Cemetery records include tombstones and cemetery burial records. Apart from giving you a sense of physical connection to your ancestors, these resources can help you identify names, birth and death dates, relatives, neighbors, and more. To get the most out of these records, you’ll want to understand what you can find and how to find it.

What you can find

Tombstones and cemetery memorials can include a lot of family history information, such as: 

• Maiden names 
• Birth and death dates 
• Relationships 
• Town of origin 
• Military service 
• Religious affiliation 

Check with the cemetery office to see if other family members are buried in your relative’s plot but not listed on the tombstone. The cemetery office can often provide more details that the tombstone doesn’t mention.

Near your relative’s grave, you might discover siblings who died in infancy or at a very young age. These previously unknown siblings could lead you to more death records that give you valuable information that you didn’t find in the record of your direct ancestor. 

Locating the cemetery

Multiple resources can help you figure out which cemeteries you should explore to find your relative’s grave. 

Death certificates and obituaries frequently contain the name of a cemetery. 

Family scrapbooks or mementos might include mass cards, funeral programs, or prayer cards that indicate the cemetery where one or more family members were buried. 

Find a Grave is a fantastic resource for locating relatives’ final resting place. It provides more than 115 million online memorials. Compiled by volunteers, the memorials often include burial information, photos, and names of relatives. Even if your relative’s memorial isn’t currently available, you might be able to find the cemetery through the Cemetery Search. Download the free app for iOS and Android so you can create memorials while you’re visiting your relative’s gravesite. Learn more on the Find A Grave Facebook page.

Local resources can help you find a likely cemetery. Genealogical societies sometimes compile cemetery indexes and post them online. So check local libraries and organizations to see what work has already been done. 

Maps can help you find cemeteries near your ancestor’s residence. If you’re not lucky enough to have a death certificate that lists the name of the cemetery, map out the cemeteries near where your relative lived. Try out mapping tools like Google Maps, which you can use to pinpoint a location and then search for nearby places. Use that function to search for cemeteries in the area. After you find the names of nearby cemeteries, find out what year they were established to see how the date compares with your ancestor’s death date. 

Internet searches can often turn up information about cemeteries in your ancestor’s last residence. Open your favorite search engine and search for “cemetery” and the name of a likely city, town, or county. 

Ecclesiastical websites can help if you know your ancestor’s religious affiliation. For example, the website for the Archdiocese of Chicago provides genealogical resources that include a list of the locations of Chicago Catholic cemeteries. 

Online collections of death records are another good resource. Here are three options:

• On Ancestry, you can search for cemetery records and other death-related records through the category page for Death, Burial, Cemetery, & Obituaries. 
• On the Cyndi’s List website, check the Cemeteries and Funeral Homes page for online cemetery records.

After you have a list of potential cemeteries, you can reach out by phone, mail, or in person.

Planning a trip to the cemetery

To get the most out of your research at cemeteries, make sure you have the tools you need, you understand how to use them, and you’re ready for the unexpected.

Go prepared 

Bring along these essential tools to help with your tombstone discoveries:

• Mirror. Use the mirror to reflect sunshine and throw shadows off inscriptions. If a mirror isn’t practical in your case, you can use a foil-covered flat surface to reflect light.
• Spray bottle with water. Wet tombstones can be more readable than dry tombstones.
• Camera. Bring a digital camera or smartphone to capture photos of tombstones and check the image before you move on. Make sure the image is easy to read. Consider taking high-resolution photographs so you can later enhance them by using photo editing software. Remember to bring plenty of memory storage and extra batteries.
• Grass clippers. You’ll need these to trim away grass that might have grown over the gravestone.
• Soft brush. Paintbrushes work well to brush away loose dirt without harming fragile stones.
• Gardening kneeling pad. You might want to kneel or even lie down to take eye-level shots of small stones.
• Rubbing supplies. If you plan to do tombstone rubbings, bring rubbing wax, paper, and masking tape. However, be sure to check with the cemetery office before you do any rubbings. Some cemeteries prohibit them because they can harm fragile stones. 

Take care to use noninvasive methods to help you read tombstones. Shaving cream and chemical solvents are a no-no because they can harm the stone. For more information, see the Association of Gravestone Studies Frequently Asked Questions page.

Be safe

Although you might think of cemeteries as a peaceful refuge, they can sometimes be dangerous, so grab a friend or gather a group from a local society—the more the merrier. Criminals sometimes target cars in cemetery parking lots, so don’t leave purses and other valuables in the car. Stay aware of your surroundings, take precautions, and avoid settings that seem risky. 

Dress appropriately with practical shoes and long pants. Bring a first-aid kit and a fully charged cell phone.