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)
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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 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 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.
New Jersey Church Records
- Atlantic County, Methodist Meeting House Absecon, Records
- Bayonne, First Reformed Church, Church Records, 1828-1951
- Bedminster, Somerset, Reformed Dutch Church, Births or Christenings 1840-1875
- Bedminster, Somerset, Reformed Dutch Church, Marriages, 1841-1880
- Belleville, Essex, Second River Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings, 1727-1794
- Bergen County New Jersey Church Records
- Bergen County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Bergen County, Old Pasckack Church, Baptisms and Marriages, 1814-1856)
- Bergen, Bergen, Reformed Dutch Church, Births or Christenings, 1666-1788
- Bergen, Bergen, Reformed Dutch Church, Marriages, 1666-1788
- Bergen, First Presbyterian Church Manual No. III
- Bergen, Reformed Dutch Church Records
- Bergen, Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Records, 1666-1788
- Bound Brook, Somerset, Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1810-1815
- Brookdale, Essex County, Stone House Plains Dutch Reformed Church, Church Records, 1801-1902
- Burlington County New Jersey Church Records
- Burlington County, Society of Friends. Upper Evesham Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1693-1871
- Burlington, Burlington, Saint Marys Church (formerly Saint Anns Church), Marriages, 1703-1836
- Burlington, St. Mary’s Protestant Episcopal Church Register
- Colestown, Gloucester, Saint Marks Church, Births or Christenings, 1787-1815
- Colestown, St. Mary’s Church Records
- Cranbury, First Presbyterian Church, Records, 1744-1899
- Cranbury, Middlesex, First Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1745-1876
- Cranbury, Middlesex, First Presbyterian Church, Marriages, 1840-1880
- Cumberland County New Jersey Church Records
- Delaware, Warren, Saint James Episcopal Church, Births or Christenings, 1769-1848
- Elizabeth, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1757-1817
- Elizabeth, Union, Saint John Episcopal Church, Births or Christenings, 1750-1826
- Essex County New Jersey Church Records
- Fairfield, Essex, Births or Christenings, Gansegat Dutch Reformed Church, 1741-1747
- Franklin, Methodist Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1797-1845
- Freehold, First Reformed Dutch Church, History
- Frenchtown, Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1849-1928
- Gloucester County New Jersey Church Records
- Great Meadows, Danville Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1831-1867
- Greenwich, Warren, Saint James Formerly Straw Lutheran Church, Births or Christenings, 1770-1836
- Hackensack, Bergen, Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings, 1686-1802
- Hackensack, Bergen, Dutch Reformed Church, Marriages, 1695-1802
- Hackensack, First Hackensack Reformed Church, Records, 1801-1886
- Hackensack, First Reformed Dutch Church, Church Records, 1686-1780
- Hackensack, Reformed Dutch Church, Diamond Anniversary, 1922
- Hackensack, Dutch Reformed Church Records, 1686-1802
- Hoboken, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1850-1899
- Hunterdon County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Jersey City Heights, First Presbyterian Church Record of the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Church
- Jersey City, First Presbyterian Church, Church Baptism and Marriage Records, 1852-1891
- Keyport, Calvary United Methodist Church, Church Records, 1821-2003
- Keyport, Calvary United Methodist Church, Church Records, 1821-2003
- Kingston, Somerset, Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1792-1849
- Lakewood, First Presbyterian Church The Church Book: the First Presbyterian Church, Lakewood, New Jersey
- Lawrenceville, Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1807-1960
- Livingston, Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, Church Records (baptisms, Marriages, Membership), 1840-1858
- Mendham, Methodist Episcopal Church, Records
- Mendham, Morris County, First Presbyterian Church of New Jersey, Records, 1766-1906
- Mendham, Morris, Methodist Episcopal Church, Births or Christenings, 1862-1883
- Mendham, Morris, Methodist Episcopal Church, Marriages, 1861-1879
- Mendham, Morris, First Presbyterian Congregation, Births or Christenings, 1805-1875
- Mendham, Morris, Hilltop or First Presbyterian Congregation, Marriages, 1852-1880
- Mendham, First Presbyterian Church History and Records, 1738-1938
- Mercer County New Jersey Church Records
- Middlesex County New Jersey Church Records
- Middlesex County, Edison, Church Records, 1872-1972
- Monmouth County, Marriages: Christ Church of Shrewsbury, 1734-1824
- Monmouth County, Quaker Records: Shrewsbury Monthly Meeting
- Montgomery Twp., Somerset, Harlingen Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings 1727-1802
- Morris County New Jersey Church Records
- Morristown, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records
- Morristown, First Presbyterian Church, The Record
- Morristown, History of the First Presbyterian Church
- Morristown, Morris, First Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1743-1839
- Morristown, Morris, First Presbyterian Church, Marriages, 1743-1840
- Morristown, First Presbyterian Church in Morristown The Record V. 1-5 Jan. 1880-Dec. 1885
- New Jersey, Calvary United Methodist Church Records, 1821-2003
- New Jersey, Church Records, 1675-1970
- New Jersey, Early Church Records, Presbyterian, John Brainerd’s Journal (1761-1762)
- New Jersey, Miscellaneous Church Records
- New Jersey, Miscellaneous Church Records, by County
- New Jersey, Society of Friends. Woodbury Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1702-1927
- New Jersey, Transcriptions of Early Church Records of New Jersey, 1841-1846
- New Providence, Union, New Providence Formerly Turkey Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1764-1797
- Newark, Belleville Avenue Congregational Church, Church Records 1868-1930
- Newark, First Presbyterian Church Manual
- Newark, First Universalist Church Bylaws and Membership Records, 1855-1875
- Newark, Halsey Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Church Registers, 1821-1921, 1921-1934
- Newark, St. Stephan’s Grace Community Lutheran Church, Church Records, 1873-1978
- Newark, Union Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1915-1920, 1916-1927
- Newark, United Methodist Church, Church Records, 1863-1921
- Oldmans Creek, Gloucester, Moravian Church, Births or Christenings, 1742-1810
- Oldsman’s Creek, Gloucester, Moravian Church, Marriages, 1772-1808
- Orange, Central Presbyterian Church Manual, and a List of the Communicants and Families
- Orange, First Presbyterian Church Manual No. II
- Orange, Grace Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1854-1930
- Paramus, Bergan County, New Jersey Reformed Dutch Church, Baptisms, 1740-1850
- Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, Reformed Dutch Church, Baptisms and a List of Church Members, 1740-1850
- Paramus, Bergen, Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings, 1740-1854
- Passaic County New Jersey Church Records
- Passaic County, Preakness and the Preakness Reformed Church, History, 1695-1902
- Paterson, The First Presbyterian Church of Paterson, New Jersey
- Paterson, Totowa Dutch Reformed Church, Church Records, 1756-1869
- Peapack, Somerset, Reformed Dutch Church, Births or Christenings, 1849-1875
- Peapack, Somerset, Reformed Dutch Church, Marriages, 1849-1880
- Plainfield, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Preakness, Preakness Reformed Church, History, 1695-1902
- Preakness, Preakness Reformed Church Records of the Church and Tombstone Inscriptions
- Princeton, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1792-1970
- Princeton, Second Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1847-1956
- Princeton, Trinity Church, Records, 1833-19 08
- Princeton, Trinity Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1834-1992
- Rahway, Christ Reformed Episcopal Church, Church Records, 1875-1885
- Saddle River and Ramapo, Zion Lutheran Churches, Records 1818-1943
- Salem County New Jersey Church Records
- Schraalenburg, Bergen, Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings, 1724-1801
- Schraalenburg, Bergen, Dutch Reformed Church, Marriages, 1724-1802
- Scotch Plains, First Day Baptist Church, Church Records, 1747-1837
- Somerset County New Jersey Church Records
- Spotswood, Middlesex, Saint Peters Episcopal Church, Births or Christenings, 1788-1850
- Sussex County Historical Society, Church Records
- Swedesboro, Gloucester County, Trinity Episcopal Church (Old Swedes), Records, 1785-1975
- Tennent, Monmouth, Old Tennent (Scotch Presbyterian) Church, Births or Christenings, 1730-1823
- Tennent, Old Tennent Church, History
- Tennent, First Presbyterian Church Marriage Registers, 1795-1824
- The Early Germans of New Jersey: their History, Churches, and Genealogies
- The Records of the Swedish Lutheran Churches at Raccoon and Penns Neck, 1713-1786
- Totowa, Bergen, Old Dutch Church, Births or Christenings, 1745-1822
- Trenton, Mercer, Saint Michaels Church, Births or Christenings, 1769-1855
- Trenton, Mercer, Saint Michael’s Church, Marriages, 1769-1855
- Trenton, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, A History, 1703 to 1926
- Union County New Jersey Church Records
- Union County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Walpack, Sussex, Dutch Reformed Church, Births or Christenings, 1741-1830
- Walpack, Sussex, Dutch Reformed Church, Marriages, 1741-1769
- Wantage, Clove Dutch Reformed Church Births or Christenings, 1785-1818
- Wantage, Clove Dutch Reformed Church Marriages, 1798-1812
- Warren County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Washington, Warren, Mansfield or Washington Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1817-1827
- Westfield Presbyterian Church, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Westfield, Union, Presbyterian Church, Births or Christenings, 1759-1850
- Westfield, Union, Presbyterian Church, Marriages, 1759-1849
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!