What is a Hearse?

A hearse is a vehicle which is designed for the transport of bodies, typically those of people. Hearses are used to transport bodies from funeral homes to funeral services, and on to cemeteries, crematoriums, or other facilities. The look of a hearse is quite distinctive, as these vehicles are designed to accommodate coffins, so they are long, narrow, and reinforced to support the weight of the car's bodywork along with the coffin, the body, and funeral home staff who accompany the body. The term “hearse” comes from the French herce, used to describe the framework which supports candles over a bier or altar. “Hearse” has been used to describe a funerary vehicle since the 1600s, although the word is still used in some regions to refer to a framework of struts and supports, which can be a bit confusing, at times. Obviously, the earliest hearses were horse drawn, and some hearses continue to be drawn by horses, especially for ceremonial and state funerals. Hearses tend to be highly ...  more