Understanding Cemetery Research in Plymouth County
Cemetery research in Plymouth County offers unique opportunities due to the region's extraordinary history as the landing place of the Mayflower and birthplace of colonial America. This comprehensive guide covers all essential aspects of genealogical research in America's most historic burial grounds.
About This Guide
Welcome to our detailed guide to Plymouth County, Massachusetts cemeteries. This invaluable resource provides:
- Industrial era occupations in Brockton's shoe industry
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 Plymouth County:
Common Research Challenges:
Colonial Weathering
Many 17th and 18th-century headstones have weathered badly, especially in Plymouth's oldest burial grounds.
Missing Records
Some early colonial burial records have been lost or were never formally maintained.
Popular Destinations
Historic sites like Burial Hill attract many visitors, potentially complicating research visits.
Conducting Genealogical Research in Plymouth 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. Cemetery Etiquette
- Show respect for grave sites and their surroundings
- Refrain from walking on graves
- Adhere to any posted rules and regulations
- Get permission before doing any rubbings or extensive cleaning
4. 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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth County cemeteries included in this guide?
Our guide is quite comprehensive, featuring 136+ cemeteries, but it may not cover every burial ground in Plymouth County. We are committed to continuously updating our information.
What makes Plymouth County cemeteries unique for genealogy research?
Plymouth County contains some of America's oldest maintained cemeteries, including Burial Hill in Plymouth where Mayflower passengers and early colonists are buried. These historic burial grounds offer unique insights into colonial and early American family histories.
What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Plymouth 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 Plymouth 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.
Search Plymouth County Cemeteries
Search by cemetery name or town • For family name searches, visit FindAGrave.com and filter by Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Essential Research Tools for Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, several resources are available:
- The Plymouth Historical Society maintains extensive colonial burial records
- Local historical societies in Plymouth, Brockton, and other towns preserve transcriptions
- Scholarly works on Mayflower families often include cemetery documentation
A notable example is Stephen P. Broker's study from the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, titled "Death and Dying in Puritan New England," which offers intriguing examination of early gravestones and includes numerous transcriptions.
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.
Plymouth County Research Tip
Plymouth County's historic importance means many of its cemeteries date to colonial times, with aging records and weathered stones. For individuals who died after 1931, our service can retrieve transcribed genealogical copies of death records that can fill gaps in cemetery documentation.
These transcribed records are especially valuable when:
- Researching in historic settlements like Plymouth and Duxbury where records may be fragmentary
- Investigating shoe industry workers in Brockton
- Family plots in rural areas have deteriorated or become inaccessible
Cemetery Listings for Plymouth County, Massachusetts
136+ Historic Burial Grounds with Direct Links to Records
Search Cemetery Listings for Each Massachusetts County
Last Updated: June 10, 2025
