Australia Cemetery Inscriptions - FamilySearch Historical Records

Australia

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1802-2005. It contains cards of cemetery inscriptions from many cemeteries throughout Australia. The majority of the cemeteries are in Queensland, but there are some in New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Tasmania, and Western Australia. Some cards include information culled from local newspapers which sometimes include birth and marriage announcements. The cards are sometimes in reverse alphabetical order and there are sometimes many interfiled cards which do not belong to the sequence--generally these have a slash mark across the cards that do not belong in the sequence. The file was the product of many years of work by Jim and Alison Rogers.

These records are handwritten transcriptions, so there may be transcription errors. There are also newspaper clippings attached to the names of the deceased.

Cemetery records often give more information than church burial records and may include the deceased’s name, age, date of death or burial, birth year or date of birth, and sometimes marriage information. They may also provide clues about an ancestor’s military service, religion, occupation, place of residence at time of death, or membership in an organization.

These records are useful in identifying children who died young or women who were not recorded in family or government documents. They are helpful in establishing family relationships and locating family members.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Cemetery inscriptions
 * Name of deceased
 * Age of deceased
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date and place of death
 * Names of relatives
 * Burial date
 * Cemetery name

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Your ancestor's estimated death year

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select LETTER
 * 2) Select NAMERANGE to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index. To find a copy of the original record, visit the Australian Cemeteries Index page
 * Use the information you have found to find the person in Australia Deaths and Burials records
 * Use the information to find wills and probate records
 * You may be able to use the information found in these records to estimate a date of death
 * Search for death records
 * Search for death or burial information in the BillionGraves Index or at Find A Grave
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname
 * Search the records of nearby areas

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * They might have been listed under a middle name
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Australia.
 * Record Finder
 * Australia Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.