Cemeteries in Sarasota County (County)

Sarasota County, located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, was established in 1921 after separating from Manatee County.

The region was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, including the Calusa, and later visited by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The name “Sarasota” may derive from a Spanish term or Indigenous word meaning “a place of dancing” or “sandy point.” Permanent European-American settlement began in the mid-1800s, with pioneers of Scottish, English, and German descent. By the late 19th century, the area attracted settlers seeking health resorts, fishing opportunities, and farmland. Sarasota grew rapidly in the 1920s, with the Ringling family—famous for their circus empire—playing a major role in shaping the cultural and architectural identity of the city. The county evolved from a frontier settlement to a thriving coastal community.

Cemeteries such as Rosemary Cemetery in Sarasota preserve the resting places of early residents and reflect the area’s early development and diverse heritage.