Q&A for How to Find a Person's Grave

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  • Question
    My uncle was given a pauper's funeral by Liverpool City Council in 1977. There is no name on the burial plot and I believe there is more than one person in the grave. How can I find the plot?
    Community Answer
    Your uncle was buried with a metal number disc. Your City Council should have a record of the place, date, and time you uncle was interred.
  • Question
    Can a cemetery charge a fee to tell you where a grave is?
    Community Answer
    No, they'll ask for when the person died and/or when they were buried. Sometimes they might ask your relation to the deceased.
  • Question
    I have the friend's name, where they lived, when and where they died, but no obituary to note interment. Is this enough?
    Community Answer
    Unless the person is from a very big town and has an exceedingly common name, this should be sufficient. Many people never have obituaries written about them.
  • Question
    How can I find a grave site if I know a person's full name?
    Community Answer
    Try Googling the person's name first, in case they are listed somewhere. If that doesn't pan out, you could go on ancestry.com.
  • Question
    I have the date of birth, death, and the death certificate, but still can't find the burial place. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    You can run an internet search for the person and then find where they are, just like if they were alive.
  • Question
    A grave marker has been found, but the cemetery staff cannot find the grave. How can I help them locate it?
    Community Answer
    Most gravestone pedestals have engraved numbers on them that indicate the section and plot. Look for it - if not on your particular stone, look at the ones closest to it. Not all are engraved, especially older ones.
  • Question
    Have cemetery name and plot number, how do I find out who is buried there?
    Community Answer
    There should be burial records somewhere. Talk to your local cemetery committee or town sexton.
  • Question
    Can I take a piece of someone's headstone as a memento?
    Community Answer
    No, taking a piece of a gravestone is considered defacing a grave and is very disrespectful to the dead.
  • Question
    How do I find my grandparent's grave when I don't know what cemetery they're buried in?
    Community Answer
    Ask other family members if they know which cemetery was chosen. This means going beyond immediate family and asking cousins, uncles, great-aunts, etc. Someone in your wider family will know. Also check newspapers from the city or area they lived in, as it's probable there is a death notice that names the cemetery. Once you get that, you can use the cemetery records to locate the actual graves.
  • Question
    How do I find a person's grave when they were buried in an unmarked grave?
    Community Answer
    If you know the cemetery, the sexton can check records for the location.
  • Question
    How do I find a person's grave without having to pay for it?
    Community Answer
    If you know the name of the cemetery, the cemetery sexton maintenance records of the location of all burials.
  • Question
    I'm searching for my grandfather's burial place in Texas. He was born in 1883 in Coahuila, Mexico, and lived in Karnes, Texas, in 1930.
    Community Answer
    Type his name and city into a search engine or a website like FindAGrave, and you should find something. You can also contact funeral homes and cemeteries in Karnes to inquire if they know where he is buried.
  • Question
    How can I find a grave from 400 years ago in another country if I don't know where to look?
    Community Answer
    To find a grave from 400 years ago in another country, search on obituary and grave sites to narrow down information. If you have the person's name, photo, and know their descendants, it can make the search easier.
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