Daily AncestorFern
A fern on a gravestone stands for sincerity and humility; some guides add eternal youth.
Ferns grow in quiet, shaded places, and Victorian flower language gave them sincerity and humility. One Georgia guide adds eternal youth.
Be careful: a study of Iowa stones notes that carvers sometimes made palm leaves look like ferns, and the palm means the soul's victory. If the frond is stiff and fanned, it may be a palm.
As seen in a recordTown cemetery, 1860 to 1920
Fern frond curving along the side of a marble tablet: Lucinda Pettibone, 1826 to 1896
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Fern." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/fern. Last checked 2026-10-15.