The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is December 2024)
______________________________________
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 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 make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Michigan Church Records
- Adrian, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1832-1894
- Adrian, Society of Friends. Adrian Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1831-1917
- Adrian, Society of Friends. Raisin Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1838-1957
- Adrian, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Church Ordinance Record, 1847-1901
- Albion, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1857-1991
- Alma, Catholic Church. St. Mary’s Church Records, 1906-1983
- Alpena, Catholic Church Records, (1864 – 1925)
- Alpena, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1867-1971
- Ann Arbor, Congregational Church, Church Records, 1847-1945
- Ann Arbor, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1826-1941
- Augusta, First Congregational Church, Records, 1849-1918
- Bad Axe, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1885-1925
- Berrien County, Catholic Church. Mission de la Rivière St.-Joseph Parish Registers, 1720-1773
- Birmingham, St. James Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1904-1927
- Bloomfield, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1831-1863
- Breckenridge, Breckenridge United Methodist Church, Church Records, 1877-1984
- Bridgehampton Township, First Presbyterian Church Sessional Records 1891-1939, 1947
- Brownstown, Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1894-1901
- Buchanan, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1847-1925
- Carleton, Catholic Church. St. Patrick’s Church Records, 1859-1909
- Caro, Trinity Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1871-1924
- Caseville, Presbyterian Church Pastor’s Record and History 1891-1927
- Cass County, Birch Lake Monthly Meeting of Friends, Records
- Central Northwest Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, Ministers’ Biographical Records, ca. 1870-1929
- Chelsea, First Congregational Church, Church Records, 1886-1897
- Clinton, First Congregational Church, Church Records, 1843-1917
- Clinton, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1866-1916
- Clinton, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1839-1899
- Constantine, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1836-1887
- Corunna, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1841-1909
- Cross Village, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1887-1959
- Dearborn, First Evangelical Church, Church Register, 1875-1911
- Dearborn, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1834-1881
- Deerfield, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1853-1890
- Detroit, First Congregational Church, List of Members
- Detroit, Fort Street Presbyterian Church, Early Records, 1849-1878
- Detroit, Fort Street Presbyterian Church, Manual
- Detroit, All Saints Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1891-1914
- Detroit, Catholic Church. Ste. Anne Registre du Fort Pontchartrain de Détroit, 1704-1800
- Detroit, First Congregational Church Register Number one, 1844
- Detroit, First Presbyterian Church Records
- Detroit, Harper Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1917-1957
- Detroit, Memorial Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1858-1930
- Detroit, North Woodward Avenue Congregational Church, Church Clerk’s Book, 1890-1909
- Detroit, North Woodward Avenue Congregational Church, Church Records, 1902-1917
- Detroit, Protestant Episcopal Church Register of Names, Recorded in Holy Trinity Mission and Parish, and St. George’s Parish, Detroit
- Detroit, Second Congregational Church, Church Records, 1864-1909
- Detroit, Second Congregational Church, Church Register, 1866-1888
- Detroit, St. George’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1885-1904
- Detroit, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1879-1949
- Drenthe, Presbyterian Church Membership Information
- Eckford, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1839-1868
- Elkton, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1896-1925
- Free Soil, Methodist Episcopal Church Record, 1883-1947
- French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, Parish Records
- Gladstone, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1887-1921
- Grand Marais, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1876-1928
- Grand Rapids Public Library, Index to Church Records
- Grand Rapids, St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church Membership List
- Grass Lake, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1894-1919
- Hillsdale, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Registers
- Holland, Pillar Church, Membership Information
- Holland, South Holland Presbyterian Church, Records
- Holton, Holton Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1869-1991
- Homer, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1838-1900
- Howell, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1917-1939
- Ida, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1862-1945
- Ida, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1840-1913
- Imlay City, Lapeer County, Baptist Church, Marriage Book, 1867-1890
- Ishpeming, Bethany Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1871-1927
- Jackson, First Congregational Church, Catalogue of its Members, 1846
- Jackson, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1835-1949
- Jackson, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1834-1939
- Jackson, United Presbyterian Church, Church Register, 1882-1949
- Kalamazoo, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1933-1998
- Lansing, Central Methodist Church, Church Records, 1860-1874
- Lansing, First Presbyterian Church Alphabetical List of Former Members 1850-1882
- Lansing, Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1863-1899
- Lenawee County, St John’s Lutheran Church Family Registers, 1847-1912
- Lenawee County, First Presbyterian Church, Records
- Lupton, Society of Friends. Lupton Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1887-1954
- Marquette, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1867-1995
- Maybee, Congregational Church, Church Records, 1880-1950
- Mayville Circuit, Methodist Episcopal Church, Minutes of the Quarterly Conference, 1870-1893
- Michigan, Births and Christenings, 1775-1995
- Michigan, Church Marriages, 1865-1931
- Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Salvation Army
- Michigan, Presbyterian Church. Presbytery of Lake Superior Church Records, 1854-1923
- Michigan, Protestant Episcopal Church, Inventory of the Church Archives
- Michigan, Protestant Episcopal Church, Registrar’s Record and Confirmations
- Michigan, Society of Friends. Adrian Quarterly Meeting Church Records, 1760-1950
- Michigan, Historical Records Survey Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, the Roman Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Detroit
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church and Synagogue Archives of Michigan, Jewish Bodies
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Michigan Conference
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Church of the Nazarene, Michigan District Assembly
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Churches of God, Michigan Assemblies
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Dearborn Churches
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Evangelical and Reformed Church
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Evangelical Church, Michigan Conference
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Pilgrim Holiness Church, Michigan District
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Presbyterian Church in U.S.A., Presbytery of Detroit
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Presbyterian Church in U.S.A., Presbytery of Flint
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Protestant Episcopal Bodies, Diocese of Michigan
- Michigan, Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan, Protestant Episcopal Church, Diocese of Northern Michigan
- Monroe County, Baptism Indexes
- Monroe, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1865-1949
- Monroe, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1897-1946
- Monroe, Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Register, 1831-1950
- Niles, First Presbyterian Church Baptisms 1840-1900 and Marriages 1888-1900
- Oakland County, Commerce Circuit Methodist Church, Records, 1864-1881
- Parish of Michilimackinac, Registers
- Perch Lake, Christian Reformed Church Records
- Pontiac, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1857-1907
- Raisin and Adrian, Quaker Records, Monthly Meeting, 1842-1888
- Riga, Trinity Lutheran Church, Church Record, 1861-1998
- Rome Township, Lenawee County, West Rome Baptist Church, Church Records
- Saginaw, St. George Church Membership List
- Saginaw, All Saints Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1886-1895
- Saginaw, Calvary Memorial Church Baptismal Records, 1889-1949
- Saginaw, St. John’s Episcopal Church Baptismal Records, 1853-1939
- Saginaw, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Baptismal Records, 1861-1910
- Saline, Presbyterian Church Sessional Records, 1831-1846
- South Lyon, Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1838-1926
- St. Bernard Church: Baptisms, Burials, Marriages
- St. Joseph, Catholic Church, Parish Register, 1844-1859
- St. Louis, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1872-1919
- Suttons Bay, Congregational Church, Church Records, 1839-1974
- Tecumseh, Society of Friends. Tecumseh Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1822-1969
- Tecumseh, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1845-1865
- Vassar, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1885-1911
- Vernon, Baptist Church, Church Records, 1845-1920
- Vriesland, Christian Reformed Church, Records
- Wayne County, Vital and Church Records
- Wayne County, Vital Statistics Holdings of Church Archives
- Webster Township, Congregational Church, Church Records 1834-1912
- Whiteford Center, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1861-1941
- Woodstock Township, Society of Friends. Rollin Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1835-1924
- Wyandotte, First Congregational Church, Church Records, 1921-1900
- Wyandotte, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1851-1920
- Ypsilanti, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1849-1916
- Ypsilanti, Methodist Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1824-1908
- Ypsilanti, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1834-1915
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!