Burials (Interment)
Information

Interment Records 1846 – 1979

The original Interment Records are the property of Metropolitan Governmental Archives, Nashville. The earliest records of burials, between 1822–1846, were lost during the Civil War years. A project to transcribe all the data in the Interment Records (1846-1979) of the 20,000 people buried in the cemetery was completed.  Read the instructions below and then CLICK HERE to view the Interment Book records hosted by Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.

Some Instructions:

To Find a Name: Go to the Filter selection box that opens to the right of the database and click on space and type in name, either First and Last or just Last name. Hit the enter key to search. If you don’t want the filter:

Click-off White X in the Filter Screen to view across the entire Interment entry.
Or use the Filter for more detailed research. You can use this PDF file for instructions on using the filter:  Filter Instructions to narrow the search further.

You should be aware that there are only 4000 existing tombstones out of the 20,000 burials in City Cemetery, so your search might indicate the burial information without any way to locate the gravesite itself.

Please visit our explanation page on on definitions, diseases, and other historical connections,, including a glossary of terms and mortuary history on the Glossary and Information page to help you understand your findings on the following links.


Later Burials—1980 to the Present

A database of those buried after the 1979 ending date of the Interment Books can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.


Cemetery Lot Cards

Lot Card

The original lot cards are now available in the digital data developed by the Nashville Public Library. These were developed long after the actual burials in many cases, and the accuracy is not guaranteed. However, this is another excellent resource in the attempts to locate all possible interments. The database can be reindexed to be in other configurations, such as alphabetical, by changing the sorting method at the top of the list.

 

Alphabetical and Chronological Listings From Interment Books

If you only have an approximation of the name or of the date of interment, you can access the complete listing of these books indexed by date and by name.  CLICK HERE for chronological date index, and CLICK HERE for index by last name.

Mayors of Nashville Interred in the City Cemetery

Occupations for Individuals Buried at City Cemetery – A Sampling

African-Americans Interred in Nashville City Cemetery

Cumberland Lodge No. 8Masons interred at City Cemetery

Penitentiary Inmates Buried at the Cemetery

 

Civil War Interment Sources

A researcher combing files in the National Archives discovered these long-lost Tennessee records, and the TSLA contracted with the National Archives to create a copy on microfilm. The next step was a transcription and database project for the “burial sheets.” TSLA Friends offered to seek funds. The first donation came from Nashville City Cemetery Association and later other individual donors to underwrite the project.

CLICK HERE to read about the launch of this intensive TSLA database. Federal Civil War Burial Sheet Project – Link to another TSLA database – 16000+ transcribed from Nashville National Cemetery.

Text of presentation given by Fletch Coke at

Fort Negley – December 12, 2015
–Federal and Confederate Soldiers Buried in City Cemetary

CLICK HERE for GPS map of all military veterans interred at City Cemetery
Developed by Ron Clendening

Veterans from Revolution to Post World War II Buried at City Cemetery

 

Curry and Marshall Burials Index
To see a list of 269 Confederates who died in Nashville at Anderson Hospital and at other local hospitals and private homes between November 6, 1861-January 21, 1862, visit the Military History page on the Metro Nashville Archives Website. On the page, scroll to “Curry and Marshall Burials Index.” These veterans were buried by Curry and Marshall, Nashville Undertakers.

 

Just Passing Through

Some have been buried in the Nashville City Cemetery for a short time, most notably President James K. Polk.

 

For Removal Information

Read about removals from City Cemetery and relocations to City Cemetery.

Mount Olivet to City Cemetery
From City Cemetery to other cemeteries
From City Cemetery to Mt. Olivet

Another listing of removals to Mount Olivet 
by last name and by date removed

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