Headstone Ideas for a Genealogist

Genealogists spend countless hours in archives and cemeteries piecing together family stories — often relying on headstones to do it. Their own memorial can be a gift to the family historians who come after them.

Symbol and etching ideas

• A family tree with roots and branches — see tree of life meaning.
• An open book of names.
• A magnifying glass over an old document.
• A map of ancestral homelands.
• Roots spreading beneath the name.

Personal touches

• Full name, including maiden name and middle names.
• Exact birth and death dates.
• Birthplace and parents' names.
• Ancestral towns or countries.

Epitaph ideas

• She found us all.
• Keeper of our family's story.
• Our roots, our strength.
• Now among the ancestors.
• Remembered, as he remembered them.

Making their own stone researcher-friendly

A genealogist would want their own memorial to be easy to research: full name with maiden name, complete dates (not just years), birthplace and perhaps parents' names. See should middle names be on a headstone and should you include birthplace.

A QR code to their research

A small QR code can link to the family tree they built online, so future generations can continue their work. Choose a service that will stay online for decades. See QR codes on headstones.

Design tips

• Include full names and complete dates.
• A tree etching suits a family monument.
• Link their research with a QR code.
• See ideas for a historian.

Key Takeaways

• Family trees and roots suit a genealogist.
• Make the stone easy for future researchers.
• A QR code can link to their research.
• "Keeper of our family's story" is a fitting epitaph.

Next Step

See occupation and hobby symbols and custom etched scenes, or try it in the Design Studio.