A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person.

Some traditions distinguish between the roles of pallbearers and casket bearer. The former is a ceremonial position, carrying a tip of the pall or a cord attached to it. The latter do the actual heavy lifting and carrying. There may otherwise be pallbearers only in the symbolic sense if the casket is on an animal or vehicle.

In Western cultures, the pallbearers are usually male family members, close friends, or colleagues of the deceased. A notable exception was the funeral of Lee Harvey Oswald, in which reporters, pressed into service to carry the coffin, outnumbering the mourners. In some African cultures, pallbearers are not family members but are staffs of professional funeral agencies who are paid for their services. The first duty of a pallbearer is to appear at least thirty minutes before the funeral begins as the funeral director can then provide directions. Secondly, they will also be notified on where they are able to sit during the funeral service and then the casket would be carried in. Thirdly, pallbearers carry the casket to the final resting area after the funeral. Depending on the tradition, pallbearers would either carry the coffin on their shoulders or by their waist.

At times additional pallbearers, known as honorary pallbearers, walk either behind or directly in front of the casket in a showcase of supplemental distinction towards the deceased. This type of pallbearer is most often a gentleman in the profession of the deceased who has achieved significant merit within their position.

Pallbearers additionally carry an urn ark, a wooden box with glass that carries an urn with four handles during a memorial service or service of remembrance.

A pall is a heavy cloth that is draped over a coffin. Thus the term pallbearer is used to signify someone who "bears" the coffin which the pall covers. In the Holy Roman Empire, a soldier wore a cape or cloak called the pallium. In medieval times the term pallium was shortened to pall. Christians would use a pall to cover their loved ones when burying them.

In Ancient Indian Buddhist cultural traditions of grieving, often requires pallbearers to consume a vegetarian diet which excludes garlic, onions, leek and chives. They tend to also abstain from alcohol for at least 49 days after passing. This is thought to be the maximum duration likely between death and rebirth. Hence, acts might be performed frequently during this duration in order to produce merit for the dead. Thus, this leads up to the ‘ending’ ritual on the last day. In every tradition of Buddhism, there seem to be spiritualist who communicates with the dead at the request of the pallbearer. Usually, the primary reason is to make sure that there has been sufficient merit produced by the deceased's family to prevent an unwanted rebirth.

The arrangement for Princess Louisa's funeral during 1768, held the first announcement that women were to be utilised as contributors of the pall at the funeral. Garter King of Arms then promptly notified the Lord Chamberlain that ladies had only gone into a funeral process by mourning or attendants under the chief mourners. To hold the ends of the pall draped over casket or to transport the coffin was a tremendous honour. The ability of pallbearers to come towards royalty which only few were allowed to, be it whether the King is alive or dead.