Türkiye Church Records

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For information about records for non-Christian religions in Türkiye (Turkey), go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites[edit | edit source]

Armenian Apostolic Church[edit | edit source]

Armenian Catholic Church[edit | edit source]

  • 1830-1922 Church records, 1830-1922(*); Armenian Catholic Church (Bursa, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1830-1931 Church records, 1830-1931(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Krikor Loossavorich (Kütahya, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1830-1953 Church records, 1830-1953(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Archbishopric of Istanbul at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1830-1979 Church records, 1830-1979(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Terez (Ankara) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1831-1974 Church records, 1831-1974(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Pergich (Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1831-1980 Church records, 1831-1980(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Astvadzadzin (Beyoğlu, Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1840-1965 Church records, 1840-1965(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Krikor Loossavorich (Ortaköy, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1846-1966 Church records, 1846-1966(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Boghos (Büyükdere, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1847-1980 Church records, 1847-1980(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Astvadzadzin (Samatya, Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1847-1980 Church records, 1847-1980(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Hovhannes Vosgeperan (Taksim, Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1848-1941 Church records, 1848-1941(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Hovhannes (Yeniköy, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1848-1941 Church records, 1848-1941(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Yerrortutiun (Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1862-1975 Church records, 1862-1975(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Astvadzadzin (Büyükada, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1871-1939 Church records, 1871-1939(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Anton (Tarabya, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1916-1959 Church records, 1916-1959(*); Armenian Catholic Church. Surp Hagop (Istanbul) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1919-1932 Church records, 1919-1932(*); Armenian Catholic Church (Mardin, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Armenian Evangelical Church[edit | edit source]

Catholic Church[edit | edit source]

Church of Greece[edit | edit source]

  • 1751-1924 Parish registers, 1751-1924(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Mitropolis of Kayseri (Kayseri, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1771-1924 Parish registers, 1771-1924(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Ismil (Ismil, Konya, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1831-1846 Parish registers, 1831-1846(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Agios Georgios (Iskilip, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1834-1855 Parish registers, 1834-1855(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Andronikio (Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1834-1880 Parish registers, 1834-1880(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Kermyros (Kermyros, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1834-1914 Parish registers, 1834-1914(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Fertek (Fertek, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1835-1922 Parish registers, 1835-1922(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Yperagia Theotokos Çihanpaşa (Çihanpaşa, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1842-1924 Parish registers, 1842-1924(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Kerkemele (Kerkemele, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1850-1907 Parish registers, 1850-1907(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Agios Nikolaos (Caksor, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1852-1922 Parish registers, 1852-1922(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Moutalakes (Kayseri, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1858-1922 Parish registers, 1858-1922(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Mersin (Içel, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1866-1892 Parish registers, 1866-1892(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Panagia (Iskilip, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1868-1891 Parish registers, 1868-1891(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Trabzon (Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1872-1920 Parish registers, 1872-1920(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Yperagia Theotokos Koimisis Tokat (Niksa, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1875-1924 Parish registers, 1875-1924(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Adana (Adana, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1877-1922 Parish registers, 1877-1922(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Tirilye (Bursa, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1880-1913 Parish registers, 1880-1913(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Enne (Anneköy, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1880-1924 Parish registers, 1880-1924(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Niğde (Niğde, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1883-1887 Parish registers, 1883-1887(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Inebolu (Kastamonu, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1889-1905 Parish registers, 1889-1905(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Panagia Pefaneromeni(Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1890-1905 Parish registers, 1890-1905(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Agios Georgios (Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1890-1914 Parish registers, 1890-1914(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Agios Athanasios (Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1892-1903 Parish registers, 1892-1903(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Tuanon (Tuanon, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1895-1923 Parish registers, 1895-1923(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Eastern Thrace (Thrace, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1897-1922 Parish registers, 1897-1922(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Bandirma (Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1899-1923 Parish registers, 1899-1923(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Unknown community of Bursa (Bursa, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1904 Parish registers, 1904(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Aravissou (Gulşehir, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1905-1912 Parish registers, 1905-1912(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Agios Georgios (Irakleia or Marmaraereğl and Raidestosorte dağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1905-1912 Parish registers, 1905-1912(*); Church of Greece. City Cathedral (towns of Rodosto,Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1905-1914 Parish registers, 1905-1914(*); Church of Greece. City Cathedral (towns of Rodosto,Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1906-1912 Parish registers, 1906-1912(*); Church of Greece. City Cathedral (towns of Rodosto,Tekirdağ, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1906-1914 Parish registers, 1906-1914(*); Church of Greece. City Cathedral (Tekirdag̮, Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • 1908-1921 Parish registers, 1908-1921(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Tarsus (Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
  • Parish registers,(*); Church of Greece. Parish of Diyarbakir (Turkey) at FamilySearch Catalog - images


Historical Background[edit | edit source]

The BBC reported in 2014 that Türkiye's Christian population had declined from 20% to 0.2% since 1914.

Today the Christian population of Türkiye is estimated at around 200,000- 320,000 Christians.[5][46] 35,000 Catholics of varying ethnicities, 25,000 ethnic Assyrians, (mostly followers of the Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox Church and Chaldean Catholic Church), up to 22,000 Greeks (3,000–4,000 Greek Orthodox, 15,000–18,000 Antiochian Greeks) and smaller numbers of Bulgarians, Georgians, and Protestants of various ethnicities.

According to Bekir Bozdağ, Deputy Prime Minister of Türkiye, there were 349 active churches in Türkiye in October 2012: 140 Greek, 58 Assyrian and 52 Armenian.

By the 21st-century, Türkiye's Greek Orthodox population had declined to only around 2,000–3,000. There are between 40,000 and 70,000 Christian Armenian citizens of Türkiye.

The largest Christian population in Türkiye is in Istanbul, which has a large community of Armenians and Greeks. Istanbul is also where the Patriarchate of Greek Orthodox Christianity is located. Antioch, located in Türkiye's Hatay province, is the original seat of the namesake Antiochian Orthodox Church, but is now the titular see. The area, known for having ethnic diversity and large Christian community, has 7,000 Christians and 14 active churches. The city has one of the oldest churches in the world as well, called the Church of St Peter, which is said to have been founded by the Saint himself.

Tur Abdin is a large area with a multitude of mostly Syriac Orthodox churches, monasteries and ruins. Settlements in Tur Abdin include Midyat. The Christian community in Midyat is supplemented by a refugee community from Syria and has four operating churches. Some of the most significant Syriac churches and monasteries in existence are in or near Midyat including Mor Gabriel Monastery and the Saffron Monastery.

The Syriac Orthodox Church has a strong presence in Mardin.

By some estimates, in the early 2000s there were between 10,000 and 20,000 Catholics and Protestants in Türkiye.[1]

Information Recorded in the Records[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]

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 Türkiye.
b. Click on Places within Türkiye 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[edit | edit source]

You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. Use Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters. Then, use a Turkish translation service.

Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records[edit | edit source]

Writing for Records[edit | edit source]

Historical Background[edit | edit source]

The Anglicans in Türkiye form part of the Eastern Archdeaconry of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe.

Armenian Churches (mixed denominations, Catholic, Orthodox, Evanelical) Records[edit | edit source]

Chaldean Catholic Church[edit | edit source]

Greek Orthodox[edit | edit source]

Protestants[edit | edit source]

Roman or Latin Catholic Church Records[edit | edit source]

Roman Catholic dioceses in Turkey













Syriac Catholic Church[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Christianity in Turkey", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Turkey, accessed 13 April 2020.

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