# How to find where somebody is interred. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149 "2013-02-23T06:12:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149/21 "2013-02-24T17:14:09Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > The OP asked for a government agency that keeps records of burials/cremations. I pointed out that none do. I’m not being technical. I was answering the question posed. > > Had we buried my father in Twin Oaks Cemetary in Anytown, USA, the government still wouldn’t have a record of that. Don’t be so sure. At the bottom of the death certificate, there is a place for the funeral director to sign, and the location of the remains. Usually a cemetery is listed. If the person was cremated, it might indicate that the cremains were given to a family member. For people searching in the US, there’s also the Grave Locator for National Cemeteries: [http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/](http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/) Typically, these graves are for servicemembers, veterans, and their spouses, but sometimes other family members may be buried in National Cemeteries. I hope your son can find the peace he is seeking. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149/22 "2013-02-24T23:30:20Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > The OP asked for a government agency that keeps records of burials/cremations. I pointed out that none do. I’m not being technical. I was answering the question posed. > > Had we buried my father in Twin Oaks Cemetary in Anytown, USA, the government still wouldn’t have a record of that. That might be right for where you live, but it’s wrong for where kambuckta lives. The place of interment is recorded on the death certificate, along with the undertaker’s details. There is no central government database that I know of that is publically searchable, but given that death records are digitized, authorised government agencies should be able to look up that information. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149/23 "2013-02-24T23:45:33Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > For people searching in the US, there’s also the Grave Locator for National Cemeteries: [http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/](http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/) Typically, these graves are for servicemembers, veterans, and their spouses, but sometimes other family members may be buried in National Cemeteries.~VOW That’s how I found my father’s grave, after my brothers had him buried without telling me where or when it was going to happen. Doesn’t sound like the OP’s friend is likely to have served in the military, though… Good luck to you in your search. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149/24 "2013-02-25T12:58:39Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Can a non-family member contact (whatever govt department) to find out where somebody (or some body) is interred? > > Long story short: find out today that an old friend died two years ago. Have no idea of family connections to ask them…is there a department of whatever that can tell me where a body has been buried/cremated? You could try calling local funeral homes and asking or looking at their websites online and searching their services archives. Usually the interment is listed. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149/25 "2013-02-25T14:20:15Z")
Oops! Didn’t see that you’re in Australia. I still think the death certificate is your best bet. A quick GIS shows DC’s in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory all follow the same format, and list either the crematory where cremation took place or the cemetery where interred. Although it looks like you have to be a family member to obtain a copy, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages would at least be the ones to have the information on file. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-where-somebody-is-interred/651149.md?page=1)