(This page's most recent update is March 2025)
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-date civil records and are also a great resource. In the BMD Records section of this website, about 15,000 collections of civil records are available online. Yes, that’s a lot, but we also need to search church records.
What can we find in church or synagogue records? Here’s just a short list 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 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 to the right of the name (in the Format column), then the collection’s 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 make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Louisiana Church Records
- Algiers, Mt. Olivet Protestant Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1857-1988
- Arcadia, Hurricane Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1919-1941
- Bayou Chicot, Calvary Baptist Church, Church Minutes, 1846-1947
- Bernice, Shiloh Baptist Church, Church Records, 1865-1919
- Bienville Parish, Saline Baptist Church, Church Minutes and Lists of Members, 1844-1880
- Bienville, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1894-1969
- Claiborne Parish, Mt. Paron Primitive Baptist Church. Church Minutes, 1853-1881
- Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas, Records, 1576-1803
- Grand Cane, Grand Cane Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1871-1941
- Grove Hill, Grove Hill Community Baptist Church Records, 1855-1972
- Jackson, Baptist Church, Church Minutes, 1835-1932
- Jackson, First Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and Lists of Members, 1835-1958
- Louisiana, Church Records, 1836-1938
- Louisiana, Bible, Cemetery and Church Records, 1930-1931
- Louisiana, Bible, Family History, Church History, Marriages, etc.
- Louisiana, Births and Christenings, 1811-1830; 1854-1934
- Louisiana, Collection of Early Court and Church Records
- Louisiana, Collection of Louisiana Early Court and Church Records
- Louisiana, Family History, Church Records and Marriages, 1959
- Louisiana, Inventory of the Church and Synagogue Archives of Louisiana: Jewish Congregations and Organizations
- Louisiana, Zur Geschichte der Deutschen Kirchengemeinden im Staate Louisiana
- Minden, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1844-1950
- Mt. Lebanon, Baptist Church, Church Records, 1835-1939
- Natchitoches Parish, St. Francis Catholic Church Baptisms 1817-1840
- Natchitoches, A Personal Name Index to the Parish Register of Trinity Episcopal Church, Natchitoches, Louisiana, 1841-1941
- Natchitoches, Catholic Church. St. François Parish Registers, 1729-1796
- Natchitoches, D’Antoni, Blaise C.; Natchitoches Post The Natchitoches Registers, 1734-1764
- New Orleans Diocese, Digitized Sacramental Records
- New Orleans, Catholic Church. St. Louis Cathedral A General Index of the Marriage Records of St. Louis Cathedral (New Orleans) 1720-1730
- New Orleans, Catholic Church. St. Louis Parish Baptismal Extracts from Parish Books, 1850-1858
- New Orleans, Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral Transcription, Baptismal, Marriage and Death Records: of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1849-1900
- New Orleans, Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, Baptismal, Marriage and Death Records, 1849-1900
- New Orleans, Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church, U.A.C. Charter & Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church, U.A.C. of New Orleans
- New Orleans, First Congregation Church Marriage Records, 1836-1847
- New Orleans, Salem United Church of Christ Church Records, 1862-1991
- New Orleans, Salem United Church of Christ Salem Echo Monthly Magazine
- Opelousas, Catholic Church. Saint Landry Parish Registers, 1776-1806
- Orleans Parish, Baptism Records
- Orleans Parish, Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral Records
- Orleans Parish, Mt. Olivet Church Birth and Christening Records
- Orleans Parish, Mt. Olivet Church Marriage Records
- Orleans Parish, Orleans Parish Church Records, 1896-1928
- Otis, China Grove Baptist Church
- Pointe Coupee Parish, Immaculate Conception Church Funeral Register Index 1883-1899
- Rapides Parish, Amiable Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and Lists of Members, 1829-1904
- Saint Martinsville, Catholic Church. Saint Martin Parish Registers, 1756-1794
- Simsboro, Center Point Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1902-1936
- Slaughter, Slaughter Baptist Church, Church Records, 1874-1922
- Spearsville, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church Minutes
- St. Gabriel, Catholic Church. St. Gabriel d’Iberville Registre de la paroisse 1773- 1859
- St. Helena Parish, Grangeville Baptist Church Minutes
- St. Helena Parish, Grangeville Baptist Church Minutes 1848-1899
- St. John the Baptist Parish Church Records
- Tangipahoa Parish, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and Lists of Members,1813-1903
- Winn County, Harmony Grove Baptist Church List of Members
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!