Cemetery Affiliation Types

Affiliation Type	Definition / Characteristics with Examples
Unknown	Affiliation cannot be determined from available records, markers, ownership history, or fieldwork. Used when no clear religious, ethnic, organizational, or ownership category applies. Example: Abandoned rural burial ground with no surviving records or identifying features.
Non-Sectarian/Public	Open to the public without religious or ethnic restrictions. Often, community or association-run cemeteries accept anyone. Example: A historic town cemetery that has always accepted all residents regardless of faith.
Christian/Non-Denominational	Church-related or Christian burial ground where the specific denomination is unknown, or the cemetery serves multiple Christian groups without a single controlling denomination. Example: A rural churchyard attached to a generic “Community Church” or early Protestant congregation whose exact affiliation is unclear.
Municipal/Public	Owned and operated by a city, town, county, or township government. Usually non-sectarian and open primarily to residents. Example: City Cemetery or County Cemetery, maintained by the local government.
Private/Corporate	Owned by a for-profit company, corporation, or commercial cemetery operator. Typically, open to anyone who purchases a plot; often, modern memorial parks have lawn-style markers. Example: A large chain-owned memorial park or privately developed cemetery.
National/Military	Federal or state veterans’ cemeteries, national cemeteries, post cemeteries, or soldiers’ lots established for military personnel and eligible dependents. Example: VA National Cemetery, Army post cemetery, or state veteran’s cemetery.
Indigent/Potter's Field	Burial ground specifically for the poor, unknown, unclaimed, or those buried at public expense. Often associated with poor farms, asylums, or municipal responsibility. Graves are frequently unmarked or simply numbered. Example: County Poor Farm cemetery or historic city potter's field.
Family	Private burial ground restricted to members of one family or related families by blood or marriage. Lots are not sold to the public. Example: Farmstead family plot or multi-generation family cemetery on private land.
Pioneer	Early settler or frontier-era burial ground, often among the first established in an area. May later evolve into a community or church cemetery, but retains a strong pioneer historical identity. Example: 1830s–1850s settler cemetery on the edge of an early townsite.
African-American	Cemetery historically established by or primarily serving African-American communities. May be church-affiliated, fraternal, or independent. Includes many historic Black cemeteries from the post-emancipation and Jim Crow eras. Example: Historic Black church cemetery or independent African-American burial association ground.
Amish/Mennonite	Cemetery associated with Amish or Mennonite (Anabaptist) communities. Characterized by simple, plain markers (often uniform), community maintenance, and traditional plain burial practices. Usually located near the local congregation or settlement. Example: Old Order Amish cemetery or Mennonite churchyard with uniform headstones.
Asian	Cemetery established by or primarily serving Asian immigrant or ethnic communities (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.). Often reflects cultural burial practices and mutual-aid associations. Example: Historic Chinese cemetery section or Japanese community burial ground.
Baptist	Cemetery associated with Baptist churches or traditions (Southern Baptist, American Baptist, Independent Baptist, Missionary Baptist, etc.). Common, especially in the South and Midwest. Example: Historic Baptist churchyard or association-owned cemetery.
Catholic	Owned, operated, or consecrated by the Catholic Church (including Roman and Byzantine/Eastern Catholic). Burial traditionally reserved for Catholics or those meeting Church requirements. Example: Diocesan Catholic cemetery or parish churchyard.
Eastern European/Slavic	Cemetery established by or primarily serving Eastern European or Slavic immigrant communities (Czech, Lithuanian, Polish, Serbian, Ukrainian, etc.). Often church-linked (Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant) with strong ethnic identity. Example: Historic Czech, Lithuanian, or Ukrainian cemetery.
Episcopal	Cemetery associated with the Episcopal Church (Anglican tradition in the United States). Often feature historic churchyards with distinctive architectural and memorial styles. Example: Colonial-era or 19th-century Episcopal churchyard.
Fraternal	Owned or controlled by a fraternal organization and primarily intended for members and their families. Example: Masonic cemetery, Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) cemetery, or other lodge burial ground.
Islamic/Muslim	Cemetery established according to Islamic burial requirements (graves oriented toward Mecca, specific washing and shrouding practices, often no elaborate markers). May be dedicated grounds or sections within larger cemeteries. Example: Muslim cemetery or Islamic burial section.
Jewish	Cemetery consecrated and maintained according to Jewish religious law and custom. Graves are generally considered permanent; distinctive markers and perpetual-care traditions are common. Example: Historic Jewish cemetery or congregation-owned burial ground.
Mormon/Latter-day Saint	Cemetery associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Often church-owned or strongly connected to local wards/stakes, with distinctive cultural and memorial practices. Common in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and other western states. Example: LDS church cemetery or pioneer Mormon burial ground.
Methodist	Cemetery associated with Methodist churches or Methodist traditions (including United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Southern Methodist, etc.). Example: Historic Methodist churchyard or conference-owned cemetery.
Native American/Indigenous	Burial ground associated with Native American, Alaska Native, or other Indigenous peoples. May be traditional, reservation-related, or historic tribal cemeteries. Special legal and cultural considerations often apply. Example: Tribal cemetery or historic Indigenous burial ground.
Natural/Green/Conservation Burial	Burial grounds emphasize environmentally sustainable practices. Typically prohibits embalming, requires biodegradable containers or shrouds, and minimizes the use of permanent markers or vaults. Includes hybrid sections within conventional cemeteries, dedicated natural burial grounds, and conservation burial grounds that also protect land through easements. Example: Green Burial Council–certified natural burial ground or conservation cemetery.
Pentecostal	Cemetery associated with Pentecostal churches or movements (Assemblies of God, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness, independent Pentecostal congregations, etc.). Example: Pentecostal churchyard or congregation-maintained burial ground.
Presbyterian	Cemetery associated with Presbyterian churches or presbyteries. Common in the Mid-Atlantic, South, and Midwest, they often feature well-documented congregational burial grounds. Example: Historic Presbyterian churchyard.
Quaker	Cemetery associated with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Characterized by simple, plain, and often uniform markers with minimal ornamentation; community-focused layout. Example: Historic Friends meetinghouse burial ground.