England, Norfolk Monumental Inscriptions - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
Burial dates range from about 1409 to 1999. However, the majority of the monuments are for burials between 1700 and 1980.

Record Description
The monumental inscriptions in this collection are either handwritten or typescript. Some have surname indexes, but most are arranged by grave number in numerical sequence. Most also have a plan of the churchyard with the associated grave numbers. Some have sketches of how the individual monuments appear alongside the transcribed inscription.

Record Content




The monumental inscriptions may contain all or part of the following information:


 * Given name
 * Surname
 * Other family members (such as a spouse, a child or children, siblings, or a parent, even grandchildren)
 * Death date
 * Sometimes birth date
 * Age at death
 * Who erected the monument
 * A drawing or a description of the monument
 * Grave number
 * Sometimes an epitaph in one or more lines (may have rhyme)
 * Sometimes a place of death other than the churchyard it is found in
 * Churchyard plan
 * An index or list of surnames to grave numbers.

How to Use the Record
Use the transcripts as a guide to putting families and married couples together. Compare the findings with any existing burial records from the church.

Record History
The collection was filmed by the Family History Department (Genealogical Society of Utah) in 2002 at the Norfolk Record Office in Norwich, England. It is comprised of transcripts of monumental inscriptions made from churchyard cemeteries in Norfolk. Most of the authors are members of the various Women’s Institute groups. The localities in this collection cover about 10% of Norfolk churchyards, and one churchyard in Norwich.

Why this Record Was Created
This record was created as another avenue for genealogists to find ancestors. Often families are found buried in the same churchyard with relationships, birth and death dates, and sometimes occupations carved onto stone monuments.

Record Reliability
The record’s reliability is dependent upon the accuracy of the transcripts of each churchyard. It is considered a secondary record. Double-check transcripts with burial records for each given parish church where available. Sometimes information found on monumental inscriptions don’t match burial records because of the weathering of those inscriptions, making them difficult to read.

Related Websites
Norfolk Family History Society Monumental Inscriptions Project

The National Archive of Memorial Inscriptions

Gravestone Photographic Resource

Federation of Family History Societies National Burial Index

Related Wiki Articles
England Cemeteries

Sources of Information for This Collection
“Norfolk Monumental Inscriptions, 1409 - 1999” database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/); from various cemeteries throughout Norfolk, microfilmed at the Norfolk Record Office in Norwich, England. FHL microfilm, 17 rolls, Family History Library Salt Lake City, Utah.

The following Family History Library Catalog titles are in this collection: 


 * A record of the grave inscriptions and of the memorial plaques, parish church of Thorpe St. Andrew, Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St. Andrew, Norwich, 1676-1978 / Women's Institute. East Thorpe Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * A record of the gravestones in the churchyard of St. Andrew's Church, Hempstead with Eccles, Norfolk, 1738-1980 / Women's Institute. Hempstead and Lessingham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * A record of the memorials in the churchyard of All Saints, Thurlton in the county of Norfolk, 1646-1980 / Women's Institute. Thurlton &amp; District Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * A survey of the monumental inscriptions of St. Mary's churchyard, Winfarthing, Norfolk / Women's Institute. Winfarthing Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * All Saints Church, Earsham, Norfolk, records of graves in All Saints Churchyard (both old and new), 1770-1980 / Women's Institute. Earsham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * All Saints Church, Hemblington, Norfolk, a churchyard recording, 1729-1979 / Women's Institute. Blofield Heath Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * All Saints Church, Kettlestone, Pakenham, Norfolk [monumental inscriptions] / Johnson, Frederick (2002)
 * All Saints Church, Salhouse, Norfolk : a survey of the gravestones in the churchyard, 1696-1980 / Women's Institute. Salhouse Evening Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Blofield Church, St. Peter &amp; St. Andrew [monumental inscriptions], 1662-1981 / Women's Institute. Blofield Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Catholic parish church of Our Lady and St. Walstan : Costessey, Norwich, Norfolk / Women's Institute. New Costessey Evening Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Great Snoring, 1776-1981 / Women's Institute. Great Snoring Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Churchyard survey, 1980-1981, South Walsham / Women's Institute. South Walsham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Churchyard survey, Church of St. Peter, Little Ellingham / Women's Institute. Little Ellingham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Dilham churchyard monumental inscriptions / Women's Institute. Smallburgh, Dilham &amp; District Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * General notes, St. Peter's churchyard, Crostwick Common [monumental inscriptions] / Houghton, D. I. (2002)
 * M.I. recording, All Saints' Church, Stibbard, Norfolk, 1729-1980 / Women's Institute. Stibbard Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Memorials in Tacolneston church and churchyard, 1660-1980 / Women's Institute. Tacolneston Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Monumental inscriptions in the churchyard of Hoveton-St. John, Norfolk, 1760-1981 / Women's Institute. Hoveton Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Norfolk Federation of W.I.'s project, recording Norfolk's churchyard, Tharston, 1741-1980 / Women's Institute. Tharston Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Norfolk Federation of Women's Institutes churchyard project, 1980-81, church of St. Botolph at Trunch, Norfolk / Women's Institute. Trunch Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Parish of Weybourne, Norfolk, list of stones and memorials in the churchyard, 1730-1960 / Women's Institute. Weybourne &amp; Kelling Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Record of gravestones taken in Filby parish church, All Saints, Filby, Norfolk, 1740-1980 / Women's Institute. Filby Women's Institute (Norfolk, England), (2002)
 * Record of inscriptions on the gravestones in the churchyard of St. Mary's Yelverton with Alpington in the county of Norfolk : also lists of flowers, grasses, tress and birds noted during survey / Women's Institute. Alpington and Yelverton Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Recording Norfolk's Churchyards, St. Peter &amp; St. Paul, Scarning, 1700-1980 / Women's Institute. Scarning Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Recording of tombstones in St. Mary's churchyard, Thetford, Norfolk, 1719-1900 / Women's Institute. Thetford Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Saint Gervase &amp; Saint Protase, Little Plumstead, churchyard recordings, 1682-1978 / Women's Institute. Great and Little Plumstead Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Andrew's Church, Trowse, monumental inscriptions, 1796-1977 / Women's Institute. Trowse Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Botolph's Church, Barford, churchyard recording project, 1695-1980 / Women's Institute. Barford Wramplingham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Martin's Church, Thompson, Norfolk, churchyard survey, 1770-1980 / Women's Institute. Thompson Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Mary's Church, Hellesdon [monumental inscriptions], 1763-1980 / Women's Institute. Hellesdon Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Mary's, Hickling, monumental inscriptions, 1571-1980 / Women's Institute. Hickling Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Peter &amp; St. Paul's, Tuttington [monumental inscriptions], 1697-1980 / Women's Institute. Colby &amp; Banningham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Supplement to memorials in Tacolneston church and churchyard : containing additions to and amendments of gravestone and/or headstone inscriptioins already detailed in the main volume of memorials in Tacolneston church and churchyard, 1980, and the inscriptions of new headstones and/or footstones or descriptions of the burial plots in Tacolneston churchyard up to the summer of 1988, 1954-1988 / Women's Institute. Tacolneston Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Survey of gravestones at St. Margaret's Church, Witton, Norwich / Women's Institute. Brundall Evening Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Survey of gravestones in Wicklewood churchyard / Women's Institute. Wicklewood with Crownthorpe Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Survey of the churchyard of St. Martin's Church, parish of Hindringham, 1730-1980 / Women's Institute. Hindringham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * The parish church of Saint Edmund King and Martyr, Old Costessey, Norfolk, 1704-1980 / Women's Institute. Old Costessey Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * The village churchyard, 1657-1980 / Women's Institute. West Winch Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * A record of the monumental inscriptions in the church and churchyard of St. Mary, Gressenhall, Norfolk / Carrington, A. C. (1981)
 * Memorials in Hapton churchyards / Women's Institute. Tacolneston Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * St. Peter's, Corpusty, Norwich [monumental inscriptions] / Women's Institute. Corpusty and Saxthorpe Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Catholic parish church of Our Lady and St. Walstan : Costessey, Norwich, Norfolk / Women's Institute. New Costessey Evening Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Churchyard recording, monumental inscriptons, wild flowers, lichens at Shotesham, Norfolk / Women's Institute. Shotesham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Recording Norfolk churchyards, Bacton Baptist Church / Marshall, Iris (2002)
 * St. Mary's Church graveyard survey / Stalham High School (Norfolk). Mathematics Department, (2002)
 * Stockton's stone charters : a survey of the epitaphs in the churchyard of Saint Michael's Church at Stockton in the county of Norfolk / Pronk, S. E. (Simon E.). (1976)
 * Winfarthing churchyard [monumental inscriptions] / Alden, Thomas (2002)
 * The monumental inscriptions of the church &amp; churchyard of St. Andrew's, Hoe, Norfolk / RAF Swanton Morley Family History Society, (2002)
 * A plan of Foxley Church &amp; church-yard : showing all monuments and gravestones, and an index of them / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * All Saints Church, Kettlestone, Pakenham, Norfolk [monumental inscriptions] / Johnson, Frederick (2002)
 * Brandiston monumental inscriptions / Barham, R. (2002)
 * Hargham monumental inscriptions / Barham, R. (2002)
 * Illington monumental inscriptions / Barham, R. (2002)
 * Little Fransham monumental inscriptions / Barham, R. (2002)
 * Memorial inscriptions at the ruined church at Fulmodeston / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * Memorial inscriptions for St. Faith's churchyard, Gaywood, King's Lynn, Norfolk / Norfolk and Norwich Genealogical Society. West Norfolk Branch, (2002)
 * Monumental inscriptions (incomplete) St. Nicholas parish, Bracon Ash and St. Peter parish, West Lynn, Norfolk County, England / Hartley, Clifford (1947)
 * Monumental inscriptions of Ashby St. Mary, Carleton St. Peter and Hellington, Norfolk / King, Graham Loveday (2002)
 * Oulton memorial inscriptions both at the church and the Congregational chapel / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * Pulham St. Mary monumental inscriptions / Clarke, Dinah (2002)
 * St. Peter's, Guestwick, memorial inscriptions in the church and yard / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The memorial inscriptions in the church and churchyard at Twyford, Norfolk / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The memorial inscriptions in the church and churchyard of St. Mary's Church, Barney / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The memorial inscriptions in the ruined church of St. John Baptist at Croxton near Fulmodeston / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The monumental inscriptions in the churchyard of Ridlington Church, Norfolk / Jellis, Ronald (2002)
 * The monumental inscriptions of St. John the Baptist, Maddermarket, Norwich / Howell, Shirley (2002)
 * The monumental inscriptions of the churchyards of St. Andrew's West Bradenham, and St. Mary's East Bradenham, Norfolk / Women's Institute. Bradenham Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Thurton, Norfolk monumental inscriptions / King, Graham Loveday (2002)
 * Transcript and index to memorial inscriptions in St. Bartholomew's church and churchyard, Heigham by Norwich, Norfolk / Howell, Shirley (2002)
 * Transcript and index to memorial inscriptions in the church and churchyard of the parish church of SS Peter and Paul, Fakenham, Norfolk / Howell, Shirley (2002)
 * West Rudham [monumental inscriptions] / Barham, R. (2002)
 * A ms collection of monumental and gravestone inscriptions referring to families interred in the several parish churches and churchyards, of the borough of King's Lynn compiled to the present period / Chadwick, John Nurse (2002)
 * A plan and list of the memorials and inscriptions in the old churchyard and the new church at Hindolveston [with an index] / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The memorial inscriptions in the church and churchyard at Guist / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * The memorial inscriptions in Themelthorpe church and graveyard [with a plan and an index] / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * Wood Dalling : a plan and list of the memorial inscriptions in the church and churchyard with an index of all surnames... / Green, N. W. B. (2002)
 * All Saints Church, North Wootton / Women's Institute. North and South Wootton Women's Institute (Norfolk), (2002)
 * Recording Norfolk's Churchyards, St. Peter's Church, Ridlington / Butler, Mavis (2002)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023