Are you going to be sharing cremains among several family members? Perhaps you may have a small niche in your home where you can place an urn for a memorial. No matter what the reason or need, small urns make it easier to share cremains and also keep your deceased loved one’s ashes nearby.
Overview: Our Top Picks
- Companion Urn ($17.99+)
- Camouflage Print urn ($76.99)
- Fisherman Urn ($124.90)
- Night Light Urn ($69.50+)
- Keepsake-Sized Heart Urn ($44.95)
- Wooden Box Urns ($89.99)
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Small Urns for Dad or Grandpa
- Small Urns for Mom or Grandma
- Small Urns for Pet Cremains
- Other Small Urn Ideas
- How Much Ashes Fit in a Small Urn?
- How Much Do Small Urns Typically Cost?
- Where Can You Purchase Small Urns for Ashes?
Worried that small urns will get lost in your home decor, fade into the background, or take away from the uniqueness of the person or pet you’re trying to remember? Though small, these urns can be as unique and personalized as the people and pets we love. These urns are also helpful if you’re worried about how much an urn costs.
They may also be priced less than full-sized urns and can be cost-efficient if you’re purchasing multiples for family members.
Tip: If you're looking for something very unique (think a favorite hobby, their beloved car, or instrument of choice), you can custom order an urn from a store like Foreverence. You submit a design idea or sketch, then the company designs and 3D prints your urn, so you get a 100% unique container.
Small Urns for Dad or Grandpa
Urns for your dad or grandfather should be just as special as they were. Choose a unique urn that brings back memories of them or hobbies they loved while keeping them close to your home and your heart.
1. Companion urn
Oftentimes, a burial urn has a miniature or smaller look-alike urn called a “companion” urn. This much smaller urn looks exactly like the one used to bury dad or grandpa but can be used to hold a small amount of ashes to keep them close.
If you’re choosing to keep the burial urn in a niche or cemetery, consider purchasing the companion urn to keep your dad or grandfather close to you at home.
2. Camouflage urn
If your dad or grandfather was into hunting, fishing, or the outdoor world, consider getting a small camouflage print urn. There’s nothing that speaks to a hunter quite like this worn patterned fabric. Personalized it with their name or a memorable quote on the side.
3. Golf ball urn
For dads or grandfathers who loved a good game of golf, get a golf ball urn inscribed with their name. These urns can sit atop a wooden tee or a mini fairway and are small enough that multiples can be purchased to share cremains among multiple family members.
4. Fisherman urn
If your dad or grandfather was an avid fisherman, this urn is perfect to remember them by. There are several types of fisherman urns. One urn is made of a small wooden box that has a figurine on top of a man fishing in a boat.
Another urn type is a figurine of a fish ready to take the bait. While the wood box looks more like an urn, the mini fish urn would fit in on a memorial shelf or a bookcase without drawing attention to its use.
Small Urns for Mom or Grandma
There are many types of creative urns that can be used to represent the lives of loved ones we’ve lost. When sharing cremains among family members, or splitting cremains between a burial urn and a keepsake urn, a smaller urn can be beneficial.
Thankfully, the types of urns available are as unique as the loved ones we’ve lost. Here are a few we think you might enjoy if you’re wondering what to do with cremation ashes.
5. Night light urn
If the idea of a lamp urn appeals to you but you need something smaller, or an urn that can be given to multiple people, a night light urn might fit your needs. This urn is made out of blown glass and has cremains infused within the glass itself.
Each night when the light clicks on, you can be reminded of the person you loved and envision feeling their light, warmth, and love as it fills a room.
6. Flower vase urn
This urn represents the beauty and grace that our mothers and grandmothers exude. A flower vase urn comes in two parts. The bottom half of the urn is a separate compartment that can hold a portion of cremains. In the middle, there is a wooden disk that can be personalized with the name of your loved one.
The top half of the urn is a second compartment that can be used to hold water and flowers. Neither part of the vase touches the other, and the cremains are sealed away from any type of exposure. This is a beautiful way to remember the gentleness, kindness, beauty, and loving touch of your mom or grandma.
7. Suncatcher with pendant urn
For a truly unique urn, consider a glass suncatcher. There are two types of suncatcher urns available. One urn is made from hand-blown glass with cremains infused into the glass itself, not unlike the night light urn mentioned before.
The other is also made of glass but has a small pendant at the bottom of the suncatcher which dangles and holds the ashes. The pendant is sealed to keep the small amount of cremains safe. Either idea may offer a delicate tribute that can be hung anywhere from a tree in your garden to your porch or kitchen window.
8. Heart keepsake urn
If you want something simple yet sweet, consider a keepsake-sized heart urn. These are made out of numerous materials from marble to wood and can be personalized. Heart urns are ideal for sharing cremains and placing on a shelf, mantle, or dresser.
Small Urns for Pet Cremains
Many pets require only minimal space after cremation. For small dogs and all cats, birds, rabbits, and other small creatures, you’ll want a small urn to house their cremains. These urns below give you the opportunity to personalize their final resting place and keep them close to you.
9. Paw print mini urn
This type of urn looks identical to a large urn but is small enough to share pet cremains. It has paw prints on the face of the urn and can be personalized to include your pet’s name and the dates they lived.
10. Small pet urn with picture
Most pets may only need a small-sized urn, but these don’t have to feel impersonal. Choose an urn like this one that is just large enough to include a picture of your furry friend on the side as a tribute to your beloved pet.
11. Wooden box pet urn
These urns can be personalized and customized according to your wishes. Choose to have your pet’s name and dates, a quote about them, or even their picture placed on the box.
If you have a print of your pet’s paw, this sweet memory could also be placed upon the box as a reminder of their presence in your life. Some artists can even wood burn a picture of your pet onto the box if you want a more natural look to the urn.
12. Ceramic pet urn
Even small urns can be uniquely personalized for your furry friend. Consider a small ceramic pet urn with a wooden top. Add a ceramic dog bone to the lid for a pooch or a fish or paw to the top for a cat.
Their name and dates lived can also be engraved on the lid. Ceramic urns can blend in with household decor and provide a continual reminder of your furry friend in a low-key way.
Other Small Urn Ideas
If you’re looking for things to do with ashes that aren’t expensive, these suggestions may have the answer for you. Consider these ideas for keepsake urns for other members of the family that haven’t been mentioned yet or for friends you are particularly close to.
13. Mini personalized urn
Mini urns have grown in popularity due to their size and the ability to share cremains among multiple family members.
Mini urns can be an exact replica of their full-sized counterparts or entirely different. They can be made out of metal, ceramic, or wood. Though small, they can be customized for design and color, and personalized with the name of your loved one.
14. Small wood box urn
Small wooden box urns are popular for their ability to be completely personalized. Have the name engraved or a picture burnt onto the top.
Inscribe anything from Nordic runes and Celtic knot symbols to flowers or designs reminiscent of your loved one on the top or around the sides of the box.
15. Wall-mounted plaque urn
If you’re tight on space but want a way to remember your loved one, consider a plaque urn. These are three-dimensional plaques with the front bearing tribute to your loved one with an inscription, etching, or their picture. The rest of the plaque forms a narrow box where a portion of ashes can be stored.
16. Wooden book urn
For family members who loved all things written, a book urn could be a fitting tribute to their memory.
These urns hold a portion of a person’s cremains and can be placed prominently on a bookshelf, mantle, or memorial niche. Wooden book urns can be personalized with words, quotes, and pictures.
How Much Ash Fits in a Small Urn?
Keepsake urns are meant to hold a small amount of ashes with the purpose of sharing a loved one’s cremains with more than one family member. All urn sellers or manufacturers specify how much cremains will fit in the urn, so be sure to check the description to make sure the size is what you’re looking for.
Keepsake urns can hold anywhere from 1 to 100 cubic inches. Here’s a general guideline of sizes and tips to help you determine what size you need.
1-10 cubic inches: This amount of ashes is very small and will fit into the smallest of keepsake items. Small figurines and custom keepsake urns around three inches high will generally hold this much.
At this size, you can share the cremains with as many family members as you want.
10-20 cubic inches: This is the amount of ashes that will fit into slightly larger urns for ashes, such as heart figurines on a stand, custom keepsake urns that can stand on their own, and miniature urns.
At this size, you can still share the cremains with up to ten or more family members.
20-50 cubic inches: This amount will fit into urns a size up from miniature options. You’ll also find large designs such as ceramic boxes, cloisonne urns, and small infant urns.
At this size, you’ll need to choose who you’ll share the cremains with. If you use 50-cubic-inch urns, expect to share with around four or five family members.
50-100 cubic inches: At this size, you’ll start encountering “full-size” urns for babies, small pets, and specialty-designed keepsake urns.
Depending on the size of the person and the amount of ashes received, you might only be able to share the cremains with one or two family members with a keepsake urn of this size.
How Much Do Small Urns Typically Cost?
As with regular-sized urns, small keepsake urns vary widely in cost depending on where the urns are purchased, the materials they’re crafted with, and whether the urns are custom-made. Here’s a general idea of the costs you can expect to encounter based on the primary material used.
Stainless steel: Stainless steel is one of the most affordable materials available, and urn pricing reflects this. If you need a beautiful but budget-friendly keepsake urn, you might want to choose stainless steel. These urns typically cost anywhere from $15 to $50.
Ceramic: The pricing for ceramic urns depends largely on whether they are mass-produced or individually handmade. Expect to stay around $50-$100 with this material.
Porcelain: Porcelain urns often come with delicate artwork or accents in sterling silver or 24k gold. Depending on the detail and craftsmanship, expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $350.
Brass: Brass is the second-most affordable material on this list, just after stainless steel. Brass keepsake urns typically cost around $20-$50.
Bronze: Of the various metals that urns are crafted from, bronze is one of the more reasonably priced. Depending on the amount of craftsmanship, bronze keepsake urns can be priced anywhere from $20-$300.
Sterling silver: Silver pieces are going to fetch higher prices than other materials mentioned on this list. If purchasing a silver item, check for the “925” mark that identifies it as sterling. Silver urns typically range between $300-$1,000.
Gold: Small keepsake urns made of 18k-24k gold are going to be some of the most expensive pieces you’ll find. Expect to spend anywhere from $500-$2000 depending on the karat, quality, and craftsmanship.
Where Can You Purchase Small Urns for Ashes?
Urns are growing increasingly popular and can be found at a wide variety of in-store and online retailers. Here are several places to find small keepsake urns of all types.
Funeral home
A funeral home may have a variety of small urns to choose from as you’re working through end-of-life arrangements with the funeral director. These urns might be a bit more expensive purchased at a funeral home, but ultimately, what you’re paying for is convenience.
Most of the time, you can purchase an urn on-site or have the funeral home order one. Funeral homes that offer cremation services may even offer to place cremains in each of the keepsake urns for you so all you need to do is hand them out to family members.
Amazon
If you’re not looking for a specific type of urn and would rather browse through hundreds of options, Amazon may be your go-to online option. Here, sellers from one end of the country to the other, and beyond, place their goods for sale.
Some options on Amazon aren’t customizable, but you can get them quickly. If you’re a Prime member, shipping is free, and your item usually arrives in two days.
Etsy
Etsy is the go-to online storefront if you’re looking for a unique and creative keepsake urn. Sellers on Etsy often make one-of-a-kind creations and can typically customize any item they sell.
If you find a maker you like but don’t see quite what you’re looking for, send them a message and ask if they can make it possible.
Foreverence
Foreverence creates truly unique urns made to order according to your drawings, sketches, and designs. Want keepsake urns that look like your child’s favorite spaceship? They can do it. Keepsake urns based on your grandfather’s prized yacht? Foreverence can do that, too.
Pricing is based on the amount of material required to create the urn, the size of the urn, and the time and labor that goes into creating it. Each urn creation is uniquely priced, so if you want an estimate, you’ll need to request one by submitting design ideas.
Memorials.com
Memorials.com is one of the best websites for purchasing urns thanks to their catalog of over 10,000 options. They have over 750 keepsake urns alone. From traditional urn styles to figurines and one-of-a-kind glass and bronze urns, you’re sure to find an option that pays tribute to your loved one.
Small Urns to Remember The Big Impact of Loved Ones
Small urns can be a perfect way to keep a loved one’s presence near you. Remember that it’s not the size of the urn that’s important, but how the urn makes you feel when you look at it.
Pick one that best represents your deceased loved one and helps you to remember the good times you had together.
Another beautiful option for keeping a loved one's memory alive is a memorial diamond created from ashes. Some companies, like Eterneva, create lab-grown diamonds and allow you to pick from several cuts and colors for your gemstone.