Urn Sizes Explained: Finding the Right Fit

When deciding what urn to purchase for your loved one how much should the size of the urn play into your decision? We've listed a few things to keep in mind when deciding what urn to pick.

What Size Urn Should I Buy?

A common question people have is: what size urn should I get for my loved one? This question is especially important when purchasing an urn online. Photos online may make it seem like an urn is big enough to hold all of the cremated remains, but that is often not the case. It's crucial to always read the description when purchasing an urn online and ensure that it is at least a standard adult urn size which is 200 cubic inches. While this is the standard size that can typically hold all the cremated remains of an adult, there are always exceptions.

What to Do if the Cremated Remains Don't All Fit in a Standard Size Adult Urn?

Legally, when someone is cremated, the crematory provides a minimum container, usually a plastic urn, to hold the cremated remains. If they all do not fit in one container, then a second one is provided at no additional cost to hold the remainder of the remains. Similarly, if the remains do not all fit in the standard 200 cubic inch urn you buy, some companies sell XL urns that can hold 220-250 cubic inches of cremated remains. Ultimately, it is important to note how much cremated remains you receive back from the crematory and assess where the remains are going and if you want to split them before purchasing a suitable-sized urn.

Keepsake Urns & Jewelry

As mentioned, there are other sizes of urns that may appear to be similar in size to an adult urn. A common urn that is mistaken for an adult urn is a medium-sized urn, which typically can hold around 122 cubic inches. These urns often look big enough online to hold a large amount of cremated remains when in fact they typically cannot. Then there is a child-sized urn, which can hold around 50 cubic inches, and lastly, there is a keepsake urn, which can typically hold 3-20 cubic inches.

Why do so many sizes exist if they all don't hold all of the remains? Typically, medium-keepsake sized urns are used to distribute small amounts or portions of the cremated remains that can be given to friends or family members. Medium-sized urns (122 cubic inches), while not able to hold all of a standard adult's cremated remains, can be used to split the remains 50/50 and given to siblings or other loved ones. A child-sized urn (50 cubic inches) can also be used to split adult remains into smaller portions to be given to even more family members or to give them a smaller portion from the larger portion. And lastly, the smallest size, holding only around 3-20 cubic inches, can be used to split the remains even further or simply to give a small portion to whomever the family chooses. These smaller portions can also be applied to cremation jewelry, which typically can hold a very small amount, about 1/16th of a teaspoon or less inside.

What is a Companion Urn?

Sometimes families choose to place their loved ones together in what is called a companion urn. A companion urn typically has two separate compartments inside one large urn, with each compartment set to hold the typical adult. Companion urns are often very large and heavy, which should be noted when considering where this urn will be placed, such as a niche, in-ground, etc.

Things to Consider

When purchasing an urn, a few things should be considered. Where will this urn be placed? If it is going to your home, you may want to consider where and how much space is needed for it to be there, such as a bookshelf—measure the height and width of the shelf. The same idea applies to a cemetery. If the urn is to be placed in a niche, which is a small rectangular box inside a larger unit called a columbarium, these sizes vary by cemetery, so it is important to ask before purchasing an urn what size it should be. A common size for a niche, however, is around 9x9x9, which can greatly limit the type of urn options available. Commonly, a polished bronze book urn is a common urn for these tight dimensions of a niche as it can typically hold all of an adult's cremated remains and also meets the size restrictions. It should also be considered when purchasing an urn if it is going to be buried in the ground. Some cemetery plots have options for a casket and then an urn to be buried in the same area. Urns buried in the ground typically go inside something called an urn vault. Urn vaults range in size but are typically 15x15x18. They are typically larger than niches, and because of that, there is less of a restriction on the style and size of urn that can be chosen.

Conclusion

Choosing an urn can be an emotional task as it is where your loved one will be placed for their final resting place. When in doubt about what size, shape, or type of urn is needed, ask your funeral director to help guide you in choosing the appropriate size for the appropriate resting place.