United States Funeral Records

United States

Funeral Records

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Online Resources

• Find Funeral Homes Search at funeralhomes.com
• Directory of U.S. Funeral Homes at imortuary.com
• Search of Funeral Homes in the U.S. at USFunerals.com
• Directory to Funeral Homes in the U.S. at USAFuneralHomesOnline.com
• Directory to Funeral Homes in the U.S. at FSNfuneralhomes.com

Print Publications

Before online directories were created, these two printed directories were published every several years:

• American Blue Book of Funeral Directors, National Funeral Directors Association, biennial. FS Catalog book 973 U24a
• Yellow Book of Funeral Directors, National Directory of Morticians FS Catalog book 973 U24y

Background

Funeral records are business documents and normally involve loose papers and/or bound volumes.

Funeral records generally began in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century (1900's). Embalming within the United States was not a widely accepted practice until the Civil War and the death of President Abraham Lincoln.

Most funerals prior to the early twentieth century were a family and friends event taking place at the decedent’s home with burial taking place within twenty-four to forty-eight hours of death. Funeral homes or parlors were not used and caskets were made by the local cabinet or furniture maker.

Large cities are more likely to have earlier funeral home records. Most rural areas did not have funeral homes until the early twentieth century. Funeral directors are now responsible for initiating and filing the death certificate. Since the 1950s many funeral homes have merged with other firms or gone out of business.

Coverage and Compliance

Most funeral homes came into existence in the early Twentieth Century (1900's).

Funeral records are generally recorded in the locality where the person resided or is buried. They were not used by the general population until local regulations required embalming and the use of a funeral home became a generally accepted practice.

Information Recorded in the Records

Funeral Home Record-1.jpg

These records generally include the death certificate or death certificate information and financial ledgers or papers showing the costs involved with arranging the funeral of the individual.

The records may contain a list:

• surviving immediate relatives, sometimes the names of grandchildren, in-laws, and other relatives.
• Residences for surviving relatives.
• Obituary or notes used to prepare the obituary may be in the record, along with a record of newspapers where the obituary was placed.
• Deceased's former residences, education, church affiliation, military service, membership in clubs, lodges and other organizations.
• Grave location or type of marker.
• Information regarding the funeral services, such as the officiating minister, pallbearers, and music may also be included.
• Information may also include life insurance information where additional genealogical information could be obtained.

Strategy

Funeral home or mortuary records may contain useful information not found on the death certificate.