Finding Chicago Cemetery Records

Determining Burial Locations Before 1871

The easiest way to determine burial locations is to obtain a death record but due to Chicago Fire losses, they aren't available before 1871. Alternate ways of checking include searching for death notices and obituaries, cemetery records, and church burial registers. Another approach is to locate graves for family members who died after the Chicago Fire to see if a lot card is available.

Finding Cemetery Records Before 1871

A small group of pre-Fire sexton's records survive. You can view the originals at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at Northeastern Illinois University but the information is also available in The Chicago Genealogical Society's publication Chicago Cemetery Records 1847-1863: sexton's reports and certificates, treasurer receipts, deeds, and undertakers' reports. To learn more about the book, check out this blog post.

If your ancestor is buried in a cemetery that's still open, the best way to find a record is to contact that cemetery. Below is a list of cemeteries that were included in the 1871 Chicago city directory.¹ Contact the current offices to see if records are available.

Anshe Mayrev
One mile north of city limits on Green a road

Cemetery of the Congregation of the Sons of Peace
One and a half miles north of city cemtery, near the lake [Polish]

Cemetery of the Hebrew Benevolent Society
Adjoining the Cemetery of the Congregation of the Sons of Peace

Chebra Kadisha Ubikarcholm
Two miles north of city limits, on Green Bay road These four cemeteries are now known as "Jewish Graceland." Records may be available from 1855 forward. (See Development, Decline and Renewal of Old Jewish Cemetery)

Calvary Cemetery
Ten miles north of the city on the Chicago and Milwaukee R.R.
Calvary Interment records, 1900-1987 availalable on FHL microfim. Contact the cemetery for earlier records.

Catholic
On North Side, between Schiller street and North avenue (probably associated with City Cemetery)

German Catholic Cemetery
Three miles from the city limits, on Green Bay road
St Boniface Interment records, 1864-1987 are available on FHL microfilm.
St Henry Interment records, 1864-1987 are available on FHL microfilm.

City Cemetery (also known as "Milliman Tract")
North avenue to Lincoln park, between North Clark and the lake.
The city ordered this cemetery vacated in 1865 and the lot owners who could be contacted were allowed to choose new lots in Rosehill, Oak Woods, Calvary, and Graceland.

Graceland
Two miles north of city, on Green Bay road
Cemetery records from first record book of Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, 1860-1866 are available on FHL microfilm.

German Lutheran Cemetery (of the St Paul's and St Emanuel's churches)
South of Graceland
Wunder's Cemetery records, ca. 1867-1930. No circulation to Family History Center. Records also available at the Newberry Library.

Oak Woods

Rosehill
Four miles north of the city, on the Chicago and Milwaukee R.R.

If it was a Catholic burial, check the kiosk. (or FS)

Contacting the Cemetery

Once you have a cemetery name, you'll need to see if the cemetery is still in existence. For a history of Chicago cemeteries, see Cemeteries on the Encyclopedia website.

¹Edwards' Fourteenth Annual Directory ... of the City of Chicago (Chicago: Richard Edwards, 1871), 45; digital image, Internet Archive (https://archive.org : accessed 30 April 2017).

Determining Burial Locations, 1871-Present

The simplest way to determine where a person is buried is to look at the death certificate. With rare exceptions, that record will provide a cemetery name or other information about the disposition of the body. Chicago death certificates are available from 1878 forward and information for 1871-1877 deaths can likely be obtained from a death register in the Cook County Clerk's Office.

You may also be able to find burial locations mentioned in death notices or obituaries or in church registers.