As a fingerprint keepsake artist with 12 years experience, I explain what families need to know before it’s too late.
When a loved one passes away, families are faced with countless decisions and emotions.
During this difficult time, many people look for meaningful ways to preserve a connection to the person they have lost. One option that has become increasingly popular is obtaining a loved one’s fingerprints.
Most often these prints are used to create personalised keepsakes, such as jewellery, charms, keyrings, or memorial pieces.
A question I am often asked is:
Is It Standard Practice for Funeral Homes to Collect the Fingerprints of a Deceased Person?
The simple answer is no, funeral homes in the UK do not typically collect fingerprints as standard practice. However, that does not mean obtaining fingerprints is impossible. In most cases, fingerprints can be taken if the family requests them and arrangements are made early enough.
For 12 years, I have worked with many families who wanted to preserve a unique part of a loved one.
Through those experiences, I have found, the challenge is whether families know the option exists before it is too late.
Why Funeral Homes Don’t Routinely Take Fingerprints
Many people assume funeral directors automatically collect fingerprints as part of the funeral process. In reality, this is not usually the case.
There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, the decision to keep a loved one’s fingerprints is a deeply personal one. While some families find great comfort in having fingerprints preserved, others may have no interest in doing so.
Funeral directors understand that every family grieves differently. They are careful not to overwhelm people with additional decisions during an already emotional time.
Secondly, funeral directors have a primary responsibility to care for and prepare the deceased for burial or cremation. Their focus is on providing compassionate support and ensuring that funeral arrangements run smoothly. Collecting fingerprints for memorial keepsakes is not traditionally considered part of their standard role.
In my experience, funeral directors are incredibly sensitive to the needs and emotions of grieving families.
Many prefer to wait until the family specifically requests it, rather than routinely asking.
That said, I personally believe it would be beneficial if funeral homes mentioned fingerprint preservation as an available option.
Families could then make an informed choice without feeling pressured.
Can Funeral Homes Take Fingerprints If Asked?
In many cases, yes.
If a family requests fingerprints early enough, funeral directors are often willing to help facilitate the process. However, each funeral home will have its own procedures and policies.
The key is to ask as soon as possible.
When speaking with a funeral director, there are several important questions to ask:
- Is it still possible to take fingerprints?
- Is the funeral home willing to take the fingerprints on behalf of the family?
- Do they have fingerprint kits available?
- If not, can the family order a kit and send it directly to the funeral home?
- What type of fingerprint impression method do they use?
Some funeral homes may use traditional ink fingerprint methods, while others may be comfortable using silicone mould kits. These silicone kits capture fingerprint detail in three dimensions.
The earlier these conversations happen, the more options are available.
Why Timing Matters
One of the biggest lessons I have learned over the years is that delays can lead to missed opportunities.
Sadly, I have seen situations where families discovered fingerprint keepsakes only days before a funeral. When it’s this late, unfortunately there is simply no time left.
One instance, a family member of the deceased, decided too close to the funeral date, that they’d like fingerprints.
Another case, funeral directors had a strict deadline for the fingerprint kit to arrive before preparing the deceased. Because the kit could not be delivered in time, the opportunity was lost.
The funeral directors were willing to help, however, they did not have a kit readily avaialbe. This is simply because such a request was rare.
They attempted to source one locally, but unfortunately there was not enough time before the funeral arrangements had to proceed.
These situations are heartbreaking because many families simply did not know fingerprint preservation was an option.
What Happens If You Don’t Obtain Fingerprints?
Over the years, I have spoken with families who later regretted not preserving their loved one’s fingerprints.
Sometimes they have seen examples of fingerprint jewellery and realised they would have loved to create something similar.
At that point, families often begin searching for alternative ways to obtain fingerprints. They may look through paperwork, photographs, personal belongings, or household items, hoping to find a usable print.
Unfortunately, this is rarely straightforward.
While fingerprints may exist on surfaces around the home, locating, preserving, and successfully lifting them can be extremely difficult. In most cases, obtaining fingerprints directly through the funeral home shortly after death is far simpler and more reliable.
Why Fingerprints Mean So Much to Families
I have spent over 12 years working with fingerprints from those who are alive and those who have passed.
One thing I hear repeatedly is that fingerprints feel different from many other forms of remembrance.
A fingerprint is entirely unique.
No one else in the world shares the same pattern of ridges and lines.
Families tell me they love being able to touch the fingerprint, feeling the detail that belonged to their loved one.
Many describe it as carrying a small part of that person with them wherever they go.
Whether incorporated into a necklace, charm, bracelet, or keyring, the fingerprint becomes something tangible. They can hold onto during difficult moments.
You Don’t Have to Decide Immediately What You’ll Do With the Fingerprints
One misconception is that if you obtain fingerprints, you must immediately decide what keepsake you want.
That is not true.
Many families are simply not ready to make those decisions while they are grieving.
I have had customers come back to me years after obtaining fingerprints.
During the early stages of grief, they knew they wanted to preserve the fingerprints. When they were emotionally ready, they came back to choose a keepsake. This meant they felt more able to think carefully about what they wanted and how they wished to personalise it.
Because they had preserved the fingerprints, the option was still available to them.
Fingerprints Can Benefit Future Family Members Too
Another important consideration is that fingerprints are not just for the person requesting them.
I have worked with families who ordered fingerprint charms, then returned a few years later requesting additional pieces for other relatives.
Once family members saw the keepsake, they realised they would also like something meaningful to remember their loved one by.
Because the original fingerprint mould had been preserved, additional keepsakes could be created without needing to obtain new fingerprints.
This is one reason why I always encourage families to consider obtaining fingerprints. Regardless if they are unsure whether they’ll ever use them.
The decision does not have to be made immediately.
My Advice to Families
If your loved one has recently passed away and you think there is even a small possibility that you may want their fingerprints in the future, my advice is simple:
Ask the funeral director as early as possible.
You do not need to know exactly what you want to create.
Plus, you do not need to order jewellery immediately.
In additon, you do not even need to be certain that you will ever use the fingerprints.
But once the opportunity has passed, it may be impossible to recreate.
By obtaining fingerprints early, you preserve the option for yourself and other family members in the future.
Final Thoughts
No, it is not standard practice for funeral homes in the UK to routinely copy fingerprints. However, many funeral directors are willing to help if a family requests it and sufficient time is available.
From my experience the greatest source of regret is rarely obtaining fingerprints and not using them. Instead, it is discovering the possibility after the opportunity has gone.
For those who value meaningful keepsakes and tangible memories, preserving fingerprints can provide comfort for many years to come.
Even if you never use them, having them available gives you a choice.
And for many families, that choice alone brings peace of mind during an incredibly difficult time.
Finally, if you’d like an alternative to capturing a fingerprint then a Handprint Kit is perfect if you want to capture your loved ones hands, before rigor mortis sets in.
My advice would be to ask your Funeral Directors about the possibility of capturing your loved one’s hand, before placing an order.