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Tips on How
to Find Graves of Relatives
If you are looking for a particular grave of for instance, a family member you may have come to a dead-end simply because you have not yet explored all the possible options to find graves.
Family
Members
The first step is to enquire from family members about where the person was buried.You will be astonished with the extensive knowledge that some family members have. If you are serious about finding one or more graves, you thus need to speak to living relatives first. If a person cannot help, ask who they think may help and if they have any contact details. Contact the relevant persons as soon as you can. If no-one can recall the exact cemetery, ask where the service was held.
Finding information regarding when about the person died and was buried and where the person lived may also help. In many instances the spouse or child is buried near a relative. If nothing came from your enquiries, you can pursue information about the graves of possible relatives.
Use
the Internet to Find Graves
Fortunately the Internet has made the process of finding graves just a bit easier than before. With loads of sites specialising in the provision of free grave information you may want to start with a general name and surname search together with the word "buried "or "grave "or "burial" or "death "or "cemetery or "genealogy" in the search box of Google. You can also use the person's details together with "family history" or "family tree" to find information on graves.
Use
a Speciality Search Engine
If you come up empty handed you may want to make use of a genealogy search engine to find graves. Simply type "genealogy search engines" in the Google search box to locate relevant search engines. With such engines focussing specifically on family history related information your chances of success increase. Another method of doing an organic search to find graves is to simply search for general gravestone information sites together with the country where you want to find the specific graves.
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Use
Facebook in Your Quest to Find a Grave
Social media sites can be used to post information. If you post at your Facebook page that you are looking for a particular grave, someone with information may stumble upon it. Forums at family history websites can be used with the same effectiveness. First locate a family history forum related to the specific region or surname and then post your request for information.
National
Archives
Use burial register websites and don't forget to make use of national archives for a particular country. Many archives such as the South African National Archives also have gravestone databases allowing you to search according to surname, approximate dates, and location. Even if there isn't burial record for the person in the National Archives database, you may be able to locate a death certificate or estate papers online. Use the reference and contact the relevant archives for the record. Many of death certificates have information regarding exact death date, where the person died and some estate files also contain information regarding the burial date. Note, however, that information from the past 20-30 years, depending on the specific country may still not be available. With that then you will need a year of death and surname. Once you have that information, make your way to the archive and ask for the files regarding death records for the past 20-30 years. Browse according to year first and then surname. The reference can be used to retrieve records held at the Master of the Supreme Court if your search is in South Africa. If the person lived in Europe or the USA, you will be able to make use of census records to find the last place of residence. Chances are that the person may be buried at the nearest cemetery.
Hire
a Professional Researcher to Assist
As a final resort or as a first one to find a grave or graves if you
don't have the time to do all the research, hire a professional researcher
to help find the graves of relatives. Contact
us if you need help in locating a grave.