This glass urns for human ashes size guide has both UK and US weights to help you work out how much human ashes weigh and what size urn for human ashes you will need.
Once you have worked out the size of urn you need, you can see all the Glass Urns by clicking this link.
For the majority of people, you will need a glass urn that can hold between 3 litres (183 cubic inches) and 3.5 litres (214 cubic inches) of human ashes.
As a general rule, for every 1 pound of weight someone carries when they are alive, they will need a cubic inch for their ashes. So a 200-pound human will need a glass urn that is 200 cubic inches (3.3 litres).
The average human weighs between 137 lbs (62 kg) and 175 lbs (80kg). We have provided a wide range of human sizes to enable you to choose the right glass urn for human ashes.
The weights below are given in pounds (lbs) kilograms (kg) cubic inches (ci) and litres (l)
| HUMAN SIZE | ALIVE WEIGHT KG | ALIVE WEIGHT LB | ASHES CUBIC INCHES | ASHES LITRES |
| Very Large Human | 120 kg | 265 lbs | 265 cubic inches | 4.3 litres |
| Large Human | 100 kg | 220 lbs | 220 cubic inches | 3.6 litres |
| Average Human | 80 kg | 175 lbs | 175 cubic inches | 2.9 litres |
| Small Human | 60kg | 132 lbs | 132 cubic inches | 2.2 litres |
| Child | 40kg | 88 lbs | 88 cubic inches | 1.4 litres |
| Baby | 3.6 kg | 8 lbs | 8 lbs | 0.13 litres |
How big are Glass Cremation Urns?
Large glass cremation urns are around 29 cm tall and 300 cubic inches, so they will hold 4.9 litres, which is a very large human. It will hold the ashes of a very large human up to 135 kg / 300 lb.
Medium glass urns are usually 23 cm tall and 200 cubic inches and will hold 3.3 litres which is the ashes of an average human. It will hold the ashes of a human up to 90 kg / 200 lb.
Small glass urns for human ashes are around 15 cm tall and 100 cubic inches, and are for small children. It will hold the ashes of a child up to 45 kg / 100 lb.
Very small urns like the Keepsake Urn hold 0.3 litres and are suitable for babies or those looking to retain just a portion of the ashes.
If your loved one is close to needing the next size up, then it is best to buy the bigger size.
Other Things To Consider
Remember that ashes are made of bone, so bone density has a bigger impact on the final weight of ashes. So, if your loved one is over 135 kg / 300 their ashes are still likely to fit in a large 300-cubic-inch glass urn.
Younger people have a higher bone density than older people, so if your loved one was very tall or big-boned but thin and their weight comes close to needing the next size of urn, it is better to take the next size up.
Are the ashes staying with one family member? Are some of the ashes going to be scattered or made up into keepsake urns? This will, of course, impact the size of glass funeral urn(s) you will need.
People ask ‘how heavy are cremation ashes?’ Please remember that ashes contain minerals, acids, and salts and can be surprisingly heavy. Please ensure that you put the glass urn somewhere stable. Please also use a bag inside the urn that is tied so that even if the glass urn is knocked over, the ashes remain intact.
The other thing you may want to consider is having some of your loved ones’ ashes made into a glass keepsake or memory urn. Please see our Glass Cremation Urn section and see the memory urns and keepsake urns.
Pet Cremation Urns
Animal lovers use the same glass urns for human ashes for their beloved pets.
If you are looking for a glass urn for your beloved pet, then you will need to work out how much your dog or cat ashes weigh. Below, you will find a simple guide to help you find the right size of glass cremation urn:
Very Large Dog (e.g. Great Dane, Mastiff) will need a Medium Glass Urn (200 cubic inches)
Medium Sized Dog (e.g. German Shepherd, Labrador) will need a Small Glass Urn (100 cubic inches)
Small Dog / Cat (e.g Shi Tzu, Pug) can use a Keepsake Urn or a small glass urn
If you need further advice on anything to do with glass cremation urns, please ask your question below, and we will be happy to answer it for you. Thank you.