Utah, Cemetery Abstracts - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Utah

What is in the Collection?
This collection includes images and an index of abstracts from cemeteries in Utah compiled between 1953 and 1955. Burial dates begin as early as 1850. These records were created by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and compiled by the Genealogical Society of Utah.

General Information about These Records
This collection consists of type-written images of an index of death records and cemetery inscriptions in various cemeteries throughout Utah that was compiled between 1951 and 1955. The death and burial dates are from 1850 to 1955. The information is listed on each page according to the location of the gravesite within the cemetery, followed by name of dead, age, date of birth, date of death, and parents, husband or wife information. Not all information is complete for all burials. The name of the dead is usually listed by first name with the surname following or sometimes only listed under the parent or spouse information. In some of the records the surname is listed first followed by the given name. There are occasional epitaphs or memorials written next to the person’s entry within the index. Name indexes are sometimes available at the end of each cemetery transcription and usually list the deceased alphabetically by surname.

Collection Content
Cemetery abstracts may contain the following information:
 * Burial lot number
 * First name of deceased
 * Surname of deceased
 * Death date
 * Age at time of death
 * Birth date or estimated birth year
 * Cemetery of burial
 * Name of parents or spouse
 * Page number

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your ancestor’s name.
 * County of burial
 * Cemetery of burial

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name: Fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.


 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.


 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "County" category ⇒ Select the "Cemetery" category which takes you to the images.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the estimated age at death or burial to calculate an approximate birth year.
 * Use the death or burial date to find other records that may provide more information on your ancestor. These may include obituaries, death certificates, sexton’s records, or a civil or religious death record.
 * If your ancestor is found in death records, continue searching those records for other family members who may be in the same record collection.
 * Pay attention to any notes about your ancestor such as parents’ names or marriage status. This information can be used to locate other records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Remember that a burial date is not always the same as a death date.
 * Sometimes a person is buried in a city or town in which they did not die. Do not assume that a burial place is the same as a death place.
 * If your ancestor had a common name be sure to evaluate all available information to determine the correct individual. This may involve comparing the data from multiple records. Note the age at death and listed family members.
 * Family members were often buried near each other. Pay attention to individuals buried in the same cemetery as your ancestor—they may have been family members. Similarly, if your ancestor is buried near other relatives, it may be a clue that you have located the correct individual.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

What if I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For?

 * If a burial record cannot be found for your ancestor in the locality where it is believed they died, try searching the records of nearby localities.
 * Try searching newspapers for an obituary, death notice, or notice of your ancestor’s estate to determine when your ancestor died.
 * Search for a death certificate which often lists the place of burial.
 * Look for probate records for the region and time period in which your ancestor died. These records may give clues about when he or she passed away.

Related Websites

 * Utah Division of State History Cemeteries and Burials
 * Utah tombstone Transcription Project
 * FindAGrave
 * Billion Graves

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah Genealogy
 * Utah Cemeteries

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection citation:

Record citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image citation: