Daily AncestorCross and crown
A cross and crown on a gravestone stands for suffering on earth followed by reward in heaven; it is also an emblem of Knights Templar Masons.
The cross is the burden carried in life and the crown the reward that follows, so together they mean victory over death through Christ. The design often shows the cross passing through the crown.
The same emblem belongs to the Knights Templar, a branch of York Rite Freemasonry. If the stone also has Masonic signs or the letters K.T., it points to membership and to lodge or commandery records worth seeking.
As seen in a recordTown cemetery, 1860 to 1940
Cross through a crown, letters K.T. below: Sir Knight Henry A. Vollmer, 1840 to 1907
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Cross and crown." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/cross-and-crown. Last checked 2026-10-15.