Cemetery records and cemeteries, in general, are a very large part of our family history and are a significant pursuit for many genealogists. Sometimes, the information on a headstone is the only information available for certain ancestors.
What can you find in these records? How about birth, marriage, and death information and clues to military service, religion, and organization memberships? Location of the burial plot, tombstone inscriptions, cemetery maps, sexton registers, and headstone photos are also generally available.
Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching cemetery records:
- FamilySearch – United States Cemeteries
- A Gravesite Can Reveal Remarkable Details About Your Ancestor IF You Can Find It: Here’s How
- Rootsweb – Cemetery Records
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Below are links to cemetery, burial, and interment records as well as indexes and tombstone inscriptions that are available for free online.
(Updated February 2023)
Massachusetts Cemetery Records
General U.S.
- African American Cemeteries.com
- Billion Graves Index
- Find A Grave Index
- Names in Stone Cemetery Maps
- United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969
- US GenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project
- Veteran’s Nationwide Gravesite Locator
Massachusetts
- Abington, Mount Vernon Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Acushnet, Bristol County, Old Colonial Burial Ground
- Agawam, Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery – Agawam – Billion Graves
- Amesbury Cemeteries, Burial Search
- Amherst Cemeteries, Record Search
- Andover, West Parish Garden Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Arlington, Mount Pleasant Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Athol, Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burial Card Records early 1800s to mid-1990s
- Athol, Doe Valley/Ellinwood Cemetery, Burial Card Records
- Athol, Highland Cemetery, Burial Card Records mid 1800s to late 1900s
- Athol, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery () Burial Card Records mid 1700s to mid 1990s
- Athol, New Sherborn/Stratton Cemetery, Burial Card Records mid 1800s to early 1900s
- Athol, Silver Lake Cemetery, Burial Card Records mid 1800s to present
- Athol, Veterans’ Grave Registrations of Various Cemeteries
- Auburn, Worcester County, West Burial Ground
- Barnstable Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Barnstable County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Barnstable County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Barnstable County, Cemeteries
- Barnstable County, Cemeteries
- Barnstable County, Bourne National Cemetery, Bourne
- Barnstable County, Old Burial Ground, Brewster
- Barnstable County, St. Peter’s Cemetery, Sandwich
- Barnstable County, The Ancient Sears Cemetery, West Brewster
- Barre, Caldwell Cemetery, Cemetery Records
- Bedford, Middlesex County, Old Burial Ground
- Belmont, Belmont Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Berkshire Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Berkshire County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Berkshire County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Berkshire County, Cemeteries
- Berkshire County, Cemeteries
- Berkshire County, Beth Israel Cemetery, Clarksburg
- Beverly, Beverly Farms Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Beverly, Central Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Billerica, Cemeteries
- Boston Common, Central Burying Ground, Gravestone Inscriptions and Records of Tomb Burials
- Boston, Cemetery Department 1903-1904, 1904-1905
- Boston, Copp’s Hill Burial Ground, Epitaphs
- Boston, Copp’s Hill Epitaphs
- Boston, Granary Burying Ground, Gravestone Inscriptions and Records of Tomb Burials
- Boston, Historic Burying Grounds Initiative, Burial Search
- Boston, Inscriptions on the sepulchral monuments in the King’s Chapel Burial Ground
- Boston, St. Michael Cemetery, Burial Search
- Bourne, Cataumet Cemetery, Burials
- Bourne, Massachusetts National Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Braintree, Norfolk County – Inscriptions
- Bridgewater, Epitaphs
- Bridgewater, Old Saint Thomas Aquinas Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Old Grave-yard
- Brighton, Mount Hope Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery, Lot Owners
- Bristol Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Bristol County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Bristol County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Bristol County, Cemeteries
- Bristol County, Cemeteries
- Bristol County, Fall River, Oak Grove Cemetery
- Brockton, Calvary Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Brookline, Walnut Street Cemetery, Burials and Inscriptions
- Cambridge, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Cambridge, Middlesex County – Epitaphs from the Old Burying Ground
- Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Burial Search
- Canton, Knollwood Memorial Park, Burial Search
- Canton, Saint Mary Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Cape Cod Gravestones
- Carver, Plymouth County, Cemeteries and Records
- Centerville, Barnstable, Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery
- Charlestown, Middlesex County, Burying Ground Inscriptions
- Charlton, Cemeteries Burial Index
- Charlton, Westridge Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Chatham, Cemetery Inscriptions
- Chelmsford Cemeteries, Burial Archive
- Chelmsford, Cemeteries, Grave Listings
- Chicopee, Saint Stanislaus – Billion Graves
- Colrain, Cemetery Records, abt. 1741-1859
- Concord, Old Burying Grounds, Gravemarker Data
- Danvers, Walnut Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Dedham, Brookdale Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Dedham, Cemeteries, Burials
- Dedham, Epitaphs in the old Burial place
- Dedham, Norfolk County, First Parish Epitaphs, Ranges I-XIII
- Dedham, Norfolk County, First Parish Epitaphs, Ranges XIV-XIX plus other pre-1845 burials
- Dedham, Norfolk County, Second & Third Parish Epitaphs
- Deerfield, Franklin County – Inscriptions
- Devens, Fort Devens Main Post Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Dorchester, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Dorchester, Norfolk County, Old Burying Ground Inscriptions to 1750
- Dorchester, Suffolk County, First Burying Place Epitaphs
- Dukes Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Dukes County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Dukes County, Cemeteries
- Dukes County, Cemeteries
- East Longmeadow, Green Lawn Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Eastham, Evergreen Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Easton Cemetery Records
- Epitaphs from the Cemetery on Worcester Common, with occasional notes, references, and an index
- Essex Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Essex County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Essex County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Essex County, Cemeteries
- Essex County, Cemeteries
- Essex County, Danvers. Endicott Cemetery
- Essex County, Danvers. Endicott, Goodale, High, Leach, Locust Cemeteries
- Essex County, Danvers. Holton Cemetery
- Essex County, Danvers. Russell Family Cemetery
- Essex County, Danvers. Wadsworth Cemetery
- Essex County, Gloucester, Oak Grove Cemetery (partial)
- Essex County, Lynn, Old Burying Ground
- Essex County, Lynnfield, West Burying Ground 1813
- Essex County, Newbury, Byfield Parish Burial Ground
- Essex, Albaes, Gravestone Inscriptions
- Fall River, Saint Patrick Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Falmouth, Inscriptions upon stones in the Old Burying Ground
- Fitchburg, City Cemeteries, late 1700s to 2001
- Framingham, Edgell Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Framingham, Edwards Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Franklin County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Franklin County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Franklin County, Cemeteries
- Franklin County, Orange, North Cemetery
- Franklin County, Warwick, Warwick Cemetery, Rt. 78.
- Great Barrington, Ahavath Sholom Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Great Barrington, Elmwood & St. Peters Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Great Barrington, Mahaiwe Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Groton, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Groton, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Groton, Middlesex County – Old Burying Ground, 1704-1804 & 1804-1878 & Tombs
- Groveland, Ancient Burial Ground, Inscriptions
- Groveland, Essex County, Old Cemetery
- Groveland, Inscriptions from the old Cemetery
- Hamilton Cemetery, Record Search
- Hampden Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Hampden County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Hampden County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Hampden County, Cemeteries
- Hampden County, Cemeteries
- Hampshire Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Hampshire County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Hampshire County, Cemeteries
- Hampshire County, Cemeteries
- Harvard, Harvard Center Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Haverhill, Hillside Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Haverhill, Saint Joseph Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Hingham, St. Paul’s Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Holliston, Lake Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Hopkinton, Online Cemetery Records
- Housatonic Great Barrington, Greenlawn Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Hull, Plymouth County, Burying Ground Inscriptions
- Ipswich, Ancient Old North Burial Yard, transcriptions
- Ipswich, Old North Churchyard
- Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts, Burial Search
- Kingston, Death Records from the ancient Burial ground
- Kingston, Plymouth County, Ancient Burial Ground
- Lakeville, Plymouth County, Inscriptions (includes Freetown & Berkley)
- Lanesboro, Berkshire County, Cemetery Inscriptions
- Lee, Bristol County, Inscriptions in the Early Burial Grounds
- Leominster, Cemetery Records
- Leominster, Evergreen Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Leominster, Saint Cecilia Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Lexington, Epitaphs, a copy of epitaphs in the old burying grounds
- Lexington, Middlesex County – Old Burying Ground, Surnames A-M
- Lexington, Middlesex County – Old Burying Ground, Surnames N-W
- Leyden, Franklin County, Cemetery Records
- Littleton, Westlawn Cemetery, Online Burial & Veteran Search
- Longmeadow Cemetery, Records
- Longmeadow, Western half of the Cemetery
- Lowell Cemetery, Civil War Veterans Burials
- Lowell Cemetery, Records
- Lowell, Cemeteries, Grave Listings
- Lowell, Lowell Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Lowell, St. Patrick Cemetery, Burial Listing
- Lowell, St. Peter’s Cemetery, Burials
- Lower Washington / Mount Hope Boston, Mount Hope Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Lynn, Essex County, Old Burying Ground
- Lynn, Inscriptions from the old burying ground
- Lynn, Old or Western Burying Ground, Record of interments
- Lynnfield Centre, Inscriptions from the old burying ground
- Malden, Cemeteries Burial Search
- Malden, Middlesex County, Old Burying Ground
- Marblehead, Old Burial Hill, Gravestone Index
- Marlborough, Burial Ground Inscriptions: Old Common, Spring Hill, and Brigham Cemeteries
- Marshfield, Plymouth County, Deaths & Burials
- Martha’s Vineyard, Gravestones and Cemeteries
- Massachusetts Gravestones
- Massachusetts, Jewish Cemeteries
- Maynard, Saint Bridget Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Medford, Oak Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Medway, Saint Joseph Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Melrose, United Brotherhood of Onikchty Society Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Methuen, Catalog of epitaphs from Ye Old Burying Ground on Meeting House Hill
- Methuen, Epitaphs of the Village Burying Ground
- Methuen, Immaculate Conception Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Middleboro, Nemasket Hill Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Middlesex Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Middlesex County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Middlesex County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Middlesex County, Cambridge, Mt Auburn Cemetery
- Middlesex County, Cemeteries
- Middlesex County, Cemeteries
- Middlesex County, Chelmsford, Civil War Soldiers’ burials
- Middlesex County, Chelmsford, Forefathers Cemetery
- Middlesex County, Groton, Epitaphs from the Old Burial Ground
- Middlesex County, Maynard, Glenwood Cemetery (A-G)
- Middlesex County, Tewksbury. Old Burial Grounds, East Street
- Middlesex County, Woburn, Calvary Cemetery
- Milford, Vernon Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Milton, Cemetery
- Milton, Norfolk County, Old Cemetery Inscriptions to 1800
- Montgomery, Tombstone Inscriptions of all of the the Cemeteries
- Mount Auburn, Cemetery
- Nantucket Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Nantucket County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Nantucket County, Cemeteries
- Nantucket County, Cemeteries
- Nantucket, Cemeteries, Cemetery Inscriptions Database
- Needham, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Needham, Needham Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Newburyport, Essex County, Oathill Cemetery
- Norfolk Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Norfolk County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Norfolk County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Norfolk County, Braintree, Elm Street Cemetery
- Norfolk County, Cemeteries
- Norfolk County, Cemeteries
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery A-C
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery D-F
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery G-I
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery J-L
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery M-O
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery P-R
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery S-U
- Norfolk County, Medfield, Vine Cemetery V-Z
- Norfolk County, Quincy, Sailor’s Home Cemetery photos
- Norfolk County, Quincy, Sailor’s Home Cemetery Transcription
- Norfolk County, Randolph, Oakland Cemetery
- Norfolk, Pondville Cemetery, Burials
- North Andover, The (First) Old Burial Ground, Database
- North Chelmsford, Fairview Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Northampton, & other towns, Hampshire County, Inscriptions
- Northampton, Lonetown or West Farms Cemetery
- Old Copp’s Hill and Burial grounds
- Oxford, Saint Roche Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Palmer, Inscriptions from the two ancient Cemeteries
- Paxton, Burial Ground Inscriptions, to 1849
- Pittsfield, Pittsfield Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Plymouth Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Plymouth County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Plymouth County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Plymouth County, Bridgewater, The Alden or Great Woods Graveyard
- Plymouth County, Brockton, Leach Cemetery
- Plymouth County, Carver, Wenham Cemetery
- Plymouth County, Cemeteries
- Plymouth County, Cemeteries
- Plymouth County, East Bridgewater, Whitman Family Cemetery
- Plymouth County, Marshfield, Winslow Cemetery
- Plymouth County, Plymouth, Chiltonville Congregational Church Cemetery
- Plymouth County, Rochester, Hillside/Pierce Cemetery
- Plymouth County, West Bridgewater, The Alger Grave-yard and Tomb
- Plymouth, Burial Hill Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Plymouth, Burial Hill, Epitaphs, from 1657 to 1892
- Plymouth, Burial Hill, Inscriptions and Epitaphs
- Plymouth, Cemetery Burial Record Search
- Plymouth, Chiltonville Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Plymouth, Oak Grove Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Plymouth, Vine Hills Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Randolph, Saint Mary Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Rockland, Holy Family Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Rockland, Saint Patrick Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Rowley, Inscriptions from the old Cemetery
- Rowley, Inscriptions from the old Cemetery
- Rutland, Worcester County, Monumental Inscriptions in the old Cemetery
- Salem, Essex County, Cemetery Inscriptions
- Salem, Inscriptions from the burying-grounds
- Salisbury, Gravestone Inscriptions
- Sandisfield, Berkshire County, Gravestone Inscriptions
- Sandwich, Cedarville Cemetery, List of Markers
- Sandwich, Old Town Burying Ground, Headstone Listing
- Sandwich, Records of old burying ground
- Saugus Centre, Inscriptions from the old burying ground
- Saugus, Riverside Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Sharon, Sharon Memorial Park, Burial Search
- Sheffield, Cemetery Inscriptions
- Sherborn, Pine Hill Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Southborough, Cemetery Records and Burials
- Springfield, Springfield Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Stockbridge, Stockbridge Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Stoneham, Middlesex County, Old Cemetery
- Sudbury, Inscriptions from the old Cemetery
- Suffolk Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Suffolk County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Suffolk County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Suffolk County, Boston, Copp’s Hill Burial Ground
- Suffolk County, Cemeteries
- Suffolk County, Cemeteries
- Suffolk County, Rochester, Roxbury Burial Ground – Dudley Crypt
- Swampscott, Swampscott Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Swansea, Historic Cemeteries
- Taunton, Bristol County, Inscriptions
- Taunton, Walker-Blake Graveyard, Burial List
- Tewksbury, St. Mary Cemetery, Burial Listings
- Truro, Barnstable County, Old North Cemetery
- Truro, Old North Cemetery, Inscriptions from Gravestones from 1713 to 1840
- Tyringham, Village Cemetery
- Waltham, Calvary Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Waltham, Cemeteries, Online Record Search
- Waltham, Middlesex County, Grave-Yard Inscriptions to 1720
- Waltham, Mount Feake Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Washington, Cemetery Inscriptions and Congregational Church Records, 1774-1900
- Watertown, Catholic Mount Auburn Cemetery, Sand Banks Cemetery and Cottage Street Cemetery, Burials
- Watertown, Cemeteries, Burial Listings
- Watertown, Epitaphs from the old burying ground
- Watertown, Middlesex County, Old Cemetery Epitaphs [with notes]
- Watertown, Veterans’ Graves Registration
- Wellesley, Epitaphs from Graveyards in North Natick and Saint Mary’s Churchyard
- Wellfleet, Truro, & Cape Cod Cemetery Inscriptions
- Wenham, Inscriptions from Gravestones in the old burying ground
- West Roxbury, Suffolk County, Burial Ground
- West Stockbridge, West Stockbridge Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Westfield, Hampden County, Tombstone Inscriptions of the older Cemeteries
- Westford, Burial Permits, 1903-1910
- Weymouth, Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Whitman, Colebrook Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Whitman, Saint James Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Wilbraham, Adams Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Winchendon, Calvary Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Woburn, Middlesex County, Old Burying Ground
- Worcester Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Worcester County Cemeteries – Find a Grave
- Worcester County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
- Worcester County Memorial Park, Burials
- Worcester County, Cemeteries
- Worcester County, Cemeteries
- Worcester County, Harvard, Harvard cemeteries
- Worcester County, Lancaster, Epitaphs – The Middle Cemetery
- Worcester County, Lancaster, The Old Burial Field
- Worcester County, Millbury, County Bridge Cemetery
- Worcester County, Shrewsbury, Mountain View
- Worcester County, Sterling, Chocksett Cemetery
- Worcester County, Sutton, St Pauls Cemetery
- Worcester County, Sutton, The Armsby Cemetery
- Worcester County, Upton, Upton First Cemetery
- Worcester County, Whitinsville, Lackey Cemetery
- Worcester, Inscriptions from the old Burial grounds from 1727 to 1859
- Worcester, Rural Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Worcester, Saint John Cemetery – Billion Graves
- Yarmouth, Ancient Cemetery and the Woodside Cemetery, Gravestone Records
- Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Ancient & Woodside Cemeteries
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For all Free Massachusetts Links, click on the category of interest:
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For all Free Massachusetts Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Place Finder
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
