Church and cemetery records for the genealogist Church and cemetery records for the genealogist Personal interviews, historical histories, directories, and other books are not the only source available for the genealogist. Sometimes church and cemetery records can be your most beneficial and reliable source of information. The Catholic Church has records in Europe that date from the Middle Ages, and in the Jewish synagogues the records date from the mid-seventeenth century. Some church records may even contain membership information, which sometimes can give names of entire families.
Some cemeteries have burial plots of families for generations.
It was not uncommon for a particular family to be buried in the same cemetery. Always check all entries of the same name. You may find these entries to be those of cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. These records may also give you direction as to other areas your relatives may have lived. In the early days of the colonization of America, many cemeteries were connected directly to the church.