Editor's note: Since this article was published, the NYG&B has published this collection, Methodist Protestants and the Union Cemeteries of Brooklyn
A Selection of Major Cemeteries in New York State
New York State contains a vast number of cemeteries, ranging from small family plots with only a handful of graves to the sprawling Calvary Cemetery in Queens, which contains over a million burials. In the table below, we have identified some of the largest and most prominent cemeteries in New York State, along with information for each that may be useful for researchers.
A Selected Bibliography for New York State Cemetery Research
General Guides
- The Association of Municipal Historians of New York State New York State Cemeteries Name/Location Inventory [N.Y. G 12.815]
New York City's Potter's Field: A Visit to Hart Island's City Cemetery in Bronx County
Inmates in orange uniforms take a break from their duties of burying the dead in Potter's Field on Hart Island to play basketball behind a high metal fence.
A Short Genealogy of Hart Island
Previously published accounts of Hart Island have treated its early history inadequately. Land, probate, and other records familiar to genealogists help in tracing the ownership of the island prior to its purchase by New York City.
Guide to Cemetery Research in New York
Cemeteries can be rich sources of important and sometimes unexpected genealogical information. The most basic gravestone inscriptions may include the name and dates of birth and death of the deceased.