Uncovering death information about an ancestor can frequently reveal details about his or her life and family that would be difficult to find in any other source. Obituaries frequently include birth, marriage, and death dates and places of the deceased, the maiden name of a wife, children’s names, parents’ names, occupations, places of residence, and highlights of his/her life.

Unfortunately, not every ancestor had an obituary published revealing these details for the benefit of descendants. Instead, some people discover printed memorial or funeral cards in collections of their parents or relatives. While these cards don’t give the range of detail often found in obituaries, they can still be of great value in furthering research.

Funeral cards have a long history–with social customs attached. These cards were to be distributed to family members, friends, and the surrounding community in a timely manner to alert invitees to the date and time of the funeral. Recipients of a funeral card were expected to attend the funeral or risk offending family members. Conversely, those who did not receive an invitation would have been insulted, whether it was intentional or an oversight.

The funeral card for Emma Cartlidge is a typical example of its time period. The card is die cut, although in its current condition some of the external design has been lost. To the left of the text is an embossed grieving figure of a woman with sheaves of wheat behind her. Wheat was a classic Victorian mourning symbol, along with weeping willows, cypress, and religious symbols such as crosses. The text of Emma’s card reads:

In Memory of the Late Emma Cartlidge, of Anchor Terrace, Longton, Who died Feb. 18th, 1873, Aged 27 Years. You are respectfully requested to attend the funeral on Sunday, the 23rd, at 10 o’clock. Interment at St. James’s Church, at half-past 12 o’clock.

Search the Funeral Cards and Memorial Cards Database

Funeral cards are an overlooked free genealogical resource. They often contain both the Birth date and Death date and can be used as a substitute for vital records. (Well technically they are not a substitute for vital records as the person giving the info might not have known for sure when the deceased was born or died. But it's a good place to start.) If you want to know more about what things qualify as a true Vital Records there is a good article at the Olive Tree.

Unfortunately these valuable resources are scattered and there has not been a single repository for this resource until now. It is my intention to create the largest funeral card database on the net.

Funeral Cards and Memorial Cards on Ancestors at Rest

To view the list of names, please choose a Funeral Death Card by location or by Surname Letter. Please Note: A lot of the funeral cards and Memorial cards on Ancestors At Rest do not have a known location so it is important that you look for the ancestor you want to find by surname. [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I,J][K][L][M][N][O][P,Q][R][S][T][U,V][W][Y][Z]

Funeral Cards and Memorial Cards on My Blog

Note I also have the following funeral and memorial cards on my blog at ancestorsatrest.blogspot.com that I have not yet had time to index by state. Use the date shown with each funeral card to find the Archive year and month for that funeral card

B

  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Eleanor BURTON-PYE 1846- 1918 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Sophia Maria wife of Martin BROWN 1866 - 1899 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Robert BISHOP husband of Elizabeth BISHOP 1807 - 1881 Norfolk England
  10/28/2005 Memorial Card Charlotte Butler London England 1910
  10/27/2005 Funeral card Sarah E. Barnard, 1903.
  11/21/2004 Annie M Boucher 1933 - 2001, New Jersey

C

  11/21/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Charles Cray 1864 - 1887
  10/21/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Gertrude Huston Cramblett
  10/21/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Mary Cook 1845 - 1901
 

M F

11/21/2004 FUNERAL NOTICE: Marabel McCombs Carr 1923-2003 Ohio

E

  11/26/2005 Funeral Card Oscar Eliason died 1893

F

  10/03/2005 Memorial Services Card for Edward S. Fuller 1908
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Letitia wife of Edward FRENCH 1826 - 1883 Norfolk England
  10/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD: William Ferguson 1874-1922

G

  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD John GEDGE 1832 - 1894 Norfolk England
  5/22/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Edward Gabriel 1863-1915

H

  9/16/2005 Funeral Card for Nicholas Hess, 1892
  11/04/2005 Funeral Card HOFF Philadelphia PA 1903

K

  10/21/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Augusta Knapp 1868-1902
  10/21/2004 FUNERAL CARD: Shirlee Joan Klima (Klotz) died 1984, Ohio
  9/09/2005 Funeral Card Arthur Keller 1919 Pennsylvania
  9/06/2005 Funeral Card Isaiah Keller 1928
  8/24/2005 Funeral Card Erwin Keller, 1947
  8/10/2005 Funeral Card Fannie Moyer Keller 1948 PA

L

  9/22/2005 Funeral Card Mrs. S.H. Lesher, 1905
  9/12/2005 Funeral Card for Martha Lesher 1890
  8/07/2005 Funeral Card for Bessie Lesher

N

  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Sarah Ann wife of William NICHOLS 1835 - 1889 Norfolk England

P

  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Alice May daughter of Robert and Alice PRIOR 1988 - 1900 Norfolk England

R

  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD John Henry, son of Edwin and Mary Jane ROPER 1896-1916 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Obadiah Robert ROUSE husband of Mary ROUSE 1861 - 1943 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Robert ROUS 1840 - 1899 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Robert ROUS 1876 - 1911 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Mary Ann ROUSE wife of William ROUS 1835 - 1924 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD John ROUSE 1831 - 1876 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD James ROUSE 1848 - 1894 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Charles ROUSE 1843 - 1887 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD Emily Mercy daughter of William and Mary Ann ROUSE 1871 - 1892 Norfolk England
  11/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD William ROUSE husband of Mary Ann ROUSE 1825- 1899 aged 74 years Norfolk England

S

12/07/2005 Funeral Card Esther Souder 1922
  12/06/2005 Funeral Card Lizzie Souder 1928
  12/04/2005 Funeral Card Hattie Souder 1913
  11/30/2005 Funeral Card Esther SOUDER 1922
  11/29/2005 Funeral Card Charles Schiffert Pennsylvania 1926
  11/28/2005 Memorial Death Card Eliza Sewell 1887
  11/16/2005 Funeral Card Sallie Swartley 1937

T

  12/03/2005 Funeral Card Ellwood Tyson 1932

W

  10/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD: Sarah Watkins 1868-1938
  9/21/2004 MEMORIAL CARD: Oliver Watkins 1860-1937
 
  10/16/2005 Memorial Card Wilkinson 1901 England
  8/04/2005 1921 Funeral Death Cabinet Card Emma Williams
  7/28/2005 Funeral Card Martha Wilcox, 1909
  7/27/2005 Funeral Card Albert Withee

To view the list of names, please choose a Funeral Death Card by location or by Surname Letter. Please Note: A lot of the funeral cards and Memorial cards on Ancestors At Rest do not have a known location so it is important that you look for the ancestor you want to find by surname. [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I,J][K][L][M][N][O][P,Q][R][S][T][U,V][W][Y][Z]

This Data Base is an ongoing project and I have many more funeral cards to add so check back often to see what new FREE death records I have added

Where Can I Find More Funeral Cards?

Try Genealogy Today Lots of unique one of a kind genealogy databases.

Or try a Ancestry Free Trial Ancestry has more genealogy records than any site on the net and they often have free trials and special promotions.

Share Your Death Records

If you have a transcription or a photo of death records (cemetery listings, funeral cards, death cards, coffin plates, church records etc) help build this database by submitting your death records

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