Another under utilized 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 accessible by state 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 January, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD):
- Arkansas, Church Marriages, 1860-1976
- Arkansas, Bentonville Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1870-1917
- Arkansas, Brightwater Memorial Methodist Church Membership Register, 1896-1978
- Arkansas, Columbia Baptist Association Proceedings of the Annual Session, 10th-46th, 1862-1898
- Arkansas, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Minutes
- Arkansas, Mason Valley Baptist Church Church Records, ca. 1879-1949
- Arkansas, Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Little Rock Conference. Camden District. El Dorado Charge Quarterly Conference Record Book, 1880-1920
- Arkansas, Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Little Rock Conference. Prescott District Church Records, 1883-1916
- Arkansas, Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Little Rock Conference. Prescott District. Carolina Charge Church Conference Record, 1886-1916
- Arkansas, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Excerpts from the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Records, Benton County, Arkansas, 1906-1945
- Arkansas, St. Francis County Credentials for Ministers and Priests, v. A, 1947-1969
- Ashley County, Church Registers
- Ashley County, Promised Land Baptist Church of Christ Church Records, 1863-1902
- Atlanta, Atlanta Baptist Church Church Records, 1893-1976
- Atlanta, Atlanta Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School Record, 1884-1887, 1892-1895
- Barren Fork, Big Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1865-1879
- Baxter County, Mountain Home Baptist Church Membership List and Conference Minutes, 1883-1938
- Berryville, First Baptist Church Church Records 1891-1960
- Billingsley, Billingsley Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1885-1925
- Booneville, Porter Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1907-1944
- Boonsboro, Salem Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1868-1905
- Cabot, Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1883-1914
- Calhoun County, Campground Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1854-1947
- Calhoun, Baptist Church of Christ at Antioch Church Records, 1850-1873
- Calico Rock, United Methodist Church Church Records, 1905-1995
- Camden, First Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Church Records 1880-1923
- Cane Hill, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Minutes, 1861-1921
- Cane Hill, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Session Minutes 1828-1843
- Caney, Hot Spring County, Caney Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1897-1936
- Carroll County, United Baptist Church Minutes of meetings, 1890-1897
- Charleston, First Baptist Church Minutes of meetings and Membership Lists, 1894-1956
- Chicot County, Lake Village Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1900-1915
- Clarendon, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1869-1920
- Clarendon, Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Records, 1884-1937
- Clarendon, Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1870-1921
- Cleburne County, Goodloe Methodist Church Church Records, 1880-1947
- Columbia County, Barge's Chapel Church Register, 1873-1943
- Columbia County, Beech Creek Baptist Church Church Records, 1850-1939
- Columbia County, Ebenezer Methodist Church Church Records, 1852-1918
- Columbia County, Ebenezer Methodist Church Church Register, 1913-1916
- Columbia County, Lydesdale Methodist Protestant Church Church Register, 1886-1934
- Columbia County, New Hope Baptist Church Church Records, 1915-1937
- Columbia County, Victory Baptist Church Church Records, 1890-1908
- Cornerville, Newton Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1859-1948
- Cornerville, Newtons Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1851-1901
- Crossett, Mount Olive Baptist Church Church Records, 1859-1927
- De Queen, Missionary Baptist Church at Fairview Church Records, 1917-1950
- Delight, Antioch Church of Christ, Church Record 1833-1884
- Delight, Antioch Church of Christ, Church Record 1885-1916
- Dover, Piney Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1875-1942
- Drew County, Pleasant Springs Missionary Baptist Church, Records
- Emerson, Emerson Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1911-1950
- Fairbanks, Harrisons Methodist Episcopal Church Church Records, 1896-1918
- Farmington, Bethel Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1875-1947
- Fort Smith, Sebastian, St Johns Episcopal Church, Christenings 1860-1886
- Fort Smith, First Evangelical Lutheran Church Church Records, 1930-1979
- Fort Smith, First Lutheran Church Church Records 1868-1929
- Fort Smith, St. John's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1860-1977
- Franceway, Franceway Baptist Church Church Records, 1848-1879
- Franklin County, Gar Creek United Methodist Church Records
- Franklin County, Grenades Chapel United Methodist Church - 1, Church records
- Franklin County, Grenades Chapel United Methodist Church - 2, Church records
- Franklin County, Mt. Hope Missionary Baptist Church of Christ Church Records, 1870-1953
- Geneva, Geneva Baptist Church Church Records, 1906-1921
- Grant County, Baptist Church of Christ at Ephesus Church Minutes, 1887-1957
- Grant County, Wofford's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Conference Records, 1886-1924
- Greene County Church Records
- Greene County, St. Peter's and St. John's Lutheran Churches Baptismal Records 1886 - 1971
- Hagarville, Salem Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1868-1950
- Hamburg, First Baptist Church Church Records, 1910-1930
- Harrison, Christian Church Official Record, 1888-1904
- Hector, Rocksprings Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1880-1914
- Hermitage, Missionary Baptist Church of Christ at Antioch Church Records, 1874-1937
- Horatio, Walnut Springs Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Records, 1895-1951
- Hot Spring County, Brush Creek Baptist Church Church Records, 1847-1917
- Hot Spring County, Clear Creek Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Records, 1850-1949
- Hot Spring County, Damascus Baptist Church Church Records, 1905-1938
- Hot Spring County, De Roche Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1847-1924
- Iuka, Iuka Methodist Episcopal Church Church Records, ca. 1902-1959
- Izard County, Corinth Methodist Episcopal Church Church Records, 1890-1955
- Jackson County, Hickory Grove Baptist Church Church Records, 1899-1949
- Johnson County, Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Bethlehem Society Church Register, 1881-1921
- Kingsland, Camp Springs Methodist Church History
- Kingston, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church of Christ Membership and Minutes, 1832-1957
- Lafayette County, Red River Baptist Church Church Records, 1918-1976
- Little River County, Enon Primitive Baptist Church Minutes, 1894-1910 and 1925-1945
- Little Rock, Methodist Episcopal Church,Church Records, 1878-1932
- Logan County, Good Hope Baptist Church Church Records, 1874-1904
- Lonoke County, Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1876-1955
- Lonoke County, Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1891-1926
- Lonoke, Lonoke Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1889-1936
- Magnolia, Baptist Church at Magnolia Church Records, 1867-1882
- Magnolia, Bethlehem Baptist Church Church Records, 1866-1937
- Magnolia, Corinth Baptist Church List of charter members and Minutes, 1886-1900
- Magnolia, First Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1907-1964
- Malvern, First Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1882-1928
- Marcella, Marcella Baptist Church Church Records, 1901-1961
- Marshall, Missionary Baptist Church of Canaan Minutes of meetings and Membership Lists, 1887-1908
- Marvell, First Baptist Church Church Records, 1879-1937
- Marvell, Salem Baptist Church Church Records, 1876-1938
- Midway, Midway Baptist Church Church Records, 1902-1918
- Mountain View, Corinth Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1912-1942
- Mountain View, First United Methodist Church Church Records, 1881-1966
- Nevada Co., Boughton Baptist Church Church Records, 1893-1935
- Newport, St. Paul's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1859-1944
- Ouachita County, Hawkins Church Church Records 1886-1913
- Ouachita County, Lakeside Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Church Records 1906-1958
- Oxford, Oxford Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1886-1933
- Palestine, Palestine Congregation, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records 1870-1912
- Palestine, Palestine Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records 1886-1951
- Palmyra, Bethlehem Baptist Church Church Records, 1861-1966
- Pearson, Palestine Church Church Records, 1877-1934
- Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1884-1945
- Pope County, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records 1868-1951
- Poyen, First Missionary Baptist Church Church Records, 1890-1964
- Prairie Grove, Prairie Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1850-1947
- Prattsville, Harmony Baptist Church Church Records, 1868-1935
- Quitman, Nazareth Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1878-1914
- Randolph County Church Records
- Rushing, Antioch Baptist Church Church Records, 1890-1938
- Russellville, Center Point Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1879-1965
- Russellville, Russellville Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1871-1933
- Russellville, Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1867-1951
- Sebastian County, St. John's Episcopal Church Church Record, 1922-1977
- Sebastian, Church of Christ Church Register and Records
- Sevier Co., Wofford Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Records, 1904-1939
- Sevier County, Mount Ida Methodist Church Church Records, 1881-1962
- Sevier County, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Church Records, 1889-1915
- Sevier County, Oak Hill Baptist Church Church Records, 1886-1935
- Sevier County, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Church Records, 1858-1976
- Springdale, Shiloh Church of Regular Baptists Church Journals 1845-1836
- Strawberry, Milligan's Camp Ground Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1870-1931
- Toledo, Toledo Methodist Episcopal Church Quarterly Conference Records, 1884-1895
- Van Buren, Dripping Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1867-1953
- Waldo, Waldo Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Records, ca. 1842-1955, 1842-1955
- Warren, First Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and financial accounts, 1919-1973
- Warren, Primitive Baptist Church of Harmony Church Records, 1845-1915
- White County, Independence Baptist Church, Church records
- White County, Independence Baptist Church Church Records, 1847-1949
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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