Another underutilized genealogy resource is Church Records. We tend to focus our research on civil records, but need to be aware that often church records pre-dated civil records and are a great resource as well. In the BMD Records section of this website, there are about 15,000 collections of civil records that are available online. Yes, that’s a lot, but we need to also search church records as well.
What can we find in church or synagogue records? Here’s just a shortlist of what nuggets we can find:
- Baptisms and Christenings
- Marriages
- Deaths
- Burials
- Confirmations
- Membership lists
- Church Minutes
- Church Directories
- Transfer Letters
- Bar or Bat Mitzvahs
- Sunday School lists
- Church newsletters
In addition, many folks also documented important events in family bibles, so they need to be searched as well if the event information has been digitized.
Here are a couple of articles that you might find useful:
- U.S. Church Records Research Guide
- United States Church Records
- A Genealogist’s Guide to Using Catholic Records in Genealogy Research
There is a large number of Free Online Church Record collections; the links for the state are below:
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
(Updated October 2021):
- Aguilar, Catholic Church. St. Anthony of Padua Church Records, 1946-1957
- Alamosa County, Sacred Heart Catholic, Baptism, Marriage, and Death Records
- Alamosa, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1911-1957
- Antonito, Catholic Church. St. Augustine Church Records, 1860-1957
- Avondale, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1918-1927
- Brookside, Catholic Church. St. Anthony Church Records, 1924-1945
- Buena Vista, Catholic Church. St. Rose of Lima Church Records, 1908-1957
- Canon City, Catholic Church. St. Michael Church Records, 1881-1957
- Capulin, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1939-1957
- Center, Catholic Church. St. Francis Jerome Church Records, 1951-1957
- Colorado, Church Records, 1692-1942
- Conejos County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Cortez, Catholic Church. St. Margaret Mary Church Records, 1945-1957
- Crested Butte, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1902-1957
- Del Norte, Catholic Church. Holy Name of Mary Church Records, 1877-1957
- Delta, Catholic Church. St. Michael Church Records, 1911-1957
- Denver, Trinity Methodist Church Baptisms and marriages, 1861-1911
- Denver, Twenty-third Avenue Presbyterian Church Baptisms, marriages, deaths, 1882-1906
- Durango, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1881-1957
- Durango, Catholic Church. St. Columba Church Records, 1881-1957
- Florence, Catholic Church. St. Benedict Church Records, 1899-1957
- Florence, Frazer Methodist Church Church Records, 1882-1943
- Florence, Methodist Church. Florence Circuit Church Records, 1882-1901
- Fruita, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1890-1957
- Gardner, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1912-1957
- Gilpin County, Methodist Episcopal Church. Bald Mountain Charge Quarterly conference minutes, 1873-1885, 1895-1896
- Grand Junction, Catholic Church. Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Records, 1955-1957
- Grand Junction, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1901-1957
- Grand Junction, Catholic Church. St. Mary Hospital and Medical Center Church Records, 1903-1955
- Gunnison, Catholic Church. St. Peter Church Records, 1883-1957
- Holly, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1920-1957
- La Junta, Catholic Church. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Records, 1914-1957
- La Junta, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1889-1957
- Lake City, Catholic Church. St. Rose of Lima Church Records, 1883-1925
- Lamar, Catholic Church. St. Francis de Sales Church Records, 1908-1957
- Las Animas, Catholic Church. St. Mary Church Records, 1910-1957
- Mancos, Catholic Church. St. Rita Church Records, 1914-1957
- Monte Vista, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1920-1957
- Montrose, Catholic Church. St. Mary Church Records, 1906-1957
- Ordway, Catholic Church. St. Peter Church Records, 1906-1957
- Ouray, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1920-1957
- Pagoza Springs, Catholic Church. Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Records, 1951-1957
- Paonia, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Church Records, 1922-1957
- Pueblo County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Holy Family Church Records, 1954-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Holy Rosary Church Records, 1954-1955
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Records, 1902-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Assumption Church Records, 1949-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Cathedral Church Records, 1872-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Sacred Heart Orphanage Church Records, 1904-1956
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. Shrine of St. Therese Church Records, 1949-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Anne Church Records, 1903-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Anthony of Padua Church Records, 1911-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Francis Xavier Church Records, 1903-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Leander Church Records, 1900-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Mary Church Records, 1891-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Mary’s-Corwin Hospital Church Records, 1911-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1885-1957
- Pueblo, Catholic Church. St. Pius X Church Records, 1955-1957
- Rico, Catholic Church. Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel Church Records, 1892-1904
- Rockvale, Rockvale Methodist Church Church Records, 1891-1910
- Rockvale, Rockvale Methodist Church Church Records, 1908-1935
- Rocky Ford, Catholic Church. St. Peter Church Records, 1910-1957
- Salida, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1881-1957
- San Luis, Catholic Church. Most Precious Blood Church Records, 1881-1957
- Silverton, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1882-1957
- Springfield, Catholic Church. Annunciation Church Records, 1949-1957
- Telluride, Catholic Church. St. Patrick Church Records, 1903-1957
- Trinidad, Catholic Church. Holy Trinity Church Records, 1866-1989
- Trinidad, Catholic Church. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Records, 1950-1957
- Trinidad, Catholic Church. St. Joseph Church Records, 1952-1957
- Vineland, Catholic Church. St. Therese Church Records, 1918-1957
- Walsenburg, Catholic Church. St. Mary Church Records, 1870-1957
- Westcliffe, Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Assumption Church Records, 1870-1957
For other Free Colorado Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
