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For information about records for non-Christian religions in Jordan, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites

Historical Background

Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Jordan. Muslims make up about 95% of the country's population.

The country also boasts one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, coexisting with the rest of the population. They made up about 4.2% of the population when the country had 5 million inhabitants in 2005, down from 20% in the 1930s, mainly due to high rates of Muslim immigration into the country. More than half are Greek Orthodox. The rest are Latin or Greek Rite Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Protestants and Armenians. Jordanian Christians in a country of almost 10 million are thought to number 250,000-400,000 excluding tens of thousands of Syrian and Iraqi Christians in the country. A 2015 study estimates some 6,500 Christian believers from a Muslim background in the country, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism.

Among the recognized denominations the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic (Latin), Melkite Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, Anglican, and Syriac Orthodox Church make up the majority of Jordan's Christian population. Also the Lutheran, Coptic Orthodox, Seventh-day Adventist, United Pentecostal, Latter-day Saints, and Presbyterian churches are recognized denominations while they make up a much smaller proportion of the Christian population.

In addition to the recognized denominations there are religious societies that are allowed to meet freely, but are not recognized as churches by the government. The recognized religious societies are the Evangelical Free Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Assembly of God, the Baptist Church, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance.


Christian denominations in Jordan belong to four major denominational groups:

  • Eastern Orthodox
    • Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
  • Oriental Orthodox:
    • Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
    • Syriac Orthodox Church
    • Coptic Orthodox Church
  • Catholic:
    • Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
    • Melkite Catholic Archeparchy of Petra
    • Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem
    • Armenian Catholic Church
  • Protestantism:
    • Evangelical
    • Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem
    • Lutheran
    • Seventh-day Adventist
    • United Pentecostal
    • Presbyterian

[1][2]

Information Recorded in the Records

Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which might be found (best case scenario):

Baptisms

In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:

  • baptism date
  • the infant's name
  • parents' names
  • father's occupation
  • status of legitimacy
  • occasionally, names of grandparents
  • names of witnesses or godparents, who may be relatives
  • birth date and place
  • the family's place of residence
  • death information, as an added note or signified by a cross

Marriages

Marriage registers can give:

  • the marriage date
  • the names of the bride and groom
  • indicate whether the bride and groom were single or widowed
  • their ages
  • birth dates and places for the bride and groom
  • their residences
  • their occupations
  • birthplaces of the bride and groom
  • parents' names (after 1800)
  • the names of previous spouses and their death dates
  • names of witnesses, who might be relatives.

Burials

Burial registers may give:

  • the name of the deceased
  • the date and place of death or burial
  • the deceased's age
  • place of residence
  • cause of death
  • the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower
  • deceased's birth date and place
  • parents' names, or at least the father's name



How to Find Records

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:

a. Click on the records of Jordan.
b. Click on Places within Jordan and a list of towns will appear.
c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Writing for Records

You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See [Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy]] for help with composing letters. English, though without official status, is widely spoken throughout the country and is the de facto language of commerce and banking, as well as a co-official status in the education sector; almost all university-level classes are held in English and almost all public schools teach English along with Standard Arabic.[3]

Catholic Church Records

Middle east dioceses (Jordan is part of Jerusalem diocese)

Writing for Records

Historical Background

The Catholic Church in Jordan is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

There are approximately 114,000 Catholics in Jordan or 1.9% of the Jordanian population. Catholics are divided in four Rites:

  • 80,000 Latin Catholics
  • 32,000 Melkite Catholics
  • 1,500 Syrian Catholics
  • 500 Armenian Catholics

There are also thousands of Chaldean Catholics refugees from Iraq.

The whole of the country for all Melkites forms a single Archeparchy. Jordanian Catholics belonging to the Greek Catholic churches use the Melkite Rite, these are referred to as "Roum Catholiks" in Jordan (Roum or Rome referring to Byzantine, while those following the standard rites of the Catholic Church are referred to as "Lateen" and belong to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

There are currently 33 Latin Catholic parishes in Jordan. Melkite Greek Catholic Church has 28 parishes, Syrian Catholics have 3 parishes and Armenian Catholics has 2 churches. There are 66 Catholic parishes in all Jordan, belonging to four Catholic traditions.[4]

Orthodox Church Records

Armenian Orthodox or Apostolic Church Records

Writing for Records

Assyrian Church of the East Records

Writing for Records

Coptic Orthodox Church Records

Writing for Records

Greek Orthodox Church Records

Writing for Records

Maronite Catholic Church Records

Writing for Records

Syriac Orthodox Church Records

Writing for Records

Protestant Church Records

Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records

Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East (including Jordan)

Writing for Records

Historical Background

Anglicans/Episcopalians in Jordan are under the oversight of the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem. The Church of the Redeemer is the largest congregation by membership of any church in the entire Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Other Episcopal churches are in Ashrafiyya, Salt, Zarqa, Marka refugee camp, Irbid, Al Husn and Aqaba.[5]



Assemblies of God Church Records

Writing for Records

Baptist Church Records

Writing for Records

Christian and Missionary Alliance Church Records

Writing for Records

Church of the Nazarene Records

Writing for Records

Evangelical Church Records

Writing for Records

Lutheran Church Records

Writing for Records

Presbyterian Church Records

Writing for Records

Seventh-day Adventist Church Records

Writing for Records

United Pentecostal Church Records

Writing for Records

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Christianity in Jordan", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Jordan, accessed 12 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Religion in Jordan", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Jordan, accessed 12 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jordan", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan, accessed 12 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Catholic Church in Jordan", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Jordan, accessed 12 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Christianity in Jordan", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Jordan, accessed 12 April 2020.
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