Visiting someone's grave is a great way to pay homage and say goodbye, or to get to know historical figures from a bygone era. However, if you don't know where the person is buried, it can be difficult to locate his grave. Fortunately, as long as you have information about the person you're looking for, there are many ways to find his grave.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Finding Tombstones of People Who Have Been Buried
Step 1. Visit the cemetery area if you know where the wanted person is buried
If you know the location of the cemetery where a person's final resting place is but don't know where his grave is, visit the burial area. Come early in the morning just in case this takes a long time.
- Since you will be walking outdoors, bring a bottle of water and apply sunscreen before leaving the house. If you go in the summer, you will need to reapply the sunscreen cream after two hours.
- In certain seasons, you may need to bring an insect repellent with you.
Step 2. Look for maps online or through the visitor information centre
Some burial areas have websites that include maps of graves in the area, while others have offline maps. If you can find a map, you can save a lot of time by not having to go around looking for graves.
Some of the maps include a complete list of graves, while others only include family names. There's also a map that only shows a rough plan of the burial area, but it can still help with your search
Step 3. Start searching from one side of the burial area and form a search pattern
If you don't know the burial plan, it's a good idea to start at the corner area of the cemetery, then continue your search by walking along the tomb to the opposite side. That way, you don't have to circle back to the area you've explored.
- To make the search easier, take a piece of paper and a pencil and draw a rough plan of the burial area to mark the area you've explored.
- If the burial area is very large, you may need someone else's help to search on the opposite side or split your search over several days.
Step 4. Call the grave keeper if the tomb you are looking for is not found
The grave keeper is the person in charge of guarding the burial area. In addition to carrying out routine maintenance of the burial area, the guard also keeps the data of the buried person. They should be able to tell you the location of the grave you're looking for.
You may also want to ask the clergy who are in charge of the funeral procession. Even if they don't have a record, they may remember where the person you're looking for is buried
Step 5. Call the funeral home for assistance if the burial area is privately owned
Some cemeteries are the private property of the funeral home itself. If this is a problem, you can contact the funeral home director to find out the location of the grave.
Usually, the funeral home is in the same area as the private funeral
Step 6. Look for a headstone bearing the last name of the person you are looking for
At cemeteries, you will often find headstones with the same last name in one area. If you see a headstone bearing the last name of the person you are looking for, that person's grave may be nearby.
This happens because there are many families who buy more than one burial plot so that they can be buried close together later. This land is known as the “family burial area”
Step 7. Compare the birth and death dates listed on the tomb
Just because you've found a tomb with a similar name doesn't mean you've found the one you're looking for. Check the information on the tombstone to match the date of birth and death and to make sure you have found the correct grave.
If you don't know the date of birth or death of the person you're looking for, at least estimate the person's age
Method 2 of 2: Checking Death Certificate Records
Step 1. Gather as much information about the person you are looking for as possible
When searching for death certificate records, you need to know the first, middle, and last name of the person you are looking for. You can also find it faster if you know the date of birth, date and location of death, and the names of family members.
- Since a person's first and last name combinations are often similar to other people's, knowing their middle name will help you tremendously in your search.
- If you don't know the person's full name, date of birth, and date of death, try looking for records in the family Bible, baptismal records, or obituaries (if they are Christian).
- You may be able to find the person's death certificate by contacting the local Population and Civil Registry office. However, if the person has been dead a long time, the death certificate may no longer exist.
Step 2. Search the person's genealogy database online
If you want to know where your ancestors are buried but don't know where to start, a genealogy database can help (if available). While you can't locate his grave, you may be able to find out where he lived and died. This will help you narrow down your search area for the cemetery.
- Most genealogy websites require you to pay before using all of their features, but sometimes you can also take advantage of a free trial period.
- The two most popular genealogy websites today are https://www.ancestry.com/ and
Step 3. Visit the virtual funeral website
Once you know where the person is buried, you may be able to find the grave on a virtual burial website or tombstone database. Even if the cemetery does not have an independent website, its database may have a photo of the headstone of the person you are looking for along with the location of that person's grave.
- Usually, there are volunteers who take photos of the tombstones and upload them.
- One of the most popular cemetery databases is https://www.findagrave.com/. You can also visit
- There are also databases that contain information specific to a particular area. For example, Dutch citizens usually visit
Step 4. Visit the veterans' website if the person you're looking for was a soldier
There is a website created specifically to keep records of death certificates of fighters, both those who died on the battlefield or who died after retiring. If the person you're looking for has had a career in the military, check the website for information.
- Two sites that may be able to help you are https://www.vets.gov/burials-and-memorials/find-a-cemetery/ and
- If you are looking for someone buried in a military cemetery, find out if the cemetery has an independent website. For example, you can find the location of a tomb in Arlington National Cemetery by visiting
