Essex County Cemeteries: North Shore MA Records Guide

Essex County MA Cemetery Records: North Shore Genealogy Guide

Includes Detailed Resources for Genealogical Research

An illustrated map of Essex County, Massachusetts, highlighting town and city names along with boundary lines.

Click to enlarge map

Essex County Cemetery Overview

111

Historic Cemeteries

Cities & Towns

1643

County Established

1000s

Maritime Families

Research Guide Contents

Understanding Cemetery Research in Essex County

Cemetery research in Essex County offers unique opportunities and challenges due to the region's rich history spanning from the Salem witch trials to the industrial revolution. This comprehensive guide covers all essential aspects of genealogical research in North Shore's historic burial grounds.

About This Guide

Welcome to our detailed guide to Essex County, Massachusetts cemeteries. This invaluable resource provides:

111 historical burial grounds - comprehensive listings with direct links
Sourced from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
Coverage from small family plots to large municipal grounds

Pro Tip: While focusing on Essex County, genealogists may also find valuable information in our guide for neighboring Middlesex County. This additional resource can provide a more comprehensive view of family histories that may span multiple counties.

Essex County's Rich Heritage

Essex County, established in 1643, boasts a rich history reflected in its numerous burial sites:

Colonial Era

Many cemeteries date back to the 1600s, including sites connected to the Salem witch trials

Maritime Heritage

Coastal communities like Gloucester and Newburyport preserve seafaring families' legacies

Industrial History

Lawrence and Lynn cemeteries reflect the immigrant communities who powered the mills

Importance of Cemeteries in Genealogical Research

Cemeteries serve as a crucial resource for genealogical research, often holding important information like birth and death dates, family connections, and various biographical details. Headstones can provide insights into occupations, military service, membership in fraternal organizations, or even the causes of death. Additionally, cemetery records can enhance other genealogical resources, such as census data and vital records, aiding in the reconstruction of family histories and offering a fuller understanding of ancestors' lives.

Explore Thousands of Gravestone Inscriptions on Find a Grave® to enhance your research in Essex County cemeteries.

What Cemetery Records Can Reveal in Essex County:

Exact dates of birth and death
Family relationships and connections
Maritime occupations and fishing industry ties
Industrial era occupations in Lawrence and Lynn

Challenges of Genealogical Research in Cemeteries

While cemeteries can provide valuable genealogical information, researching in these places comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in historic Essex County:

Common Research Challenges:

Historic Damage

Many colonial-era headstones have weathered badly, especially in Salem's oldest cemeteries.

Industrial Records

Factory worker burials in Lawrence and Lynn often lack detailed records due to immigration patterns.

Coastal Erosion

Maritime cemeteries in Gloucester and Newburyport face unique preservation challenges.

Conducting Genealogical Research in Essex County Cemeteries

1. Planning Your Visit

Collect information about the person or family you are researching
Find out their birth and death dates
Look into any known cemetery plot details
Reach out to cemetery offices for records and visiting hours

2. Essential Tools for Cemetery Visits

Documentation Tools

Notebook and pen
Digital camera or smartphone
Cemetery map

Cleaning Supplies

Soft brush for cleaning headstones
Water and soft cloth
Small digging tools (trowel)

3. Documentation Best Practices

Photograph headstones and surrounding area for context
Record exact GPS location
Document names, dates, and epitaphs
Sketch layout of family plots

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find a specific grave in Essex County?

You can locate a specific grave by using our alphabetical cemetery listings and clicking on the Find a Grave® links. This will allow you to search for individuals within each cemetery.

Are all Essex County cemeteries included in this guide?

Our guide is quite comprehensive, featuring 111 cemeteries, but it may not cover every burial ground in Essex County. We are committed to continuously updating our information.

What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Essex County?

Essential tools include: a notebook and pen, digital camera, cemetery map, soft brush for cleaning headstones, water with soft cloth, and small digging tools for uncovering buried headstones.

What online databases are useful for researching Essex County cemeteries?

Two very helpful databases are the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and Find a Grave®. These resources offer details on cemetery locations and specific burial records.

Essential Research Tools for Essex County Cemeteries

Two particularly helpful databases are the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and Find a Grave®.

Best Practices:

Begin with broad searches and then gradually refine your criteria
Use wildcard characters (*) to accommodate spelling variations
Cross-check information with other sources to ensure accuracy
Search for additional family members who may be buried in the same cemetery

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a comprehensive database that catalogs place names across the United States, including historical sites like cemeteries.

This database is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is used by government agencies, businesses, and individuals for various applications including genealogical research.

Find a Grave® is a platform that offers users a virtual cemetery experience. Established in 1995 by Jim Tipton, it was acquired by Ancestry.com in 2013.

The site features over 200 million grave records worldwide, complete with photographs, biographical details, and interactive maps. Key features include:

Ability to request grave photos
Volunteer opportunities to take and upload gravestone photos
Forum for discussions on cemetery research and preservation
Free to use and depends on user contributions

Genealogists find transcriptions of cemetery headstones particularly useful, especially when the original stones are missing or hard to read. For Essex County, several resources are available:

The Essex Institute Collections contain historic cemetery transcriptions
Local historical societies in Salem, Lawrence, and Gloucester maintain records
Many scholarly works document colonial-era gravestone inscriptions

Beyond published works, many genealogical societies and organizations have taken on the task of transcribing local cemeteries, with many of these transcriptions available online or in local archives.

Cemeteries typically maintain detailed records that can be incredibly useful for genealogical research. These records may consist of plot maps, the names of original owners, their addresses, and the dates of purchase, as well as burial registers that document the names and dates of individuals interred in a plot.

Additionally, other documents can aid in finding gravesites and gathering biographical information. You can easily access this information by reaching out to the cemetery's business office.