How to Add a Name to a Gravestone

There can be an occasion when you must add a name onto a gravestone, such as adding the name of a recently deceased loved one onto a large family headstone or monument. Or, an older stone may have "Grandfather" engraved into it with birth and death dates only. You will want his name added for future generations to be able to find and recognize the grave in a cemetery. Whatever the need, you can accomplish this task easily.

Ask at the local funeral home, cemetery sextant office or municipal office for referral information about area stone engravers and headstone business sales. Funeral home employees and sextants will know engravers who have a good reputation.

Call the engravers on the list and ask for a verbal estimate on the cost of adding a name to a gravestone. It is reasonable to be charged for the trip to the cemetery and the engraving. When you have decided on the engraver you will hire, ask for a written work order. An engraver will have a specific pricing list per letter or an entire name.

Visit the engraver if possible and look at a portfolio of work that he has done. This will allow you to see if he has more than one type of letter font or size available.

Ask for a bill of service with the specific wording printed out on it when you place the order. Double-check that the name is spelled correctly.

Pay the down payment or full charge according to the engraver's business policy. Give the engraver a map of the area of the cemetery with a lot and grave number identification for easy access to the gravestone.

Visit the cemetery to view the completed work to be assured that it has been done correctly and by a predetermined date. Or, have a trusted family member or friend visit the cemetery if you live a long distance from the cemetery. A photo can be taken and sent to you.