Corrections Policy
Public cemetery archives improve when users can flag factual issues clearly. This policy explains what can be reviewed, what evidence helps, and how correction requests are evaluated.
Quick answer
How do correction requests work?
Correction requests are reviewed against the best available source context. A clear request should identify the exact page, the disputed detail, the corrected value, and the source or documentation that supports the change.
What can be corrected
We welcome reports regarding clear, objective factual errors within our indexed pages. The following data issues are suitable for review:
Placement & Geography
Incorrect cemetery county assignment, physical coordinates, or state placement markers.
Roster Misspellings
Spelling errors in names, middle initials, or index surnames on burial record sheets.
Incorrect Dates
Obvious typographical errors in birth or death years when compared against gravestones.
Broken References
Mismatched gravesite associations or broken primary reference source links.
What evidence helps most
To maintain record integrity, corrections are only updated when backed by high-trust reference sources. We prioritize documentation in this order:
- Official Cemetery Registry: Primary records, ledger pages, or direct letters from the official cemetery office.
- Government Database: Registries from the USGS GNIS, VA National Cemetery Administration, or state vital statistics offices.
- Historical Census Reports: Public census archives or military enrollment rosters that carry official provenance.
- Operator Confirmation: Documentation verified by physical caretakers, county clerks, or cemetery board operators.
- Photographic Evidence: Clear, legible photographs of headstones or plaques confirming names and dates.
How corrections are evaluated
We apply a systematic review process to ensure all page updates remain objective, transparent, and source-compliant:
Context Verification
We identify the exact Cemetery Finders page, database ID, and field reported in the submission.
Source Comparison
We compare the proposed change against the original data source and the new supporting evidence.
Issue Separation
We separate page-level errors (such as layout bugs) from upstream source issues (such as missing files in public registries).
Factual Update
Clear, verifiable errors are corrected within our primary index so future search results carry the correct values.
Caveat Integration
If the evidence is incomplete but highlights a genuine conflict, we may add a warning or source note instead of changing the record.
What this policy is not
A correction request is not a guarantee of immediate page removal or record deletion. Because Cemetery Finders indexes public and historical archives, we focus on correcting factual inaccuracies to aid historical research, rather than purging indexed rosters.
Cemetery Finders does not determine legal identity, property ownership, military status, or inheritance rights. For official vital record disputes, contact the county clerk or vital statistics office directly.
Correction request vs removal request
A correction request asks us to fix a factual error (e.g. spelling or date error). A removal request asks us to suppress or hide a public record from display. These requests undergo separate review pipelines. Factual updates require source proof, while suppression requests require verified proof of identity and specific legal context.
Sensitive records handling
We recognize that burial indexes are closely linked to family history, veterans' memorials, and personal loss. We treat person-level burial pages conservatively. In cases involving sensitive data conflicts, we work with descendants and official cemetery operators to add warning notes or update fields promptly.
Ready to submit a correction request? Please use our contact form and include all necessary reference items.
Submit a correction request