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 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 April 2024)
West Virginia Church Records
- Barbour County, Church and Parish Roll Membership, 1832-1899
- Bayard, Bayard Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1895-1932
- Berkeley Springs, Berkeley Springs Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1874-1967
- Berkeley Springs, Duckwall Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1904-1967
- Berkeley Springs, New Hope Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1928-1965
- Bloomery, Bloomery Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1824-1967
- Bluefield, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1889-1961
- Bunker Hill, Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1880-1967
- Burlington, Burlington Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1893-1967
- Calhoun County, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills Inventories, Church Records
- Capon Bridge, Capon Bridge Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1894-1967
- Charles Town, Charles Town Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1815-1967
- Concord, Concord Presbyterian Church, Church History
- Davis, Davis Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1886-1967
- Dobbin, Dobbin Presbyterian Church, Church History
- Fort Ashby, Fort Ashby Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1833-1946
- Franklin, Franklin Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1866-1960
- Gerrardstown, Gerrardstown Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1797-1967
- Gormania, Gormania Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1895-1968
- Grant County, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories and Church Records
- Greenbrier County, Deaths, Wills, Inventories, Church and Bible Records
- Greenbrier County, Old Greenbrier Baptist Church, Marriages, 1700s
- Halltown, Halltown Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1960-1968
- Hancock County, Deaths, Deeds, Wills, Inventories, Church and Cemetery Records
- Hardy County, Union Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1822-1838
- Harpers Ferry, Harpers Ferry Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1872-1901
- Harrison County, Centre Branch Church, Membership
- Harrison County, Miscellaneous Records, 1801-1928
- Hedgesville, Falling Waters Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1788-1937
- Hedgesville, Hedgesville Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1932-1968
- Hedgesville, Tomahawk Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1838-1930
- Henry, Henry Presbyterian Church, Church History
- Inwood, Tabler Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1919-1967
- Kearneyville, Kearneyville Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1869-1967
- Keyser, Keyser Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1854-1958
- Lost City, Ivanhoe Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1899-1968
- Marion County, Wills, Inventories and Church Records (1842-1900)
- Marshall County, Wills, Inventories, Family and Church Records (1795-1900)
- Martinsburg, Bethany Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1948-1966
- Martinsburg, Martinsburg Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1811-1945
- Martinsburg, Tuscarora Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1827-1967
- Monroe County, Births, Deaths, and Church Records (1831-1900)
- Moorefield, Moorefield Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1822-1967
- Mount Storm, Mount Storm Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1882-1967
- Mouth of Seneca, Seneca Rocks Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1934-1966
- Ohio County, Church and Parish Records, 1828-1899
- Pendleton County, Smith, George M.; Probst Lutheran Church The Parish Register, 1813 – 1851
- Petersburg, Petersburg Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1832-1967
- Peterstown, Peterstown Baptist Church, Church Records, 1910-1966
- Piedmont, Piedmont Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1856-1963
- Pleasant Dale, Hanging Rock Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1903-1965
- Pleasants County, Marriages, Deaths, Wills and Church Records, 1853-1899
- Pleasants County, Society of Friends. Pleasant Grove Monthly Meeting Church Records, 1877-1882
- Pocahontas County, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Church and Cemetery Records (1748-1935)
- Princeton, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1849-1960
- Records of First Presbyterian Church, Wheeling, West Virginia (1827-1834)
- Rio, Cave Valley Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1892-1966
- Romney, Romney Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1832-1967
- Ruddle, Ruddle Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1906-1960
- Scherr, Greenland Presbyterian Church, Church History
- Shanghai, Shanghai Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1919-1957
- Shenandoah Junction, Elk Branch Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1833-1967
- Shenandoah Junction, Shenandoah Junction Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1905-1936
- Shepherdstown, Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1813-1964
- Slanesville, Slanesville Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1841-1968
- Smithfield, Smithfield Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1844-1930
- Springfield, Springfield Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1824-1963
- St. Albans, Presbyterian Church Register
- St. Albans, St. Albans Presbyterian Church, Register
- Summers County, Births, Deaths, Marriages, Wills, Inventories and Church Records (1867-1900)
- Thomas, First Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1899-1968
- Three Churches, Mount Bethel Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1812-1956
- Upper Tract, Upper Tract Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1906-1960
- Wardensville, Wardensville Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1893-1965
- West Virginia, A History and Record of the Protestant Episcopal Church
- West Virginia, Berkeley County, Church Marriages, 1819-1889
- West Virginia, Births and Christenings, 1853-1928
- West Virginia, Historical Records Survey Inventory of the Church Archives of West Virginia: the Presbyterian Churches
- West Virginia, Historical Records Survey Inventory of the Church Archives of West Virginia: the Presbyterian Churches
- Weston, First Baptist Church, Church Records, 1867-1905, 1914-1931
- Wetzel County, Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Inventories and Church Records (1854-1899)
- Wheeling, Church Records, 1818-1954
- Winchester, Winchester Presbyterian Church, Church Records, 1800-1920
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!