Samoa Church Records

Online Resources and Websites

Ancestry.com, findmypast.com, and MyHeritage.com can be searched free of charge at your local family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

• Samoa Baptisms, 1863-1940, index, incomplete.
• Samoa, Select Baptisms, 1805-191, index, incomplete, ($). Also at MyHeritage, index, incomplete, ($).
• Samoa Burials, 1895-1970, index, incomplete.
• Samoa, Select Burials, 1895-1970, index, incomplete, ($). Also at MyHeritage, index, incomplete, ($).

• British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, index and images, ($)

• British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages,, index and images, ($)

• British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

Historical Background

Religion in Samoa encompasses a range of groups, but 98% of the population of Samoa is Christian. The following is a distribution of Christian groups as of 2011 (the most recent census available): Congregational Christian (32 percent), Roman Catholic (19 percent), LDS (15 percent), Methodist (14 percent), Assemblies of God (8 percent) and Seventh-day Adventist (4 percent). Groups together constituting less than 5 percent of the population include Jehovah's Witnesses, Congregational Church of Jesus, Nazarene, nondenominational Protestant, Baptist, Worship Centre, Peace Chapel, Samoa Evangelism, Elim Church, 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 Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:

a. Click on the [COUNTRY LINK records of Samoa].

b. Click on Places within Samoa 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 GuideLetter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

• Maps.me Church Listings for Samoa
• Google Maps search results for churches in Samoa

Catholic Church Records

Writing to a Local Parish

To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:

• The Catholic Directory: Samoa

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records

Online Records

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

Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Samoa]

Assembly of God Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Assembly of God churches in Samoa]

Baptist Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Baptist churches in Samoa]

Eastern Orthodox Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Eastern Orthodox churches in Samoa]

Jehovah's Witnesses Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Jehovah's Witnesses churches in Samoa]

Lutheran Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Lutheran churches in Samoa]

Mennonite Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Mennonite churches in Samoa]

Methodist Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Methodist churches in Samoa]

Moravian Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Moravian churches in Samoa]

Nazarene Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Nazarene churches in Samoa]

Pentecostal Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Pentecostal churches in Samoa]

Presbyterian Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Presbyterian churches in Samoa]

Salvation Army Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Salvation Army churches in Samoa]

Seventh-day Adventist Church Records

Writing for Records

• [ Google Maps search results for Seventh-day Adventist churches in Samoa]

United Church of Christ Records

Writing for Records

• Google Maps search results for United Church of Christ in Samoa

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