10 information on your ancestors to recover during a cemetery visit

Visiting a cemetery is common for genealogists looking for information on their ancestors - what can we find there?

In a previous article, we explained you How to know in which cemeteries are buried your ancestors. These visits can help you find various information - here is a list, not exhaustive, key information to recover during your cemetery visits:

- The full name : This is obvious, but do not forget to register the possible variations of the name. 

- Birth and death dates : These dates are essential to establish the precise chronology of the life of your ancestor. 

- Lbirth and death : It may happen that certain tombstones indicate this information - precious elements for genealogy.

- The epitaph : All inscriptions on tombstone is useful because it can give you information on the life, personality and relationships of your ancestor.

- Family relationships : Note the names of the family members buried in the same plot or nearby. Then try to identify family relationships.

- Military information : If your ancestor served in the armed forces, look for symbols or military inscriptions on tombstone.

- Information on a club or an organization : Some graves may indicate membership of fraternal clubs, associations or organizations. 

- Religious or cultural symbols : These symbols can give you clues to the faith or the ethnic origins of the person.

- Precise location : Note the exact location of the tomb in the cemetery to make your task easier to go back if necessary. If you have a GPS device, take the GPS coordinates of the tomb for a precise location.

- Take photographs :  prenez plusieurs photos de la pierre tombale pour documenter visuellement les informations que vous avez recueillies. 

Obviously, it is important to note all the information that you can detect on a tomb, in addition to this list (state, special mentions ...).

💡 You can also help your Cemetery search sheet, available in free .pdf. 

Good research!