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):
- Albany, Albany Baptist Church Church Minutes 1860-1899
- Arkwright, Park Memorial Methodist Church Church Register, 1891-1959
- Athens, Ebenezer Friendship Baptist Church Collection
- Athens, Emmanuel Episcopal Church Church Minutes and Records 1843-1908
- Athens, First Baptist Church Church Records and Minutes, 1830-1913
- Athens, First Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1820-1921
- Atlanta, Cumberland Presbyterian Church Session Records, 1902-1908
- Atlanta, St. Philips Episcopal Church Church Records (Minutes), 1847-1859, 1870-1884
- Augusta, St. Mary's Church Miscellaneous Records 1895-1907
- Augusta, St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Records, 1868-1913
- Bainbridge, St. John's Church Parish Registers 1868-1894
- Baxley, Ten Mile Creek Baptist Church Minutes and Membership ca. 1855-1890 and universal Church Record ca. 1902- 1923
- Bellevue, Bellevue Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1894-1941
- Bibb County, Mulberry Street Methodist Church Church Minute Book, 1838-1878
- Blairsville, Blairsville Baptist Church Members and Minutes 1911-1941
- Blairsville, Minutes of the Notla River Baptist Association, 1918-1959
- Bleckley County, Bethany Baptist Church Church Memberships and Minutes 1868-1930
- Bleckley County, Limestone Baptist Church Church Minutes 1887-1931
- Bleckley County, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Church Minutes and Membership 1840-1922
- Bleckley County, Salem Baptist Church Church Enrollment and Minute Books 1891-1958
- Brunswick, St. Jude's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1889-1944
- Brunswick, St. Mark's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1858-1991
- Brunswick, St. Paul's Parish Church Records, 1903-1950
- Butts County, Methodist Churches Christening Records
- Butts County, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Minutes and Membership rolls, 1878-1932
- Butts County, Towaliga Baptist Church Church Records (Minutes and Membership) 1899-1955
- Camden County, Church Christening Records
- Carroll County, New Bethel Church of Christ Roll Book
- Cartersville, Cartersville Baptist Church Church Records, 1873-1894
- Cassville, Cassville Baptist Church Church Register of members, 1875-1901
- Church Records Microfilm Collection Indexes
- Clayton County, Jonesboro Presbyterian Church Membership Lists, Minutes, history, and building plans, 1879-1955
- Cleveland, First Baptist Church Minutes and Membership rolls, 1840-1960
- Cohutta, Cohutta Cumberland Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1886-1890
- Collins, Pine Grove Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1921-1960
- Colomokee, Colomokee Baptist Church Church Records 1889-1919
- Columbus, Mount Zion Baptist Church Church Records, 1868-1961
- Conyers, Conyers Baptist Church Church Membership Roll and Minutes, 1914-1944
- Crawford, Crawford Baptist Church Church Minutes and Membership Rolls, 1871-1913
- Cusseta, Harmony Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1840-1869
- Darien, First Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1876-1958
- Darien, Methodist Church Church Records ca. 1936-1946
- Darien, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Church Records 1759-1958
- Darien, St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1871-1946
- Dawsonville, Bethel Baptist Church Church Minutes and Membership roll 1878-1900, and, Records 1838-1878
- Effingham County, Jerusalem Church Births and Baptisms, July 1756 - November 1781
- Effingham County, Jerusalem Church Marriage Records
- Effingham, Early Records of Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Elbert County, Deep Creek Baptist Church Church Records, 1859-1901
- Fayette County, Antioch Baptist Church Church Minutes, Registers, and Membership Roll, 1829-1917
- Fayette County, Corinth Baptist Church Church Records and Membership roll, 1880-1955
- Fayette County, Hopeful Baptist Church Church Records 1825-1911
- Fayetteville, Fayetteville Baptist Church Church history, 1828-1928, and church Minutes and Records, 1851-1907
- Fayetteville, Fayetteville Methodist Church Church History, 1824-1958, and Church Registers, 1869-1907
- Forsyth, Forsyth Presbyterian Church Church Minutes 1886-1904
- Fort Valley, Fort Valley First Methodist Church Minutes 1847-1885 and Membership, 1847
- Gainesville, First Baptist Church Minutes of Meetings and Lists of members, 1896-1960
- Georgia Carters Grove Baptist Church Membership Lists and Minutes, 1875-1905
- Georgia Jasper County Miscellaneous Records, 1808-1935
- Georgia, Bible Records
- Georgia, Church Marriages, 1754-1960
- Georgia, Church Marriages, 1787-1962
- Georgia, Church Vital Records, 1828-1991
- Georgia, Jackson Methodist Church Church Records and Jackson circuit Records, 1846-1952
- Georgia, Dewy Rose Baptist Church Church Minutes 1897-1931
- Georgia, Elberton First Presbyterian Church Church Minutes, 1865-1896
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Lists of candidates for confirmation, 1863-1866
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Minute books 1908-19 14
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Minutes of the Executive Council 1921- 1940
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Minutes of the standing committee 1861-1920
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Minutes, 1878-1907
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Miscellaneous Records
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Miscellaneous Records
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Record of lay readers 1908-1942
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Removal of the consecrations, 1912-1921
- Georgia, Episcopal Church Re-ordinations, 1840-1868
- Glennville, First Baptist Church Minutes, conferences, history, and cemetery Records, 1857-1959
- Greene County, St. Peter’s and St. John’s Lutheran Churches, Baptismal Records , 1886-1923
- Greene County, Bethany Presbyterian Church Church Records, 1841-1944
- Greene County, Shiloh Baptist Church Church Records, 1839-1859
- Gwinnett County Missonary Baptist Churches Records
- Harris County, Mountain Creek Baptist Church Membership Records
- Hawkinsville, First Baptist Church Church Records, 1839-1958
- Hollingsworth, Line Baptist church of Christ Minutes and Membership roll, 1885-1963
- Homer, Baptist Church Minutes and Membership rolls, 1868-1920
- Homer, Hickory Flat Methodist Church Marriages, baptisms, Membership Lists, 1903-1945
- Homer, New Lebanon Presbyterian Church Church Minutes and Membership Roll, 1860-1931
- Jasper County Church Records
- Jasper County, Baptist Church Church Records, 1865-1906
- Jasper County, Methodist Church Church Records, 1878-1924
- Jasper, First Baptist Church Membership Records and scrapbook, 1904-1922
- Jefferson, First Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1866-1965
- Jenkins County, Fairhaven Methodist Church Deeds and Miscellaneous Papers 1856-1898
- Jenkinsburg, Jenkinsburg Baptist Church Church Records (Membership and Minutes) 1912-1941
- Jesup, St. Paul's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1893-1955
- Lincoln County, Hephzibah Baptist Church Church Minutes and Records, 1831-1932
- Lincoln County, New Hope Baptist Church Minutes, 1866-1931
- Lithonia, Lithonia Baptist Church Church Records, 1845-1967
- Macon, Bibb County, Mulberry Street Methodist Church Miscellaneous Records, 1828-1951
- Macon, Bibb County, St. Paul's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1870-1959
- Macon, Bibb County, Tabernacle Baptist Church Minutes, 1910-1959
- Macon, Centenary Methodist Church Sunday school roll book, 1885-1898, and Register, 1918-1952
- Macon, Christ Episcopal Church Parish Registers Georgia, 1833-1959
- Macon, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Church Minutes ca. 1913-1958
- Macon, First Baptist Church First Baptist Church Records, 1874-1877, Womens Missionary Society, 1874, 1894-1896
- Macon, Midway Missionary Baptist Church Church Minutes 1845-1909
- Macon, St. James Episcopal Church Church Minutes and Records, 1911-1965
- Macon, Tattnall Square Baptist Church Church Minutes ca. 1891-1958
- Madison, Baptist Church Church Records, 1834-1951
- Mansfield, Carmel Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1835-1958
- Maysville, Grove Level Baptist Church Church Minutes and Membership Roll, 1802-1942
- McDonough, McDonough Baptist Church Church Records (Minutes and Membership) 1865-1953
- McDonough, McDonough Methodist Church Church Records (Minutes, Membership Lists, etc.) 1889-1940
- Midway, Congregational Church of Midway Births or christenings, 1746-1863
- Midway, Congregational Church of Midway Church Records, 1754-1868
- Midway, Congregational Church of Midway Marriages, 1753-1858
- Midway, Midway Congregational Church Church Records 1754-1898
- Mount Paran, Crawford County, Primitive Baptist Church. Minutes, 1824-1959
- Newnan, First Baptist Church Church Records, 1828-1941
- Newnan, Midway Congregational Church Records
- Newton, Hopewell Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Records of the session, 1830-1917
- Oglethorpe County, Clouds Creek Baptist Church Minutes commencing August 11, 1826-1856
- Oliver, Little Ogeechee Baptist Church Minutes 1927-1942
- Penfield, Penfield Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1839-1885, 1892
- Perry, Perry Methodist Church Church History, Membership Roll, Register, Minutes, 1827, 1885-1919
- Quitman, St. James Episcopal Church Parish Registers, 1912-1966
- Richmond County, Hephzibah Methodist Church Register of members, baptisms, marriages,1854-1959, and a short history
- Rome, St. Peter's Church Church Records, 1843-1959
- Russellville, Missionary Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1849-1924
- Savannah, Independent Presbyterian Church Church Membership Rolls, 1800-1926, and baptisms, marriages, etc., 1828- 1866
- Savannah, Lutheran Church of the Ascension Marriages, baptisms, interments, 1823-1926
- Savannah, North Salem Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1823-1952
- Savannah, Saint Paul's Episcopal Church Church Records, 1852-1985
- Screven County, Little Horse Creek Baptist Church of Christ Minutes and Membership Lists, 1832-1933
- Screven County, North Newington Baptist Church Minutes and Membership Lists, 1863-1960
- Shady Dale, Providence Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1851-1882
- Smyrna, First Baptist Church Church Minutes, 1884-1956
- Swainsboro, Emanuel County, Hawhammock Baptist Church Minutes and Membership Lists, 1842-1959
- Talbotton, Talbotton Methodist Episcopal Church, South Church Minutes and conferences 1873-1953, and bishops, presiding elders, and pastors 1854-1942
- Taliaferro County, Baptist Church at Crawfordville Church Records, 1831-1950
- Thomaston, First Baptist Church Minutes and Membership rolls, 1825-1958
- Thomaston, Friendship Primitive Baptist Church Church Minutes and Membership Rolls, 1864-1948
- Thomaston, Trinity Primitive Baptist Church Church Minutes, articles of faith, partial Membership list, 1871-1937
- Thomasville, First Presbyterian Church Sessional Records and some baptismal Records, 1854-1959
- Thomasville, St. Thomas Episcopal Church Parish Registers, 1874-1958
- Thomson, McDuffie County, Sweet Water Baptist Church Membership Lists and Minutes, 1875-1960
- Thomson, First Baptist Church Minutes, 1859-1960
- Warrenton, First Baptist Church Church Records 1893-1956
- Washington, Washington Baptist Church Church conference Records, 1827-1905
- Washington, Washington Station Methodist Church Church Records, 1824-1911
- Waycross, Central Baptist Church Church History, Minutes, and Membership Rolls, 1909-1959
- Wayne County, Little Creek Baptist Church Minutes 1908-1919 and Membership rolls 1929-1932
- Wayne County, Union Baptist Church Church Membership Roll and Minutes, 1897-1939
- Waynesboro, First Methodist Church Church Membership Roll, 1886-1960
- Waynesboro, Saint Michael's Episcopal Church Church Register, baptisms, confirmations, communicants, marriages, and deaths, 1882-1961
- White Plains, White Plains Baptist Church Church Records, 1806-1921
- Wilkes County, Washington Station Methodist Church Records
- Wilkes County, Beaver Dam Baptist Church Church Records (Minutes) ca. 1836-1923
- Wilkes County, Ebenezer Baptist Church Church Records, 1892-1925
- Wilkes County, Philips Mill Baptist Church Church Records, 1785-1948
- Wilkinson County, Liberty Baptist Church Minute book, 1837-1854
- Willacoochee, Baptist Church Minute book 1904-191
- Winterville, Methodist Episcopal Church, South Bible class book, church registers, 1890-1960, and miscellaneous Records
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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