Maryland Cemetery Records Research Guide
Maryland cemetery records can be a huge asset to you when you are trying to learn more about the history of your family.
Just think about it; you may not have any older family members who can clearly remember details, and the only way you are going to learn certain things is by accessing Maryland cemetery records and other official documents.
These documents are fairly easy to get. You will have to make requests for Maryland cemetery records and other documents, and there may be a small administrative fee involved.
Maryland Cemetery and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. For Definitions of all Cemetery Terms See Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations
Visiting Maryland Cemeteries Helps with Genealogical Research
You can call or go online to make your requests, but you may find it much more beneficial to actually visit the cemeteries if you are able to.
This is going to help you feel much closer to the subject, and you may be visiting some graves for the very first time, which can be an emotional but worthwhile experience.
During your visit, you can request copies of the Maryland cemetery records. The cemetery office may or may not be right there on the site. You may have to visit another place to access the Maryland cemetery records you need.
Learn about Your Family History
We all want to know more about where we come from, and you can learn more when you use Maryland cemetery records to help you trace your ancestry.
Not only can Maryland cemetery records tell you information about a person, they can also lead you to other ancestors. This is because many Maryland cemetery records also contain the names of the next of kin of the deceased.
In addition, you may even find the names of the deceased’s parents, siblings and more. When you visit the cemeteries, you will see the graves of your ancestors, and maybe find graves of ancestors you did not know existed.
You can request further Maryland cemetery records for these ancestors as well.
If you are doing genealogical research, and you want to learn about your Maryland ancestors, one of the best ways is to request Maryland cemetery records, as well as other documents that are available from the State of Maryland.
Research In Maryland Cemetery Records
Cemetery records from several different periods of time have been indexed. Those indexes can be found at the Maryland State Archives. Many journals, such as the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin, have also published some of those records. In fact, published records are available for the following counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Saint Mary’s, Somerset, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester
The Maryland Daughters of the American revolution (DAR) have transcribed many tombstone inscriptions. Copies of them can be found in Washington D.C., at the DAR Library, as well as at the Maryland Historical Society.
Further Reading
- The Directory of Maryland’s Burial Grounds (Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1996) – provides the location of public and private cemeteries.
- Historic graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia (1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002).
Famous People Buried in Maryland Cemeteries
| County | Name / Date / Cemetery | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Allegany | Hartsock, Robert Willard 1/24/1945 – 2/23/1969 Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery | Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. |
| Anne Arundel | Jones, John Paul 7/6/1747 – 7/18/1792 United States Naval Academy Chapel | Father of the American Navy. The Revolutionary War was fought on sea as well as on land. |
| Baltimore City | Booth, John Wilkes 5/10/1838 – 4/26/1865 Green Mount Cemetery | The assassin of President Lincoln. He was born on the small farm of his parents, both British immigrants, in Harford County, Maryland, the ninth of ten children. |
| Baltimore City | Key, Francis Scott 8/1/1779 – 1/11/1843 Old Saint Pauls Cemetery | Lawyer, poet who penned the national anthem of the United States of America. Born at Terra Rubra, his family’s 1,865 acre plantation in Frederick County just north of Keymar which today is in Carroll County, Maryland, the son of judge John Ross Key and his wife Anne Phebe Penn Dagworthy Charlton. |
| Baltimore City | Newman, Henry 1/18/1905 – 7/13/1915 Loudon Park National Cemetery | Indian Campaigns Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a First Sergeant in the US Army in Company F, 5th US Cavalry. |
| Baltimore City | Poe, Edgar Allan 1/19/1809 – 10/7/1849 Westminster Burial Ground | Author, Poet. Most remembered for his influence on other writers and poets through his imaginative use of literary style and for his near flawless use of rhythm and sound in his poetry. |
| Baltimore | McKay (McManus), Jim (James Kenneth) 9/24/1921 – 6/7/2008 McKay Family Farm | Sports Journalist and Announcer. Fondly remembered for hosting ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” and 12 Olympic Games. |
| Baltimore | Unitas, Johnny 5/7/1933 – 9/11/2002 Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens | Hall of Fame Professional Football Player. Played 19 years (1955 to 1973), 18 with the Baltimore Colts, and one with the San Diego Chargers. |
| Carroll | Gwynne, Fred (Frederick Hubbard) 7/10/1926 – 7/2/1993 Sandymount Methodist Church Churchyard | Actor. He is best remembered for his role of Herman on the television comedy series, “The Munsters” (1964-1966) and for his role of Officer Francis Muldoon in the television comedy series, “Car 54, Where are You?” (1961-1963). |
| Charles | Smallwood, William 1732 – 2/14/1792 Smallwood State Park | Revolutionary War Army Officer, Maryland Governor. Smallwood was educated in England and Maryland and became a tobacco farmer and merchant. |
| Frederick | Key, Francis Scott 8/1/1779 – 1/11/1843 Mount Olivet Cemetery | Lawyer, poet who penned the national anthem of the United States of America. Born at Terra Rubra, his family’s 1,865 acre plantation in Frederick County just north of Keymar which today is in Carroll County, Maryland, the son of judge |
| Montgomery | Fitzgerald, F. Scott 9/24/1896 – 12/21/1940 Saint Marys Cemetery | Author. One of the most celebrated of American writers, famed for his evocative stories of the 1920s. |
| Montgomery | Fitzgerald, F. Scott 9/24/1896 – 12/21/1940 Rockville Cemetery | Author. One of the most celebrated of American writers, famed for his evocative stories of the 1920s. |
Maryland Cemeteries
| Cemetery Name | Cemetery City |
|---|---|
| United States Naval Academy Cemetery | Annapolis |
| Green Mount Cemetery | Baltimore |
| Loudon Park Cemetery | Baltimore |
| Old Saint Paul’s Cemetery | Baltimore |
| Westminster Hall and Burying Ground | Baltimore |
| Crownsville Veterans Cemetery | Crownsville |
| Mount Olivet Cemetery | Frederick |
| Druid Ridge Cemetery | Pikesville |
| Saint Mary’s Cemetery | Rockville |
| Antietam National Cemetery | Sharpsburg |
| Gate of Heaven Cemetery | Silver Spring |
| Lincoln Memorial Cemetery | Suitland |
| Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens | Timonium |
Maryland Cemeteries & Graveyards Links
- Web: Maryland, Find A Grave Index, 1788-2011
- Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Names in Stone, Maryland, Vol. 2
- Names in Stone Vol. 1
- Civil War Burials in Baltimore’s Loudon Park Cemetery
- Maryland, Deaths and Burials, 1877-1992Â (familysearch.org)
- Find a Grave – Maryland Cemeteries (findagrave.com)
- The Maryland Political Graveyard (politicalgraveyard.com)
- Maryland Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
