How do I Locate Burial Records for Free?

Burial records vary, from the obsolete historic newspaper article detailing the burial of a person on family land, to detailed plot number and map location information maintained by some of the largest cemeteries.

Significance

Family historians and long-lost family members sometimes come across a deceased relative whose burial whereabouts is unknown. To the historian this might be a cherished family member who started a family legacy. To a long-lost family member, uncovering a burial site may provide peace and closure for an unresolved relationship.

Identification

The Internet is a plentiful source for burial information. Interment.net lists free cemetery information for all U.S. states, and several countries around the world. Findagrave.com has a searchable database of 52 million free grave records. If you suspect that a family member is buried in a certain cemetery, you can contact the cemetery directly. Most funeral homes have cemetery location information, and keep obituaries for an extended period of time. Some death certificates list burial location.

Considerations

Some gravesites do not have a headstone and may be harder to locate. Most online cemetery information is not complete, since volunteers usually contribute to it.

References

• Interment.net: Cemetery Records Online
• Find A Grave: Find Graves