Pine Grove, Pennsylvania

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ Z:  The letter Z is the 26th most frequently used letter in the English language: both last in letter order and last in letter usage. If your last name begins, with Z, you've had a lifetime of being last. But, remember: The first shall be last, and the last first. Jacobs Lutheran Church Cemetery. [2017]

Molino, Florida

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ Y:  The letter Y is the 18th most frequently used letter in the English language. Why? Nobody knows for sure. What we can say for sure is that this is a fine example of a family plot and the surname initial is used to mark the corners of the plot. Morgan Cemetery. [2017]

Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ X:  The letter X is the 24th most frequently used letter in the English language. Solve for X (as the mathematicians would say). City Cemetery. [2017]

Cortland, New York

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ W:  The letter W is the 15th most frequently used letter in the English language. It is actually a compound letter that got its own place in the alphabet. Its life began as a "double U." Now, it is shaped like a double V, which only adds to the confusion. Cortland Rural Cemetery. [2017]

Cynthiana, Kentucky

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ V:  The letter V is the 21st most frequently used letter in the English language. Geographers love it because it signals so many different surnames that begin with Van, which is then followed by the name of the place where the ancestors originated. In this case it means "from Hook," which at least narrows us down to the Dutch-speaking world. Battle Grove Cemetery. Yes, geographers are place-lovers. [2015]

Hagerstown, Maryland

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ U:  The letter U is the 13th most frequently used letter in the English language. As a stand-alone initial, however, it was the hardest to find on a headstone! But, sure enough, in a part of the country where German names prevailed, there was an uptick in U surnames. [2018]

Lewisburg, West Virginia

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ T:  The letter T is the 2nd most frequently used letter in the English language, and the most frequently used consonant. Maybe that is because it is so easy to say and maybe because it has no competitors (like C vs. S, C vs. K, Q vs. K, G vs. J, F vs. V, S vs. Z, X vs. Z, Y vs. E, Y vs. I, and there may be more). Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery. [2016]

Guymon, Oklahoma

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ S:  The letter S is the 7th most frequently used letter in the English language. Here, it is presented as a cattle brand, one that now brands a couple of departed souls. Even if you are not a rancher, it might be fun to design a brand for your own headstone. Here are some guidelines. Elmhurst Cemetery. [2017]

Clovis, New Mexico

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ R:  The letter R is the 9th most frequently used letter in the English language. It is easy to pronounce in English, but rolling with it in another language is almost impossible. (How ethnocentric is that statement?!!) Better pray hard if you are trying to roll those Rs in Spanish, French, or Arabic. Perhaps the Virgin of the Americas can help. Mission Garden of Memories. [2016]

Sedalia, Missouri

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ Q:  The letter Q is the 25th most frequently used letter in the English language. And, it is the friendliest. Who is Q's best friend? You. Or, U. Rarely is Q seen without U. Related question: What is the loneliest letter? I. It is so often seen alone. Can we get Q and U together with I? Regardez! Here, on this tombstone, the Q and U have befriended I! Crown Hill Cemetery. [2015]

Las Vegas, New Mexico

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ P:  The letter P is the 19th most frequently used letter in the English language. Here's a P surrounded by petals, thus forming a flower. Like the wreath and halo, flowers are circles, reminders of life without end. Montefiore Cemetery. [2017]

Cape Charles, Virginia

Surname Initials as Identifying Logos ~ O:  The letter O is the 4th most frequently used letter in the English language. It lends itself to transformation into a wreath: Neither the O nor the wreath have a beginning or and end. They both remind us of everlasting life. Lower Northampton Baptist Church Cemetery. [2016]