Middlesex County Cemeteries: Eastern MA Records Guide

Q: What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Middlesex County?

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

Middlesex County MA Cemetery Records: Eastern Massachusetts Genealogy Guide

Includes Detailed Resources for Genealogical Research

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

Click to enlarge map

Middlesex County Cemetery Overview

158+

Historic Cemeteries

Cities & Towns

1643

County Established

1.6M

Population

Research Guide Contents

Understanding Cemetery Research in Middlesex County

Cemetery research in Middlesex County offers unique opportunities due to the region's Revolutionary War history and tech corridor development. This comprehensive guide covers all essential aspects of genealogical research in Eastern Massachusetts' historic burial grounds.

About This Guide

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

158+ 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 Middlesex County, genealogists may also find valuable information in our guides for neighboring Essex County, Suffolk County, Norfolk County, and Worcester County.

Middlesex County's Rich Heritage

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

Revolutionary Heritage

Concord and Lexington cemeteries hold Revolutionary War heroes and patriots

Tech Innovation

Cambridge and Lowell cemeteries reflect the region's industrial and technological leadership

Industrial Era

Mill towns and manufacturing centers preserve working-class family histories

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 Middlesex County cemeteries.

What Cemetery Records Can Reveal in Middlesex County:

Exact dates of birth and death
Family relationships and connections
Revolutionary War service and colonial heritage
Industrial era occupations in Lowell and Waltham

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 Middlesex County:

Common Research Challenges:

Historic Damage

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

Urban Development

Rapid development in Cambridge and surrounding areas has sometimes displaced or damaged historic cemeteries.

Industrial Records

Mill worker burials in Lowell and Waltham often lack detailed records due to transient populations.

Conducting Genealogical Research in Middlesex County Cemeteries

1. Planning Your Visit

Gather information about the individual or family of interest in Middlesex County
Obtain birth and death dates
Research known cemetery plot information in Middlesex County
Contact Middlesex County cemetery offices for records and visiting hours

2. Essential Tools for Cemetery Visits in Middlesex County

Documentation Tools

Notebook and pen
Digital camera or smartphone
Middlesex County cemetery map

Cleaning Supplies

Small digging tools (e.g., trowel) for uncovering buried headstones
Soft brush for cleaning headstones
Water and soft cloth for improving headstone legibility

3. Documentation Best Practices for Middlesex County Cemeteries

Record the Middlesex County cemetery's name and exact location
Note names and dates from headstones
Document any additional information (e.g., epitaphs, symbols) specific to Middlesex County
Photograph headstones and surrounding area for context
Sketch the layout of family plots in Middlesex County cemeteries

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find a specific grave in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County cemeteries included in this guide?

Our guide is quite comprehensive, featuring 158 cemeteries, but it may not cover every burial ground in Middlesex County. We are committed to continuously updating our information.

How can I contribute information about a cemetery in Middlesex County?

Visit Find a Grave®'s contribution guide for information on how to add or update cemetery information for Middlesex County.

What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Middlesex County?

When visiting cemeteries, it's helpful to have: a notebook and pen, a digital camera or smartphone, a Middlesex County cemetery map, small digging tools (like a trowel) for uncovering buried headstones, a soft brush for cleaning headstones, and water with a soft cloth to enhance headstone legibility.

What are some best practices for documenting cemetery research?

To effectively document your cemetery research, consider these best practices: Record the Middlesex County cemetery's name and precise location, note names and dates from headstones, document any additional details (such as epitaphs and symbols), take photographs of headstones and the surrounding area for context, and sketch the layout of family plots.

What online databases are useful for researching Middlesex 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 Middlesex County Cemeteries

These online databases offer valuable information about cemeteries located in and around Middlesex County. By utilizing these databases and searching with different criteria such as name, location, or date range, genealogists can effectively pinpoint potential gravesites and gather details about individuals buried in the cemetery. 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
Incorporate 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. It provides details about the names, locations, and features of both physical and cultural landmarks, including mountains, rivers, cities, and, importantly, historical sites like cemeteries.

This database is utilized by government agencies, businesses, and individuals for a variety of applications, including land management, emergency response, and map creation. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for maintaining and updating the information in GNIS to ensure its accuracy and reliability.

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 Middlesex County, several resources are available:

The Massachusetts Historical Society collections contain historic cemetery transcriptions
Local historical societies in Cambridge, Lowell, and Concord maintain records
Many scholarly works document Revolutionary War 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.