Tales of ghosts and spirits can be found within most cultures.
The resulting list of ghosts for reference was gathered from many different pieces of folklore.
Types of Ghosts Found in World Lore
- Acheri - in Indian lore, the ghost of a young girl that spreads disease to children
- Afrit - in Arabian mythology, the spirit of a murdered man who seeks revenge for his death, a demon
- Ankou - in Celtic folklore, the last person to die in each parish, the prior year, comes to collect the souls of the dead the current year
- Aumakua - in Hawaiian mythology, a family's guardian spirit
- Bakechochin - in Japanese folklore, a ghostly lantern carried by spirits that is home to hateful people who died
- Banshee - in Irish folklore, a feminine ghost whose scream, when heard, is an omen of impending death within a family
- Barghest - in English lore, a phantom hound that sometimes foretells of a death yet to come
- Bhut - in Indian lore, usually an evil ghost of a dead man who died through tragedy or execution (aka bhoot)
- Black shuck - in British lore, a large, black, spectral dog that portends death
- Bogey - in English folklore, evil spirits that travel alone or together to do mischief
- Boggart - in English folklore, a bogey that plays tricks and is frightening
- Brownies - in English and Scottish folklore, also known as a pixie, brownies are thought to be family protectors
- Bucca - in Cornish lore, a sea loving spirit that hangs around fishermen and can bring either good or bad fortune
- Buruburu - in Japanese folklore, a one-eyed old man or old hag that attaches to the back of a person, causing them to die of fright
- Calling ghosts - similar to sirens of Greek mythology, calling ghosts lure people to death by calling their names
- Ch'iang shih - in Chinese folklore, an unburied corpse brought to life by evil spirits
- Churel - in Indian folklore, the evil female ghost of one who died during childbirth, or who were impure, or of low social class
- Chindi - in Native American Navajo beliefs, a bad spirit, a leftover collection of negativity from someone who has died violently
- Cihuateteo - in Aztec beliefs, spirits of women who died during childbirth and haunted the living to steal their children
- Control - the spirit of someone who has died that acts as a go-between for a psychic medium and the spirit realm
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Dames blanches - in French folklore, female spirits that live near caves
- Deogen - in Belgian lore, a ghost whose shape is seen as a fog that haunts the Sonian Forest accompanied by lesser shadow ghosts
- Domovik - in Russian folklore, a spirit or ghost that lives within the home
- Doppleganger - German for double-goer; see fetch
- Dorje shugden - in Tibetan culture, the malevolent, powerful ghost monk from the 1600s known for splitting the community
- Double - see fetch
- Draugen - in Norwegian folklore, a draugr (Old Norse) is the ghost of a dead seaman, covered in seaweed
- Ekimmu - in Assyrian lore, an evil ghost condemned to wander the earth
- El Cucuy - in Latin American folklore, a shape-shifting entity that hides under children's beds or within closets and who will come to get them if their parents are disobeyed
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El Silbon - in Venezuelan folklore, the frightening lost spirit of a young man who killed his father, who now carries his bones in a bag while remaining upon the earth - El Sombreron - in Guatemalan lore, a small, dark spirit of a man dressed in black whose face is concealed by a large hat and is a seducer of women by way of song
- Faceless woman - in many cultures, a frightening female ghost, often seen from behind, that turns around but without a face
- Fairies - in many cultures, especially in the United Kingdom, a tiny spirit being that can either help or harm mankind
- Fetch - in English and Irish lore, the apparition of a living person; a doppleganger or body double
- Funayurei - in Japanese myth, ghosts of people who have died at sea that often produce ghost ships to lure others to their watery grave
- Gashadokuro - in Japanese lore, ghosts of the dead who passed due to starvation
- Ghoul - in Islamic lore, a demon spirit who feeds on dead corpses
- Gremlin - in British folklore, a small, whispy, troublesome spirit seen by World War I airplane pilots inside their aircraft
- Guardian spirit - in most cultures, a person's guardian spirit also called a guardian angel
- Iele - in Romanian myth, female fairy-like spirits who seduce men and possess magical skills
- Ikiryph - in Japanese lore, an evil spirit created by a person's bad thoughts and feelings
- Jack-in-irons - in English folklore, a tall ghost in chains that haunts the roads of Yorkshire
- Jack-o-lantern - in British lore, a wandering ghost seen as a light that, if followed, will cause a person to become lost
- Jimmy squarefoot - in English lore, a ghost bearing a pig's head and tusks that haunts the Isle of Man
- Kachina - in Native American beliefs, an ancestor spirit who acts as an intermediate between the Hopi people and the gods
- Kan hotidan - in Native American beliefs, a tree stump-dwelling, spooky tree spirit that can cast spells on travelers
- Kelpie - in Scottish lore, a nefarious water spirit that, if sighted, foretells of death
- Kere - in Greek folklore, the spirit of a dead person that bothers the living
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Knocker - in Cornwallish folklore, a spirit that dwells in mines and can either be a help or hindrance
- Kobold - in Germanic lore, a spirit that can be pesky or even malevolant
- Konakijijii - in Japanese folklore, the ghost of a baby left for dead in a forest
- Krasue - in Southeast Asian lore, a female spirit seen at night time
- Kubikajiri - in Japanese lore, a headless ghost that dwells at burial sites that eats the heads of either the living or the dead
- La llorona - in Mexican folklore, a crying female ghost, especially one that killed her children to be with her lover
- La planchada - in Mexican lore, the ghost of a female nurse, especially one who murdered her patients
- La siguanaba - in Central American folklore, a horrific ghost that walks the jungle looking for men to entice with her false beauty; up close she is said to be hideous
- La sayona - in Venezuelan folklore, a female ghost who walks the earth, killing men who have cheated on their wives
- Lares - in ancient Roman beliefs, good ghosts of people who dwellt with the living
- Larvae - in ancient Roman beliefs, evil spirits who frighten people
- Lemures - in ancient Roman beliefs, troubled ghosts of people who died without family and often evil
- Liekko - in Finnish lore, the ghost of a child buried in the woods, a spirit that may appear as a light form
- Manes - in ancient Roman lore, spirits of the dead thought to be good in demeanor
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Mare - in Swedish folklore, a spirit that visits people during sleep to bring nightmares by sitting upon their chests - Manes - in ancient Roman lore, spirits of the dead thought to be good in demeanor
- Matagot - in French lore, an evil spirit disguised in the form of an animal
- Melusine - in French folklore, a female spirit of fresh waters similar to a mermaid
- Menehune - in Hawaiian folklore, ancient, short, bushy, fairy-like beings
- Mononoke - in Japanese lore, noisy ghosts that live within inanimate objects near temples or burial sites
- Moriaica - in Romanian lore, a ghost who walks among the living and who drains energy from them
- Noppera-bo - in Japanese folklore, a faceless ghost who frightens people
- Nurikabe - in Japanese lore, ghostly wall that blocks one's path it cannot be passed without it falling on its victim
- Nyai loro kidul - in Indonesian myth, a female spirit who drowns swimmers, looking similar to a mermaid
- Onryo - in Japanese folklore, female, vengeful ghosts who haunt the living for past sins, typically waiting to torment victims until they see who mourns for them and who does not
- Pele - in Hawaiian folklore, a volcano goddess often seen in the form of a ghost
- Pesta - in Norwegian lore, a horrible, old woman who is a bringer of illness or death
- Phi tai hong - in Thai folklore, a ghost who was not afforded proper burial rites after succumbing to a tragic death
- Phantom monks - in various cultures, the ghosts of religious figures such as priests usually seen near churches or religious sites
- Phantom nuns - in various cultures, the ghosts of devout women of the church usually seen near convents or churches
- Phantom travelers - in numerous cultures, ghosts of people or animals said to haunt roadways, crossroads or vehicle
- Pooka - see puca
- Preta - in Hindu and Buddhist beliefs, a 'hungry ghost,' the ghost of a person who has bad karma
- Psychopomp - in Egyptian and Greek mythology, a transporter of the dead to the afterworld
- Puca - in Irish folklore, a shape-shifting, household spirit that can either be mischievous or friendly, similar to a brownie
- Radiant boy - in European folklore, a glowing ghost of a male child whose mother murdered him and an omen for impending doom or death
- Rakshasa - in Indian lore, a dark, demonic spirit form with fire for hair and whose head is adorned with entrails
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Rusalka - in Russian myth, the ghost of a drowned young woman who haunts where she died - Screaming skull - in English lore, a ghostly skull of a victim, religiously persecuted to death, that haunts after his or her real skull was removed from the house where it wished to remain
- Seven whistles - in English lore, spirits that fly together and sing (or whistle) to foretell of a death
- Shiwanna - in Pueblo lore, spirits (cloud people) associated with those who have died. These spirits are impersonated by kachina
- Silkies - in English and Scottish folklore, the spirits of silk-clad females who perform household chores
- Snarly yow - in North American lore, a large, black, ghost dog that makes Maryland's South Mountain area its haunt; also known as the black dog
- Spunkie - in Scottish folklore, a ghost that likes to play tricks similar to the kelpie
- Stigoi - in Romanian folklore, the spirits of troubled souls who have risen from the grave; ghosts who may transform their appearance
- Sundel bolong - in Malaysian lore, the ghost of a beautiful woman who died while pregnant, giving birth while in the grave and who wanders the earth with long black hair and a hole in her back from the child's exit
- Teke teke - in Japanese folklore, a vengeful ghost of a young woman whose body had been cut in half and who seeks to maim the living in the same way
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Tsukumogami - in Japanese folklore, a ghost that inhabits tools
- Vantoase - in Romanian folklore, feminine wind spirits that live in nature and cause wind storms
- Vetala - in Indian lore, an evil spirit that reanimates dead bodies and dwells in graveyards
- Whirlwinds - in Native American beliefs, especially of the Shoshoni, whirlwinds are thought to be apparitions of people
- Wild hunt - in Norse mythology, a roaming, ghostly procession of hunters, their horses and dogs
- Windigo - in Native American mythology, a forest-dwelling, human flesh eating entity
- Yurei - in Japanese culture, a ghost
- Zombie - in voodoo religion, a deceased person brought back to life by a voodoo sorcerer called a bokor, doing his or her bidding