Research Resources

Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) is an international organization dedicated to advancing the study and preservation of gravestones and cemeteries. Through publications, conferences, workshops, webinars, exhibits, and educational programs, AGS promotes the study of gravestones from historical, artistic, genealogical, and cultural perspectives. The organization also encourages the documentation and preservation of historic grave markers and provides resources for researchers, cemetery preservationists, and others interested in cemetery studies.

BillionGraves is a free online cemetery database that provides searchable GPS-tagged headstone photographs and burial records from cemeteries around the world. Researchers can search by name, browse cemeteries, view maps showing grave locations, and access transcribed inscriptions, photographs, and family connections. The database continues to grow through contributions from volunteers who photograph and transcribe gravestones using the BillionGraves mobile app.

Find a Grave is a free online cemetery database that provides searchable memorials and burial information for millions of individuals worldwide. Researchers can search by name, cemetery, or location to find burial information, headstone photographs, GPS coordinates, obituaries, biographical information, family links, and other memorial details. Registered users can contribute photographs, create and update memorials, submit corrections, request grave photographs, and build virtual cemeteries. The database continues to grow through the contributions of more than one million volunteers.

Interment.net is a free online collection of cemetery transcriptions for genealogists and local historians. The website provides searchable burial records, cemetery transcriptions, and information about cemeteries in the United States and other countries. Many of the transcriptions were contributed by volunteers, including records from cemeteries that no longer exist, helping preserve burial information for future researchers.

The Nebraska Gravestone Photo Project is a volunteer effort to preserve digital images of gravestones in Nebraska cemeteries. Researchers can search by surname, cemetery, or county to locate gravestone photographs and inscriptions, while volunteers contribute new images to help preserve these valuable genealogical records.

Obituary Guide provides a practical outline and template for writing an obituary. The guide serves as a checklist covering the information commonly included in an obituary, such as biographical details, family members, funeral or memorial service information, memorial donations, and other personal remembrances. It can be used as a sample format or planning tool when preparing an obituary.

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a nationwide index of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. This guide explains what information the SSDI contains, its coverage and limitations, where to search the index online, and how to obtain a copy of an original Social Security application (SS-5). It also includes links to related Social Security records and additional death index resources.

The Nationwide Gravesite Locator is a free database from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that helps locate the burial sites of veterans and their family members. It includes burial records from VA national cemeteries, many state veterans cemeteries, military and Department of the Interior cemeteries, and veterans buried in private cemeteries when a government grave marker was provided. Search results may include the cemetery name, grave location, dates of birth and death, military service information, and other available burial details.