
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 August 2022)
- Adams County, Friedheim, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Record Book [1883-1888]
- Aurora, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1844-1999
- Bennington, Bennington Methodist Episcopal Church Members, 1884
- Central Northwest Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, Swedish immigrant, Ministers Records, ca. 1870-1929
- Clark County, New Washington Baptist Church, Record Book 1798-1836
- Clarke County Library Miscellaneous Church Records
- Dearborn County, Ebenezer Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and lists of Members, 1822-1859
- Delphi, Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church Record of the Proceedings
- Delphi, Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, Church Register
- Fort Wayne, Society of Friends. Maple Grove Monthly Meeting Minutes of women’s Meetings, 1867-1916
- Franklin County, M.E. Church Records, Cemetery Records, Bible Records, Baptisms, Deaths, Marriages
- Franklin Township, Washington County, Blue River Baptist Church, Church Minutes, 1847-1869
- Franklin, First Presbyterian Church of Franklin, History, 1824-1944
- Gary, Christ Church Parish Register
- Grant County, Society of Friends. Little Ridge Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Minutes, 1925-1939
- Hancock County, Society of Friends. Westland Monthly Meeting Membership Book A
- Hancock County, Society of Friends. Westland Monthly Meeting Preparative Meeting Minutes, 1874-1892
- Hendricks County, Society of Friends. Fairfield Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Records, 1774-1981
- Henry County, Rich Square Monthly Meeting Minutes 1920-1938 — 1938-1961.
- Hopewell, Hopewell Presbyterian Church History, Chronological roll, Infant Baptismal Record
- Huntington, Christ Church, Parish Register
- Indiana Society of Friends. Driftwood and Sand Creek Monthly Meeting Minutes, Records, 1743-1940
- Indiana, Abstracts of the Records of the Society of Friends
- Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933
- Indiana, Church Marriages, 1780-1993
- Indiana, Church Records, 1743-1966
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Deer Creek Monthly Meeting Minutes, births, Deaths, and memberships, 1928
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Greentown Monthly Meeting Minutes of both men and women, 1893-1912
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Jonesboro Monthly Meeting Minutes of Meetings, 1916-1945
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Milo and Pleasant Plain Monthly Meeting Minutes of monthly Meetings and Membership Records, 1899-1915
- Indiana, Society of Friends. New Salem Monthly Meeting Minutes, 1855-1882, birth and death Records, 1793-1888
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Rocky Run Monthly Meeting Minutes of monthly Meeting, 1864-1945 and marriages, 1864-1884
- Indiana, Society of Friends. Upland Monthly Meeting Minutes of Meetings, 1906-1942
- Indiana, Church Records found in the State of Indiana
- Indianapolis, Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ, Death Records, 1934-1935
- Indianapolis, Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ, Wedding Records, 1841-2000
- Indianapolis, Danish Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church, Church Records
- Jay County, Society of Friends. Camden Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Records, 1839-1885
- Jefferson County Church Records
- Johnson County, Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Semi-centennial of Hopewell Church, 1881
- Johnson County, Union Christian Church, Church Book
- Kendallville, Trinity Episcopal Church, Records
- Knox County, Maria Creek Baptist Church, Church Minutes
- Lafayette, St. John’s Episcopal Church Register
- Lagro, Catholic Church. St. Patrick’s Baptismal Records, May 24, 1846 – August 1973
- Livonia, Livonia Baptist Church, Church Minutes, 1866-1960
- Logansport, Trinity Episcopal Church, Vestry minute Book, 1841-1855
- Madison County, Society of Friends. Fall Creek Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Records, 1818-1964
- Marion County Miscellaneous Church Records
- Monroeville, Monroeville Methodist Church Records 1884- 1942
- Montpelier, Minutes of the Session of the Presbyterian Church, 1895-1920
- New Middletown, German Evangelical Reformed Peace Church, Records
- Noble Township, Wabash County, Bachelor Creek Christian Church Records
- Orange County Church Records
- Orange County, Society of Friends. Lick Creek Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Records, 1813-1949
- Owensburg, Church of Christ Record
- Parke County Miscellaneous Church Records
- Parke County, History of Dailey Chapel Christian Church
- Peru, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Register
- Peru, Saint James Episcopal Church Register of the Church
- Peru, Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Register
- Randolph County, Poplar Run Monthly Meeting Certificates of removal, November 1843-February 1909
- Rockville, Bethany Church Records, 1843-1877
- Rush County, Pleasant Run Baptist Church, Membership, 1823-1853
- Rush County, Pleasant Run Baptist Church, Membership, 1823-1853
- Rush County, Regular Baptist Church of Christ Church Minutes, 1823-1886
- Salem, Society of Friends. Salem Monthly Meeting Men’s Minutes
- Society of Friends: Richmond, New Garden Monthly Meeting Membership Books: births and Deaths
- Tipton County, St. John’s Church, Church Book
- Vandenburgh County Church Records
- Wabash County, Wabash Monthly Meeting Marriages, 1862-1896
- Warren County, Armstrong Methodist Episcopal Church, Early History
- Washington County, Mill Creek Baptist Church, Minutes, 1822-1874
- Wayne County, West Grove Preparative Meeting Ministers’ and elders’ Minutes, 1818-1895
- Woodburn, Allen County, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Minutes, 1898-1909
For all Free Indiana Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
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Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Criminal Records
Coroner Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records