GraveRoots

Free cemetery directory

Find where your ancestors are buried

Browse cemeteries town by town, see each one on a map, and learn where the burial records for that town are kept. 30,985 cemeteries listed so far.

Browse by stateHow to find a grave

Cemeteries by state

New England, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are all listed now, and we're adding more states over time.

How to find an ancestor's grave

  1. Start with the death

    A death certificate, obituary or funeral notice often names the cemetery. Ask relatives for funeral cards, family bibles and letters, too.

  2. Narrow down the town

    Most people were buried near where they lived or near family plots. Check the town where they died and the town where they grew up.

  3. Check every cemetery in town

    Small towns can have dozens of burial grounds, from large town cemeteries to tiny family plots. Our town pages list the ones in public data and show each on a map.

  4. Contact the record keepers

    Town clerks, cemetery trustees or sextons, churches and historical societies keep burial lists, lot maps and interment records.

  5. Visit respectfully

    Photograph stones in raking light instead of using chalk or shaving cream, which damage old stone. Ask permission before entering private land.

What cemetery records can tell you

  • Birth and death dates carved on the stone
  • Family groupings in the same lot or row
  • Military service, lodges and church ties
  • Burial and lot-purchase dates in sexton records

Free places to look first

  • Town and city clerk vital records
  • Local historical societies and libraries
  • FamilySearch, a free genealogy site
  • State archives and old annual town reports