Wording a Memorial Inscription
A memorial is cut once. Taking time over the words, and checking them more than once, matters more than any choice of stone or style.
What a headstone is
A headstone or gravestone is a marker, usually of stone, placed over a grave. Making, installing and repairing them is the work of monumental masonry.
What inscriptions usually include
- The full name, and any name the person was known by.
- Dates, or years, of birth and death.
- Relationships: "beloved mother", "husband and father".
- Optionally, a short line: a quotation, a phrase they used, a religious text.
Leave room
If a second name may be added later, ask the mason to set out the stone with space for it from the start, so the layout stays balanced.
Check the rules
Cemeteries and churchyards often have rules on size, material, finish and wording. Some require approval before a memorial is made. Ask before you order.
Proof, proof and proof again
- Ask for a written or drawn proof showing every letter and number.
- Check names and dates against official documents, not memory.
- Have a second family member read it independently.
- Approve it in writing only when everyone is satisfied.
There is no rush. A memorial does not have to be ready for the funeral; ask the cemetery when one can be placed.
Cut 2026-10-22