Cemeteries

MGS Cemetery Transcripts

The ManitobaGenealogical Society has a wealth of information on cemeteries in Manitoba. Many MGS volunteers have spent countless hours over the years transcribing and indexing monumental inscriptions for cemeteries in Manitoba. Since 1978, volunteers from MGS have visited over 1400 cemeteries in Manitoba. They recorded the exact inscriptions (called transcribing) on every tombstone in each cemetery (name, birth / death date, and any other wording). The data was double checked by another volunteer so the information is very accurate. A searchable index was then developed to enable a quick search of each cemetery. MGS has made these cemetery transcripts available to people searching their family histories. They are an extremely valuable resource for researchers.

Ways to Acquire MGS Cemetery Transcripts

Become an MGS member – this gives you access to MANI (MAnitoba Name Index). MANI can search the database for names contained in our cemetery indexes.
Visit the MGS Library/Resource Centre (free for MGS members, $10 daily fee for non-members). The indexes are available electronically on the computers at the library and as paper copies. Copies of most cemetery transcriptions may be purchased through MGS. Volunteers can assist you to locate a particular transcript.
Order copies of transcripts or indexes by email or mail – more details below.

Paper copies of the transcriptions and indexes are stored at the MGS Resource Centre in Winnipeg. They may be viewed by MGS members without charge, and by others upon payment of a daily research fee. Copies may also be purchased through MGS or you can do an electronic search of MANI (Manitoba Names Index).

Many Manitoba cemetery names are generic in nature and often do not adequately describe the area they serve. Thus the MGS has indexed its cemetery transcriptions by the name of the Manitoba Rural Municipality (or RM) in which the cemetery is located, and in a few cases by the city name (e.g., Brandon and Winnipeg). A knowledge of which RM a particular town, village, or homestead is located in is needed to locate a cemetery. Note also that individuals were sometimes interred in a cemetery other than the RM in which they resided. Finally, in some cases, transcripts of several smaller and/or co-located cemeteries have been combined into one item for purposes of indexing and sale.

Master list of Transcribed Cemeteries

Click here for the list of transcribed cemeteries available by Municipality:
mgs-cemetery-transcripts-pricelist
The listings are presented in five columns as follows:
1. MGS Cemetery Reference Number
2. Name of cemetery (including colloquial name if applicable)
3. Year cemetery was transcribed
4. Number of pages in transcription
5. Cost to purchase (GST is not applicable).

E.g. The following entry from RM of Minitonas:
“346 Dunkinville Anglican, aka Grahamville 1988 7 $2.50″ means that 1. transcript #346, of 2. the Dunkinville Anglican Cemetery, also known as the Grahamville Cemetery, located in the RM of Minitonas, 3. was transcribed in 1988, 4. consists of seven pages and 5. is available at a cost of $2.50.

Amalgamation of Municipalities

Note that on January 1, 2015 several rural municipalities amalgamated and some now have entirely different names. For example, the RM of Birtle and the RM of Miniota amalgamated into the “Prairie View” RM. Thus when searching for a municipality you will need to know if it has amalgamated with another RM.
A list of the amalgamated municipalities can be found at http://www.gov.mb.ca/ia/contactus/pubs/manitoba_municipalities.pdf .

Ordering Transcripts

By email: The indexes are available electronically and as paper copies. Copies of most cemetery transcriptions may be purchased through MGS. For more details on how to locate and order a particular transcript contact us at 204-783-9139 or library@mbgenealogy.com .

By mail: Print and complete the Cemetery Transcript Order Form. Mail it with the applicable payment to MGS Research Services, Unit E-1045 St. James Street, Winnipeg, MB R3H 1B1.

Joint Project with Manitoba Historical Society (MHS)

MGS and MHS have launched a joint project to assist researchers and genealogists in finding the location of Manitoba cemeteries and determining who is buried in those cemeteries. Using GPS, MHS has mapped historic sites, including cemeteries, from around the province. The cemeteries are published under “Historic Sites of Manitoba” on their website – http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/index.shtml. Once on the MHS website, under the third heading “Type”, click on “Cemeteries”. This will show the municipality, description and GPS location of over 950 Manitoba cemeteries.

For our contribution, MGS has the legal land descriptions (section, township, range) for over 1400 Manitoba cemeteries. We have arranged an exchange that will benefit both societies. MGS provides our cemetery information to MHS and in return they provide a link from their website to the MGS website where people can purchase specific cemetery transcriptions of individuals buried in that cemetery. Each entry on the MHS website has a link to the MGS cemetery transcriptions page.