Your portal to Puerto Rico Genealogy!

Graveyards
of Puerto Rico

"Graves Above Ground"
Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
Old San Juan, PR

   What are they?
 
Cemeteries are layers of history. The immigration and migration of people into each municipality is shown by the names of the people buried in each towns cemeteries.

Our cemeteries are also places of art.  the art shown in the stones and monuments, and specially the mausoleums, reflects the changing fashions and tastes in styles and building materials over the years. Get to know the last resting-places of our ancestors and possibly discover one of your own among our pages.

Puerto Rico has different kind of burial places. They have the church-owned cemeteries, municipal cemeteries that are owned by the government and maintained by tax dollars, the privately owned, non-church cemeteries operated for profit, small family burial plots on private property and finally, you can find roadside memorials placed by the families of loved ones killed in a traffic accident.

As we travel through the Island municipalities, we will attempt to document, survey and if available, gather from municipal government offices as much information about these cemeteries as we can.

We will present on these pages some of the extracted or collected data as well as photographs taken by us or contributors during our visits. Listed places will be partially and sometimes fully surveyed while others will wait for their turn to be visited.

It should be noted that not all resting-places are listed here.
   Law, amendments, ordinances and a bit of history!

 

Old Municipal Cemetery
San Sebastián, PR


Photos Courtesy of
Samuel "Sam" Rosado
2009

  

No doubt much can be debated about the way cemeteries in Puerto Rico are run, burial practices and exhumations in the municipal cemeteries.

But because I want to continue being your friend, I will not get into the details of this. Instead, I will share with you some of what I know and documentation that I have that will allow you to make your own conclusions.

As far as I know, Law No. 81 of May 14, 1912 with amendments and ordinances are those that govern all matters relating to the disposal of bodies, the operation of funeral homes and cemeteries in Puerto Rico.

And here the documentation that is available to me:
   A Little Humor is Good for the Soul!

Good husband, good father
but a bad house electrician

Lord, welcome her with the
same joy that I send her to you.

A memory from your children
[Except Ricardo who gave nothing]

You are now with the Lord,
Lord careful with your wallet.

Graphics courtesy of Pilar Belendez Soltero

"Ante la muerte todos somos iguales."
Quote by Felisa Rincon de Gautier

   Newspaper Articles
 


A state funeral, Fortaleza St.,
San Juan, early 1900's
   Addresses, Information and Surveyed Cemeteries

 A funeral procession in Hato Rey, PR
 Photograph by Jack Delano
(Wonder if Auxilio Mutuo hospital is on the background)
Adjuntas
Aguada
Aguadilla
Aguas Buenas
Aibonito
Añasco
Arecibo
Arroyo
Barceloneta
Barranquitas
Bayamón
Cabo Rojo 		Caguas
Camuy
Canóvanas
Carolina
Cataño
Cayey
Ceiba
Ciales
Cidra
Coamo
Comerío		 Corozal
Culebra
Dorado
Fajardo
Florida
Guánica
Guayama
Guayanilla
Guaynabo
Gurabo
Hatillo		 Hormigueros
Humacao
Isabela
Jayuya
Juana Díaz
Juncos
Lajas
Lares
Las Marías
Las Piedras
Loíza		 Luquillo
Manatí
Maricao
Maunabo
Mayagüez
Moca
Morovis
Naguabo
Naranjito
Orocovis
Patillas
Peñuelas		 Ponce
Quebradillas
Rincón
Río Grande
Río Piedras
Sabana Grande
Salinas
San Germán
San Juan
San Lorenzo
San Sebastián
Santa Isabel		 Santurce
Toa Alta
Toa Baja
Trujillo Alto
Utuado
Vega Alta
Vega Baja
Vieques
Villalba
Yabucoa
Yauco
USA
Rest of the World
Roadside Memorials  

¡Nosotros fuimos como ustedes y ustedes serán como nosotros!
[We were like you and you will become like us!]

 

  Surveyed data available on this section is only for our members:
Adjuntas
  1. Luz del Gigante (old cemetery); PR-123
  2. Nuevo Municipal; Bo. Yahuecas
  3. Remanzo de Paz
Aguada
  1. Los Rosales Memorial Park; PR-417 Km 0.4; Malpaso; 868-0235
Aguadilla
  1. Histórico Urbano
  2. Municipal Rural
  3. Municipal Rural [edictos (Public Notices)]
  4.  Monte Cristo Memorial Park, Inc.; PR-110 Km 0.6; 882-3113
  5. Municipal; PR-459 Km 2 or 3; 997-1275
Aguas Buenas
  1. Municipal No. 1
Aibonito
  1. La Paz del Señor; PR-14 Km 49.3; Bo. Llanos; 735-8103, 735-1640
Arecibo
  1. Catedral San Felipe Apóstol

    [These two photographs on the
    right are of stones  inside the catedral]


    Alfredo F. Mendez
    † 28 Jan 1995


    Miguel Rodriguez
    + 18 Apr 1931
    † 13 Aug 2001

  2. Nuevo Municipal #3; La Santa Cruz  
  3. Viejo Municipal PR-2
Barranquitas
  1. Municipal de la Vega
Bayamón
  1. Antiguo, Bayamón, 1887
  2. Municipal Braulio Dueño Colon
  3. Municipal Lomas Verdes [edictos (Public Notices)]
  4. Los Cipreses Memorial Park; Carr 840 Hm 2.0; Bayamón, PR 00957; 799-2929
  5. Porta Coeli 
Cabo Rojo
  1. Los Robles Memorial Park, Inc.; PR-100 Km 6.4; 851-5710
  2. Municipal San Miguel Arcángel; PR-308 km. 0.5, camino a Puerto Real. Encargado del cementerio en 2009, Moises Rivera Colon.
  3. Municipal San Martín de Porres; PR 311, Sector Las Delicias, this cemetery dates back to 1875.
  4.    Santiago Apóstol
  Roban Tarjas de Tumbas
   
  • Domingo Ghiglioty Arroyo
  • Ramon Piñeiro Negron
  • Feliciano Rubi Perez
  • Pablo S. Ramirez Ferrer
  • Almoris Lugo Laracuente
  • Luis Antonio Ramirez Maldonado
  • Jorge Santos Velez
  • Julio Blanco Perez
  • Luis Felipe Seda Arce
Caguas
  1. Municipal No. 1, Barriada Morales
  2. Borinquen Memorial Park; PR-1 Km 28.3; Bo. Rio Cañas; 747-1967, 648-1541
  3. Monte Calvario; PR-salida Caguas a Gurabo; Km 2.2; 743-2688
  4. Parque de Luz; Carr PR-1 Km. 29.2; Bo. Rio Cañas; 286-8075
Camuy    Camuy Memorial Park; (Cementerio Nuevo)
Carolina
  1. Buxeda, Inc.; Urb. Villamar; Isla Verde; 726-3760
  2. La Resurrección; 55 A Jimenez Landrau; PR-858 Km 4.0; Bo. Cacao; 760-6240, 762-3320
  3. Puerto Rico Memorial, Inc.
Cataño
  1. Municipal; Bo. Palmas, Carr. 869
  2.    Municipal Sector Puente Blanco, Carr. 5; We learned through one of our visitors that all the exhumations have already been done. However, we don't know the disposition of the remains.   We do know that a map of the grounds was prepared and exhumations was done by row and plot number. The thought behind this was to be able to help relatives finding a person and be able to give them a name for their new database. However, unless you know about where your ancestor was buried, they would have no clue of the location. Kind of a complicated situation. But it gets better, you wouldn't guess in a million year is that in the old cemetery grounds a "Hospital" will be going up. If you want to find out more about this situation, contact Juanita Garcia or Gabriel Sicardia at 788-0404. This information as of 22 Jul 2006.
  3. Municipal; Urb. Bayview
Ciales
  1. Nuevo Municipal
  2. Ciales: Viejo Municipal  
Cidra
  1. Jardín Del Eden, Inc.; PR-1 Km 48.6; Sector Las Cruces; 286-4648
Coamo
  1. Católico y Civil
Comerío
  1. Municipal No. 1; Carr. 167, sector El 26
  2. Municipal No. 2
  3. Municipal No. 3
Fajardo
  1. Nuevo Municipal de Florencio
Guánica
  1.    Municipal; PR-331, Sector Abras; (established in 1932)
Guayama
  1. Viejo Municipal 
Guayanilla
  1. Nuevo Municipal Los Pinos
Guaynabo
  1. Los Angeles Memorial Park ; (previously Caparra Memorial Park; closed in 2001); Calle Buen Samaritano (PR-880) #8; Suchville, Caparra; 792-1872 / 706-4747. As of 7 Dec 2007, the Jewish community under the Beth Shalom Temple in Santurce,  have a section on this cemetery for their use.
Gurabo
  1. Municipal No. 1
Hatillo
  1. Viejo Municipal, Bo. Pajuil
Humacao
  1. Histórico (oldest cemetery); located north of Humacao centro on Ave. Roosevelt.
  2. Municipal; Driving Directions: Follow directions for Cementerio Pax Christi. Municipal cemetery is on the left before Pax Christi.
  3.    Pax Christi - Catholic; PR-909 Km 1.1; Bo. Mariana; 850-0101; Established in 1992; Driving Directions from Rt 53: PR-30, exit 27 to route 909. Make left at light onto Rt 909. Cemetery is on right about ½ mile.; Mailing address: PO Box 9157, Humacao, Puerto Rico 00792
Isabela
  1. Los Jardines Memorial Park; PR-113 Km 3.7; Noel Estrada; 872-5085 
  2. Municipal; Bo. Jobos
Jayuya
  1. Municipal
Juncos
  1. La Inmaculada Concepción; PR-933 Km 0.0; Barrio Mamey; Phone: 734-2120; Fax: 734-2145 (established in 1994)
  2. Municipal Manuel Mendez Dueño
Lares
  1. Municipal
Luquillo
  1. Nuevo Municipal; Administrator in Nov 2000 was Sotero Torrens
  2. Viejo Municipal 
Manatí
  1. Municipal Antiguo (El Polvorín)  
  2. Municipal de Altagracia established in 1965
  3. Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
  4. Valle de los Sueños Memorial Park; PR-685 Km 2.0; Manatí, PR 00674; 854-5810
Maricao
  1. Municipal
Mayagüez
  1. Cementerio Municipal, Mayagüez, 1885
  2. Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria; two interments that we know off: 1. Faustino Martinez and 2. Lorenzo Martinez Matos.  Two of Mayagüez founders.
  3. Mayagüez Memorial Park; PR-348 Km 2.0; Bo. Quebrada Grande; 833-0960
  4. Nuevo Municipal; Avenida Corazones; 834-8585 Ext. 348
  5.     Viejo Municipal; Calle Post; 834-8585 Ext. 369
  6. Vivaldi; Calle Post #368 Sur; 831-3200
Moca
  1. Los Sauces Memorial Park; PR-110 Km 11.7; 877-6010
Morovis
  1. Viejo Municipal, Morovis
  2. Sinai Memorial Park, Inc.; PR-145 Km 4.9 Bo. Torrecillas; 871-5480
Naguabo
  1. Municipal Río Blanco; Records at Cementerio Nuevo.
  2.    Nuevo Municipal The newest cemetery, the office houses the records for Cementerio Viejo and Rio Blanco as well as its own. Driving directions: From Cementerio Viejo, continue North on Rt 31. Make left on rt 971. Go under Rt 53. Cemetery is on the right a distance from the intersection of Rt 53 and Rt 971. All records are at the newest - Cementerio Nuevo. There was a fire about 1980 that destroyed all the records prior to that.
  3.    Viejo Municipal The oldest of the three cemeteries, records at Cementerio Nuevo. No office. Driving directions: exit 18 on Route 53, Naguabo Centro. Head for PR-31. Make left at light. Cemetery is on the right. The cemetery was officially designated as such in 1914. It had been used for burials for many years before that but there are no records. No indication of when it was first used for burials.
Ponce
Para el 2003, los siguientes cementerios en Ponce eran administrados en la forma que presentamos aqui:
 
  1. Municipal Civil-Canas
  2. Católico San Vicente de Paul
  3. Municipal Coto Laurel
  4. Municipal El Yeso
  5. Municipal Playa
Administrador: Sr. Nestor Medina
Sub administradora:  Sra. Luisa Perez
Horario: Lunes a Viernes
8:00AM 12:00M - 1:00PM a 4:30PM
Teléfono: 843-1422
Dirección postal: PO Box 331709
Ponce, PR 00733-1709

  1. Católico San Vicente de Paul  
  2.  Católico Simon de la Torre; (today "Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro")
  3. Cristo Resucitado; PR-2 Km 25.5; 844-8038, 841-4444
  4. La Piedad; PR-501 Km 0.2; Bo. Magüeyes; 843-2740, 843-1105
  5. Las Mercedes Memorial Park; PR-14 Km 7.3; Bo. Cerillo; 848-1286
  6. Municipal Civil-Canas; Bo. Canas; 842-1313; Administrator in 2003: William Robledo
  7. Municipal Coto Laurel
  8. Municipal El Yeso; 844-2050; Administrator in 2003: Sr. Jose A. Colon
  9. Municipal Playa; 848-2865; Administrator in 2003: Ricardo Santiago
Quebradillas
  1. La Santa Cruz; PR-129 Km 3; 878-1156
Rincón
  1.  Municipal; PR-412
Río Grande
  1. Municipal El Yunque; PR-3 and PR-958
Río Piedras
  1. Buxeda Memorial Park; Bo. Cupey Bajo; 755-3505
  2. El Señorial Memorial Park; PR-176 Km 6.2; Cupey Alto; 755-6677
  3. La Piedad Memorial Park; PR-844 Km 0.4; 755-1015
  4.  Municipal; Urb. Villa Nevarez; 765-5945
Sabana Grande
  1. Getsemani Memorial Park; PR-121 Km. 10.5; Bo. Susúa Baja; Telephone: 267-1244; Fax: 856-0906
  2. Municipal No. 1
Salinas
  1.    Municipal
San Germán
  1. Porta Coeli; PR-360 Km 1.3, San Germán Telephone: 892-5192
San Juan
  1. Iglesia San Francisco de Asís
  2. Iglesia San Jose
  3. Municipal Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis
  4. Municipal Bo. Monacillo
San Lorenzo
  1. El Remanso; Sector La Marina; Bo. Quebrada; 715-0450
  2. Municipal; Bo. Cerro Gordo  
  3. Viejo Municipal 
San Sebastián
  1. Antiguo Municipal, San Sebastián, PR
  2. Nuevo Municipal; Sr. Luis Soto, administrator in 2003; 280-5734
  3. Pepino Memorial Park
Santa Isabel
  1.    Municipal Established in 1909
Santurce
  1. Municipal San Jose; Villa Palmeras
  2. Iglesia San Vicente de Paul
Toa Baja
  1. Municipal; PR-854
  2. Municipal, Bo. Palo Seco
  3. Municipal, Mausoleos
Trujillo Alto
  1. Buxeda Memorial Park; Bo. Cupey Bajo; 755-3505
  2. La Piedad Memorial Park; PR-844 Km. 0.4; 755-1015
  3. Municipal; 748-0190
Utuado
  1. Monte Calvario, Utuado
  2. Municipal San Andres; PR-123
  3. Nuevo Jerusalem
Vega Baja
  1. El Paraiso Memorial Park; PR-155 Km 66.7; Bo. Algarrobo; 858-8244
  2. Antiguo Municipal; PR-670
  3. Nuevo Municipal; PR-155; Frente a la Urb. El Verde
  4. Viejo Municipal; PR-155;, Ext Betances; Frente a la antigua gallera 
  5. Viejo Municipal-Anexo
  6. Fuente de Luz; PR-2, Calle 1 #5 Bda. Collazo, Tel.: (787) 858-7273, Fax: (787) 855-3488, established in 1991
Vieques
  1. Municipal
Villalba
  1. Municipal
Yauco
  1. Municipal No. 1, Yauco
  2. Municipal No. 1, Yauco - Masonic Section
  3.  Municipal No. 2; located across the street from Municipal No. 1
  4. Municipal No. 3, Yauco
USA
  1. North Carolina: Wilmington National Cemetery
  2. South Carolina: Beaufort National Cemetery
Rest of the World
  1. Cuzco Wells Naval Cemetery, Guantánamo, Cuba
  2. Spain: San Fernando Cemetery, Sevilla

Area Code in Puerto Rico is 787

Last Update April 14, 2013
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