Madagascar Church Records

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Madagascar

Church Records

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

Online Resources and Websites

• 1807-1914 Madagascar Civil Registration and Parish Registers, 1807-1914 at iREL - index & images
• 1800s-1900sHenri Maurel database of parish registers at Cercle de Généalogie Maurice - Rodrigues - index
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Madagascar at Findmypast - index & images ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Africa at Findmypast - index & images ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Africa at Findmypast - index & images ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Madagascar at Findmypast - index & images ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials at Findmypast - index & images ($)

Historical Background

According to the U.S. Department of State in 2011, 41% of Madagascans practiced Christianity; these numbers were drawn from the 1993 census. According to the Pew Research Center in 2010, 85% of the population now practiced Christianity. The Malagasy Council of Churches comprises the four oldest and most prominent Christian denominations of Madagascar: Roman Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, Lutheran, and Anglican.

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 Madagascar.

b. Click on Places within Madagascar 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. . 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 French Letter Writing Guide for help with composing letters.

Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records

Writing for Records

• Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Madagascar
• Antananarivo Episcopal Diocese
• Fianarantsoa Episcopal Diocese
• Toliara Episcopal Diocese
• Antsiranana Episcopal Diocese
• Mahajanga Episcopal Diocese
• Toamasina Episcopal Diocese

Catholic Church Records

Writing to a Local Parish

Earlier records can be held at the diocese, with more recent records still kept in the local parish. To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a diocese or local parish, consult:

• The Catholic Directory: Madagascar

Historical Background

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

About one quarter of the population of Madagascar is Catholic – about four million adherents in total. There are 21 dioceses including five archdioceses.

Writing for Records

Church of Jesus Christ (FJKM)
Eglise de Jésus-Christ à Madagascar
BP 623 Analakely
ANTANANARIVO
101 Madagascar

Telephone: +261 20 22 26845, 30253, 33775
Fax: +261 20 22 26372, 27033
Email: commfjkm@wanadoo.mg

• Website

Historical Background

After 18 years of negotiations, the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar was founded in 1968 through the union of three churches which arose out of the work of the London Missionary Society, the Paris Missionary Society and the Friends Foreign Mission Association. The first missionaries sent by the London Missionary Society landed in the country in 1818. Between 1820 and 1835 some schools were opened, the first church was founded and the entire Bible was translated into Malagasy. For a period up to 1861 the missionaries were unwelcome. In 1862, LMS missionaries were allowed back in Antananarivo. When they came, they found a very active indigenous church. In 1864, a small group of Quakers came to work in cooperation with the LMS. They finally constituted a "Friends Church" in the south-west of the capital. The Society of Evangelical Missions (Paris) did not arrive until the French conquest of the country in 1896.

The FJKM is the largest Protestant church in the country. The offices of the church are situated in the capital, Antananarivo. At the national level, the church maintains close contact with the Lutheran Church, with which FJKM has been in partnership since 1913 through the Federation of Protestant Churches. Together with the Roman Catholic, the Anglican and the Lutheran churches, the FJKM founded the Christian Council in 1980, a significant expression of Christian solidarity and integrity in the country.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records

Online Records

Online information is available to current members, for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.

Historical Background

The first member in Madagascar was Razanapanala Rameandricso, who was baptized in Bordeaux, France, in 1986. He returned to Madagascar in 1989 and began teaching the gospel to a small group of people in his home. He contacted President Girard Giraud-Carrier of the Mascarene Islands Mission, who visited near the end of 1990. The first five converts were baptized during this visit. The Church received legal status in Madagascar on 13 July 1993. The Madagascar Antananarivo Mission was created on 1 July 1998. On 9 May 1999 a mission home that also served as a meetinghouse was dedicated in the capital city of Antananarivo. In 17 September 2000, the Antananarivo Madagascar Stake was created.

Eastern Orthodox Church Records

Dioceses and Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria and of All Africa

Madagascar is included in the Archdiocese of Madagascar.

Lutheran Church Records

Writing for Records

• Google Maps search results for Lutheran churches in Madagascar

Historical Background

The Malagasy Lutheran Church (in Malagasy it is known as FLM: Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy) is one of the most important Christian churches in Madagascar, established in 1950 by the unification of 1,800 Lutheran congregations in central and southern Madagascar. The oldest of these congregations was founded in the early 19th century with the arrival of missionaries from the Norwegian Missionary Society (NMS). With almost 3 million baptized members, it is the third largest church in Madagascar and is one of the fastest growing Lutheran churches in the world.

The Malagasy Lutheran Church (Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy) is a member of The Lutheran World Federation. The church traces its roots back to the arrival of Norwegian missionaries in 1863. It was formally established as an independent church in 1950, with 1,800 congregations and 180,000 members. Today, the church has a membership of almost 4 million members, which makes it one of the largest Lutheran churches in the world. The Malagasy Lutheran Church places a high priority on evangelism, social ministry and leadership development.