The Top Five Most Commonly Seen Ghosts

Shadow Person

If you’re a true paranormal fanatic like me, you already know

that ghosts come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of

creepiness. Some spirits are just echoes of the past, while

others have unfinished business and make their presence known

in ways that’ll send a chill down your spine. But across the

world, there are certain types of ghosts that seem to pop up

more often than others. Whether you’re wandering through a

haunted house, walking down an abandoned road at night, or

even just chilling in your own home, these are the five most

commonly seen ghosts you might encounter.

1. The Shadow Person

If you’ve ever caught something moving in your peripheral

vision only to turn and see... nothing—congrats, you may have

just experienced a shadow person. These dark, humanoid

figures are one of the most frequently reported ghostly

entities. Unlike traditional ghosts, they don’t always have

distinguishable facial features or clothing. Instead, they

appear as dark silhouettes, sometimes with glowing red eyes

(because of course, why not make them even more terrifying?).

While some believe shadow people are just spirits who never

fully manifested, others think they could be something more

sinister—like interdimensional beings or even demons. One

thing’s for sure: if you see one, you’ll never forget it.

2. The Residual Haunting (a.k.a. The Replay Ghost)

You know those classic stories of a woman in white forever

walking down the same road or a ghostly soldier marching

through an old battlefield? That’s a residual haunting. These

spirits aren’t actually aware of the living; they’re more

like a recording of the past that keeps playing on repeat.

Residual hauntings are some of the most common and least

interactive. The ghost isn’t trying to communicate with

you—it’s just stuck in its own loop, replaying a moment from

its life (or death). These hauntings often happen in places

with high emotional energy, like old hotels, mansions, or

battlegrounds.

3. The Poltergeist

If you’re dealing with objects moving on their own, lights

flickering, or unexplained loud noises, you might have a

poltergeist on your hands. These ghosts are known for causing

physical disturbances, which makes them both fascinating and

straight-up annoying. Their name originates from Germany and

means “noisy ghost”: and they definitely live up to that

title.

Unlike residual hauntings, poltergeists seem to have some

level of intelligence and awareness. They often target

specific people (usually children or emotionally charged

individuals), and their activity can range from mild mischief

to full-on chaos. While Hollywood loves to exaggerate

poltergeist hauntings, plenty of real-life cases suggest that

they’re no joke.

4. The Full-Body Apparition

The holy grail of ghost sightings—the full-body apparition.

This is the kind of ghost people dream (or have nightmares)

about seeing. These spirits appear in a way that makes them

look almost human, sometimes so much so that people mistake

them for actual living people until they suddenly vanish.

Full-body apparitions can be anything from a family member

visiting from beyond to a spirit who refuses to leave the

place they once called home. Some appear as solid figures,

while others are translucent or glowing. The rarest kind? One

that actually speaks to you. If you ever have a conversation

with a full-body apparition, consider yourself part of a very

exclusive (and haunted) club.

5. The Crisis Apparition

One of the most fascinating types of ghosts is the crisis

apparition—a spirit that appears to loved ones at the moment

of their death or during a time of extreme distress. These

ghosts don’t stick around; they come with a purpose, often to

deliver a message or offer comfort before moving on.

Many reports of crisis apparitions involve people suddenly

seeing or hearing from a deceased friend or relative, only to

find out later that the person passed away at the exact

moment of their sighting. Some believe this is the spirit’s

way of saying goodbye, while others think it’s a psychic

connection between loved ones that defies the laws of time

and space.

Final Thoughts:

Ghosts come in all different forms, and whether you believe

in them or not, the sheer number of sightings and experiences

people have had throughout history is hard to ignore. From

eerie shadow figures to spirits caught in an endless time

loop, the paranormal world is full of mystery.

Check out our podcast The Most Haunted City on Earth

We also regularly upload to our YouTube!

Ever had an encounter with one of these common ghost types?

Drop your story in the comments or send it to our email

ghostmail@hauntedcitypodcast.com —I’d love to hear about it.

Who knows, your story might be featured on our popular

segment ‘Ghost Mail’. And if you haven’t had a ghostly

experience yet, don’t worry... there’s always time.

Stay Spooky Y’all,

Madison Timmons