Find a Grave in Norway (Gravminner) — Updated Guide
Finding a grave in Norway can be practical, emotional, and surprisingly informative for genealogy—especially for the “recent past,” when privacy rules can limit access to detailed records.
The best place to start is Gravminner (the Norwegian gravestone and cemetery database) run by Slekt og Data. It’s built from decades of volunteer work and contains millions of entries and photos.
Why graves can be hard to find in Norway
Many visitors expect graves to remain untouched for generations. In Norway, space has always mattered—especially where good land is scarce. A grave may be reused after at least 20 years since the last burial (unless local cemetery regulations set a longer protected period).
That means:
Some older headstones have been removed.
A family grave may be reused, with newer names added to a new stone.
In rural cemeteries with little pressure on space, stones sometimes remain longer—but you can’t count on it.
This isn’t about disrespect; it’s simply how Norwegian burial practice and regulation have long worked.
What is Gravminner?
Gravminner is Slekt og Data’s searchable database of gravestones and cemetery burials. It can help you find:
Where someone is buried (cemetery / gravplass)
Birth and death dates
Often: a photo of the gravestone or memorial
An overview of who is buried in the same cemetery
Because it covers many people from the last century, it’s often the fastest route to confirming identities when other sources are restricted.
Important: member vs non-member searching
Searching in Gravminner is still open and free, but there is one key limitation:
If you want to search only by a name, you must be logged in as a member of Slekt og Data.
If you are not a member, you typically need to choose county (fylke) and municipality (kommune) as part of the search.
That one detail explains a lot of “Why can’t I find anyone?” frustration.
Step-by-step: how to search Gravminner
Go to Finn grav (Find grave). I normally go to “Avansert søk – Advanced search”
1) Start broad, then narrow
If you’re not sure where the person died:
Start with Etternavn (surname) and Fornavn (first name)
Add a birth year range (Født → Fra/Til)
If you’re not logged in, pick Velg fylke and Velg kommune
Narrow down to Velg gravplass (cemetery) only if needed
2) Use partial names (and only use “exact” when sure)
Norwegian names vary—spelling changes, Americanized forms, and farm-name moves can all complicate things.
On the search page, you can:
Try fewer details first
Check spelling variants
Use Vis kun eksakt søk only when you’re confident you have the exact form.
3) Know the most common Norwegian labels
Here are the fields you’ll see most often:
Names
Fornavn = first name
Etternavn = surname
Pikenavn = maiden name
Dates
Født = born (Fra/Til = from/to; År/Mnd/Dag = year/month/day)
Død = died
Begravet = buried/interred
Bisatt = ceremony/placed before burial (used in some contexts)
Places
Fødested = place of birth
Dødssted = place of death
Other helpful filters
Kjønn = gender (Mann/Kvinne)
Bilde = photo (Ja/Nei)
4) If you get no results, it may not be your fault
Slekt og Data lists several common reasons you won’t find a person, including:
The cemetery isn’t registered yet
The person was buried after the cemetery was registered
The gravestone was removed (often because plots can be reused)
What to do when you find the right entry
When you open an entry, you’ll usually see the cemetery name and burial details, and often a photo if one has been uploaded. Some cemeteries also have extra material (like maps and overview photos), but coverage varies.
If you’re planning a visit to Norway, write down:
Full name as shown
Birth/death dates
Cemetery name (gravplass)
Municipality (kommune)
That’s usually enough to locate the grave on-site.
If you need help from the cemetery
Gravminner is independent of local church administration, but if you need to contact cemetery authorities, Slekt og Data suggests using the Church of Norway’s site to find the right parish contact.
A note on respect, photos, and sharing
A quick practical reminder: photos in Gravminner are contributed by individuals, and publishing them elsewhere (books, websites, etc.) generally requires permission from the photographer unless they’ve explicitly allowed broader reuse.
FAQ
Why can’t I find the person I’m searching for?
They may not be registered yet, the burial may be newer than the cemetery registration, or the gravestone may have been removed.
Do I have to be a member to search Gravminner?
No—but to do a simple “name only” search, you generally need to be logged in as a member. Non-members often must choose county and municipality.
Why do graves “disappear” in Norway?
By law, a grave may be reused after at least 20 years since the last burial (unless local rules require longer).
Is Gravminner the same as Find a Grave (USA)?
It serves a similar purpose (finding burial places and photos), but it’s Norway-specific, uses Norwegian geographic units (fylke/kommune/gravplass), and has its own access rules.
I had a general idea about gravesites in Norway, but this article was helpful in filling in the gaps. With regard to Finn en grav, which is similar to Find a Grave available in the states, I’ve found it frustrating to search for Norwegians when I don’t know the kommune or gravplass. I wonder how many others have been experiencing the same. The previous gravminner I Norge (Dis-Norge) was much easier to navigate (at least for me). Any thoughts on that, Martin?
Hello Dave
You are right that the previous version had more flexible search possibilities. The same options are still there but they are reserved for the members of the Norwegian genealogy organization “Slekt og Data”
I’ve figured out somewhat of a workaround because in most cases I know where my norske slekt lived and most likely died. But it still can be a tedious process to locate someone IF they are in the Finn en grav database. Previously non members could post on the forum I discovered my previous brukernavn og passord no longer work and now membership is required. But I understand that there are expenses to host the site so I understand the reasoning for the change. Fortunately there are other useful groups where one can request help. Takk skal du ha, Martin!