Contents
What is GPS?
Why is GPS information important for a memorial?
How do I add GPS to a memorial?
What if I don't have a device with GPS?
How do I update the GPS on a cemetery page?
What is GPS?
Any location in the world can be found through GPS coordinates. The Global Positioning System consists of over 30 navigation satellites orbiting the earth. This system makes it possible for people to receive their location from these satellites through hand held receivers. These receivers can be a smartphone or standalone GPS receivers. For the purposes of Find a Grave we use the decimal degrees format in latitude and longitude (+-dd.dddd, +-dd.dddd). If you use a smartphone then you can photograph headstones and upload GPS coordinates at the same time while using the free Find A Grave app, which you can download here.
Why is GPS information important for a memorial?
When GPS coordinates are added to a memorial it allows anyone to easily find and walk to the headstone or grave. In addition, that grave is also verified and recorded by a volunteer. This is important as the verified location of a grave can be a vital piece of the puzzle for your research. It’s probable that other family members are buried in neighboring plots or nearby. It’s also possible that a person’s burial location is near the location where they were living. This information can help in closing connections for those you’re researching. With GPS added, anyone can easily find the grave.
How do I add GPS to a memorial?
The easiest way to add GPS to a memorial is to add a photo that was taken with a phone or camera that supports GPS location services. When you upload a photo with GPS location attached to it, that location will be added to the memorial. If there is already a photo on the memorial, but no GPS, you can add another photo that includes the GPS location.
Adding GPS locations to memorials is also easy to do using the Find a Grave app on a phone or tablet. You can learn more from these articles:
How do I add GPS to memorials using the mobile app? (iOS)
How do I add GPS to memorials using the mobile app? (Android)
You can also add GPS coordinates by typing them in as an edit or suggested edit to a memorial or by pinning the location on a map manually on the Edit or Suggest Edits page. Please double check the location you are adding if using these methods.
What if I don't have a device with GPS?
If you don't have a device with GPS, be sure to make note of the cemetery plot number and photograph the grave and surrounding area so it can be easily found. Then, upload the headstone photos to the memorial. Select Suggest Edits to send the cemetery plot number.