Daily AncestorBeehive
A beehive on a gravestone stands for faith and hard work; it is also an emblem of the Rebekahs, the women's branch of the Odd Fellows.
The busy hive is a sign of industry and faith, and one guide links it to people who worked for their church. On a woman's stone it often has a more specific meaning.
Daughters of Rebekah, the women's auxiliary of the Odd Fellows, used the beehive among their degree emblems, with the moon and seven stars and the lily. A beehive with other Odd Fellows signs points to Rebekah lodge records.
As seen in a recordTown or I.O.O.F. cemetery, 1870 to 1940
Beehive above the name: Sister Martha J. Kinnaman, 1849 to 1917
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Beehive." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/beehive. Last checked 2026-10-15.