mwillis@tulsacounty.org. The County Clerk maintains land records and real estate documents through the LOCCAT system. Land records can help trace property transfers after a death.
Tulsa County was formed in 1907 from part of the Creek Nation and Cherokee Nation. It is the most populous county in the Tulsa metro area and has the most complete set of death-related records in northeastern Oklahoma.
Tulsa County Obituary Newspaper Sources
The Tulsa World is the main newspaper for Tulsa County obituary notices. It has been published since 1905 and contains death notices for residents across the county. Current obituaries are on the Tulsa World website. Historical issues are on microfilm at the Tulsa City-County Library. The Oklahoma Historical Society also has the Tulsa World and other Tulsa County papers on microfilm at its Research Center.
The Gateway to Oklahoma History gives you free access to digitized Tulsa County newspapers from the territorial era through the 1920s. You can search by name or date. For more recent obituary notices, check the Tulsa World archives or the library's newspaper databases at the genealogy center.
Tulsa County Court Clerk Records
The Tulsa County Court Clerk office handles probate cases, estate filings, and other court records tied to deaths. Probate records are filed when a person dies and the estate needs to be settled. They list the date of death, names of heirs, and show how property was split. These files are especially useful when a death certificate is hard to find.
The Tulsa County Court Clerk website shown below provides details on public records access and how to search for court filings.
Visit the Tulsa County Court Clerk public records page for details on searching court dockets.
This page shows the public records section of the Tulsa County Court Clerk's website with access to court filings and dockets.
Tulsa Health Department Death Records
The Tulsa Health Department Vital Records Division is at the James O. Goodwin Health Center, 5051 S. 129th East Ave, Tulsa, OK 74134. Call (405) 426-8880. Will-call pick up hours are 12:00 to 4:45 PM, Monday through Friday. You can order certified copies of death certificates through this office, but you must order in advance online or by phone. Same-day services are no longer available.
Under Title 63, Section 1-323, death certificates filed less than 50 years ago require proof of eligibility. You need to be a close family member or legal representative. Deaths 50 or more years old are open records.
The Tulsa Health Department Vital Records Division shown below handles death certificate orders for Tulsa County.
Check the Tulsa Health Department site for current ordering instructions.
This site explains how to order death certificates through the Tulsa Health Department's vital records office.
Tulsa County Library Genealogy Resources
The Tulsa City-County Library has one of the best genealogy centers in Oklahoma. The library provides access to Ancestry Library Edition, Fold3 military records, HeritageQuest Online, Newspapers.com, and Oklahoma Digital Prairie. These tools let you search Tulsa County obituary records, cemetery data, and old newspaper death notices at no cost while you are in the library.
The library keeps the Tulsa World newspaper archives and other local publications on file. If you are doing Tulsa County obituary research, the genealogy center is a strong starting point. Staff can help guide you through the databases and microfilm collections.
The Tulsa City-County Library website shown below provides details on available genealogy databases and research tools.
Visit the Tulsa City-County Library website for info on genealogy resources.
The library's genealogy center provides free access to databases that index Tulsa County obituary records and death notices.
Tulsa County Clerk Office
The Tulsa County Clerk's Office manages land records and property documents. When a person dies, property transfers are filed through this office. These records can help confirm a death date or show how an estate was handled after someone passed.
View the Tulsa County Clerk website for details on land records and property filings.
The County Clerk's site provides access to the LOCCAT system for land records searches in Tulsa County.
Tulsa County Death Certificate Process
Order a Tulsa County death certificate from the Oklahoma State Department of Health or the Tulsa Health Department. The state fee is $15 per copy. You can also use VitalChek to order online with a credit card. VitalChek adds a service fee. The OK2Explore index lets you check for free if a death record exists before paying.
The Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma guide covers all the steps and forms for getting a death certificate in the state. Acceptable ID includes a state driver's license, US passport, or tribal photo ID card.
Note: Tulsa County death records from before 1940 may be incomplete because statewide filing was not consistently required until then.
Cities in Tulsa County
Tulsa County includes several cities with their own resources for obituary research. Each city page has details about local offices and how to search for death records in that area.
Nearby County Obituary Records
If your Tulsa County obituary search does not turn up what you need, check nearby counties. The Tulsa metro area spreads across several counties and a death may have been recorded in an adjacent county.