Genealogical Research & Locating a Loved One

For generations, Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries has preserved the history, heritage, and final resting places of thousands of Catholic community members throughout Southern California. Our cemeteries serve families across Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties, caring for burial and memorial records that span many decades and, in some cases, more than a century.

Currently, burial and interment records are maintained at the individual cemetery level and are not yet available through a centralized online database. To obtain information regarding a specific burial, crypt, niche, or memorial location, please contact the cemetery where you believe your loved one is interred.

Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries is currently working with a service provider to develop enhanced online record-searching capabilities and interactive cemetery maps. These future tools are intended to make it easier for families and researchers to locate loved ones and access burial information online. As we develop and implement these systems, we will announce updates on our website.

Until these services become available, cemetery staff remain the best resource for obtaining burial location information and reviewing records maintained at a specific cemetery location.

Cemetery staff may be able to assist with:

• Verifying burial or interment records
• Locating graves, crypts, and niches
• Providing section and plot information
• Supplying cemetery maps when available
• Answering questions regarding memorialization and visitation

Please note that the availability of individual records and cemetery maps varies by location.

It is important to note that cemetery office business hours may differ from cemetery gate and visitation hours. While cemetery grounds may be open for visitation, office staff may not be available outside established business hours to assist with location requests, record searches, or map information. We encourage visitors to call the cemetery office during regular business hours before their visit whenever possible.

For the most timely assistance, please call the cemetery office directly during regular business hours before visiting the cemetery. This allows staff to prepare any available location information and helps ensure a more meaningful and productive visit.

- Important Disclaimer Regarding Record Availability -

Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries is committed to preserving and maintaining cemetery records; however, record availability varies significantly by cemetery, record age, and available staff resources. Many historical records were created decades ago and may be incomplete, difficult to access, or unavailable. Because of the number of requests received and the time required to research historical records, cemetery staff may be unable to conduct extensive genealogical research on behalf of individuals.

While we will make every effort to assist families and researchers, Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries cannot guarantee that we will locate a burial record, grave location, map, or related historical information. Response times may vary depending on the request's complexity and available staffing.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to invest in new technologies and resources that will improve access to cemetery information for families, historians, and genealogical researchers.

Obtaining Death Certificates and Public Records

County and state agencies, not cemetery offices, maintain death certificates, birth certificates, marriage records, probate filings, property records, and other official public documents. If you require official records, please contact the appropriate county agency listed below.