Utah, Salt Lake City Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Utah  Salt Lake County

What is in the Collection?
This collection includes city cemetery records from 1847 to 1976, acquired from the Utah State Archives. The records include a general index, plat books, interment records, deed registers, record of the dead and grave opening orders.

Collection Content
These records usually contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date
 * Name of relatives
 * Cause of death
 * Residence
 * Mortuary or undertaker
 * Owner or purchaser of the plot
 * Location of the plot
 * If removed, where to

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The person’s name
 * The approximate burial or death date

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links:: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Type" which takes you to the images

Many of these volumes have indexes at the beginning or end. You should search these first.


 * Check the index for the family name (surname) and then the given name. Indexes enable you to access records quickly by searching for the names of the primary individuals. Realize that some entries in earlier years may have been missed. Indexes may also contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.
 * Make a list of the volumes and page numbers for each deed you wish to check.
 * For each deed, search the noted volume and page number.

If you do not find your ancestor in the index, look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

What Do I Do Next?
Once you have located your ancestor’s burial record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Burial records are often brief so it can be easy confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the burial record for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Related Websites

 * Salt Lake City Cemetery Database
 * Find a Grave
 * Salt Lake City (Utah). City Recorder Death and burial register

Related Wiki Articles
Salt Lake County, 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:

Image Citation: