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 below 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.
(Updated October 2021; recently added links are in BOLD):
- 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 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 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
- 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!
For other Free Louisiana Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Obituaries
BMD Records
Photos
Yearbooks
Directories
Divorce Records
Naturalizations
Church Records
School Records
Coroner Records
Voter Records
Probate and Wills
Immigration
Mortuary Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
