Find a Grave
| File:ForumsMasthead.png | |
| File:Buryicon.jpg | |
Type of site | Online database |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Jim Tipton |
| URL | FindaGrave.com |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional |
Find a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1995.
History
According to the founder, Salt Lake City resident Jim Tipton,[1] the website was developed in 1995 to address the lack of any existing site that catered to his hobby of visiting the graves of celebrities. After some time, an online forum was created on the site.[2] As of October 25, 2011 the site states that it hosts over 70 million records.[3]
Content and features
The website contains listings of cemeteries and graves from all around the world. American cemeteries are organized by state and county, and many cemetery records contain Google Maps (with GPS coordinates supplied by contributors and the U.S. Geological Survey[citation needed]) and photographs of the cemeteries. Individual grave records contain some or all of the following data fields: dates and places of birth and death, biographical information, cemetery and plot information, photographs (grave marker, the individual, etc.), and contributor information.[4]
Interment listings are provided by individuals[5] or genealogical societies, and listings with tombstone photographs are considered reliable.[6] Major institutional contributors to Find A Grave include the US Veterans Department,[7] the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and American Battle Monuments Commission,[8] and the International Wargraves Photography Project.[9]
Contributors must register as members to submit listings, which are called memorials on the website. Upon submitting a listing, that member becomes the manager of the listing, but may transfer management. Only the current manager of a listing may edit the listing, although members and non-members may send correction requests regarding listings. Members and non-members can submit notations, which consist of images or pictures or flowers, flags, religious symbols, etc., which are posted on the individual listings. Managers of listings may post links to other listings of spouses and parents for genealogical purposes. Members may also request photos of graves which then other members can fulfill.[10]
See also
- Poets' Graves
- Tombstone tourist
- Interment.net on-line database of transcriptions from grave markers
- Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness volunteers photograph graves on request
- Canadian Headstones
Notes
- ^ "Find A Grave Contributor: Jim Tipton". Find A Grave. 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
- ^ Maynard, Meleah (February 16, 2000). "Grave Matters: Minnesota's dead are only a click away". City Pages. Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota: citypages.com. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- ^ "Find a Grave". Find A Grave. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ Find a Grave: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) www.FindaGrave.com
- ^ Loudon, Bennett J. (August 30, 2011). "Civil War history carved in stone in Pittsford". Democrat and Chronicle. Gannett. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Moody, Sharon Tate (January 24, 2010). "Find A Grave can shorten the search". The Tampa Tribune. TBO.com Tampa Bay Online. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ Find A Grave: Member Record number 5 (1.9 million records)
- ^ Find A Grave: Member Record number 6 (760,000 records)
- ^ Find A Grave: Member Record number 46770518 (1.3 million records)
- ^ Find a Grave FAQs: "How do I submit a photo request?"
References
- Colker, David (August 26, 1997). "Web site answers grave concerns about stars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 28, 2011.(subscription required)
- Johnstone, Nick (July 14, 2004). "Why I love ... findagrave.com". The Guardian. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- Cobbs, Chris (July 12, 2001). "Web site attracts millions of grave-seekers". The Orlando Sentinel. Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- Gammage, Jeff (August 1, 2005). "Find VIPs (and others) who R.I.P. through online cemetery". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- Dehler, Tamie (October 13, 2007). "Genealogy: 'Find a Grave' tremendous on many different levels". Tribune Star. Terre Haute, Indiana: TribStar.com. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- King, Peter (October 2, 2009). "Tip: Find a Grave has info you're dying to know". Newday. Melville, New York: newsday.com. Retrieved September 28, 2011.(registration required)
- Silverman, Lauren (March 14, 2010). "Tracking Down Relatives, Visiting Graves Virtually". NPR. Retrieved September 28, 2011.