Manitoba Church Records

Canada Manitoba Church Records

As civil registration of vital statistics was not generally practiced in Canada until provincial governments took responsibility in the late nineteenth century, church records may be consulted for birth, death, or marriage information prior to 1882.

• Civil registration of vital statistics was not generally practiced in Canada until provincial governments took responsibility in the late nineteenth century.
• The first Catholic parish was founded at Red River in 1818 by two priests. The Church of England (Anglican) began in the same area in 1820.
• The Methodists were established at Rossville in 1840.
• The Presbyterians first arrived in Assiniboin in 1851.
• Baptists, Lutherans, and Mennonites were established in Manitoba in the 1870s as a result of the arrival of large numbers of Germanic and Slavic immigrants.
• The Congregationalists, Methodists, and some of the Presbyterians were combined in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada.

A few Church of England, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and United Church of Canada registers are available on microfilm at the Provincial Archives. The Church of England registers are indexed to 1900. For a complete list of Church of England, Roman Catholic, and Presbyterian registers held by the Provincial Archives see “Genealogical Sources in the Province of Manitoba,” Genealogical Journal 8:98.

Copies of various parish registers and other church records may be found in the National Archives of Canada and at the Family History Library.  The Family History Library website is:   http://www.familysearch.org.

Addresses

Many records prior to 1884 as well as most records since then are still located in various parishes and congregations. For more information on the location and availability of these church records, contact Vital Statistics Consumer and Corporate Affairs or contact the appropriate denomination.

Anglican
Diocese of Rupert’s Land
935 Nesbitt Bay
Winnipeg, MB R3T 1W6
Telephone: 204-992-4200
Internet: http://www.rupertsland.ca/

Baptist
The Canadian Baptist Archives
McMaster Divinity College
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1
Telephone: 905-525-9140
Internet: http://www.macdiv.ca/students/baptistarchives.php

Jewish
Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada
C116 - 123 Doncaster Street
Winnipeg, MB R3N 2B2
Phone: 204-477-7461
Fax: 204-477-7465
Internet: http://www.jhcwc.org/archives.htm
Internet: http://www.jhcwc.org/geninst.htm

Lutheran
Lutheran Historical Institute
7100 Ada Boulevard
Edmonton, AB T5B 4E4
Telephone: 780-474-8156
Fax: 780-477-9829
Internet: http://www.lccarchives.ca/

Mennonite
Mennonite Heritage Centre
600 Shaftesbury Boulevard
Winnipeg, MB R3P 0M4
Telephone: 204-888-6781
Fax: 204-831-5675
Internet: http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/

Orthodox
Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
Telephone: 204-474-7967
Fax: 204-474-7913
Internet: http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/archives/collections/subject/ukranian/index.shtml

Presbyterian 
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
50 Wynford Drive
Toronto, ON M3C 1J7
Phone: 800-619-7301
Phone: 416-441-1111
Fax: 416-441-2825
Internet: http://www.presbyterian.ca/archives/contact.html

Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Winnipeg
Catholic Centre
1495 Pembina Highway
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2C6
Phone: 204-452-2227
Fax: 204-453-8179
Internet: http://www.archwinnipeg.ca/index.php

Archdiocese of St. Boniface
151 Avenue de la Cathédrale
St. Boniface, MB R2H 0H6
Phone: 204-237-9851
Fax: 204-231-2652
Internet: http://www.archsaintboniface.ca/

United Church of Canada Archives
Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Archives
The University of Winnipeg Library
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9
Telephone: 204-783-0708
Fax: 204-786-1824
Internet: http://www.united-church.ca/archives/mnwo/home.shtm
(An appointment is recommended.)

Church Records

Church records in Manitoba predate vital statistics records. The first Roman Catholic parish was established in the Red River in 1818 followed by the Church of England (Anglican) in 1820. In 1840 the Methodists came to Rossville, near Norway House, while the Presbyterians arrived in Assiniboine in 1851. As the Germanic people started to arrive in the 1870s the Baptist, Mennonite and Lutheran churches appeared in Manitoba. In 1925 the Congregationalists, Methodists and some of the Presbyterians combined to form the United Church of Canada. Church records may be found in local churches or in the case of closed churches in church archives. Some of the pre-1882 records are available at the Library and Archives Canada and the Archives of Manitoba.

A list of which church records are found in local communities is found in The Inventory of Archival Records in Western Manitoba or Inventory of Archival Records in Eastern Manitoba. Other sources to check for the names of a local church are directories, local histories and newspapers. Do not limit your search to baptism, marriage and burial records, check to see if there are lists of confirmations, communion rolls, family registers and church minutes. Many early church records indicate where people came from including the name of their former church and where it was located. Some early church records may be kept in the language of origin for the church community such as German or any of the Scandinavian languages.

Guides

• Coates, K.S. and J.C. Everitt, W.R. Morrison, Kempthorne, Roberta, editors. Inventory of Archival Material in Western Manitoba. 3 volumes. Brandon, Manitoba: Brandon University Press, 1987-1989.
  

• Everitt, J.C. and Roberta Kempthorne, editors. Inventory of Archival Material Volume IV Eastern Manitoba. Brandon, Manitoba: Brandon University Press, 1991.

Canadian Genealogy Centre

At the Canadian Genealogy Centre site select “Sources by Topic”, then “Births, Marriages and Deaths”. This will take you to a page that describes Parish Registers and provides directions for how to find the list of available church records that can be found if you check the section “genealogy,” then check “church records” and follow the directions for how to find the records by using the “General Inventory” database. Those records found on microfilm can be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Guide

• Campeau, Marielle, compiler and revised by Patricia Birkett.A Checklist of Parish Registers: Répertoire des registers paroissiaux, 1986. 4th edition. Ottawa: National Archives of Canada, 1986.

Library and Archives Canada

The Library and Archives Canada has copies of most of the published marriage indexes for Canada. Their database AMICUS gives you access to the catalogue for the National Library and 1,300 other libraries in Canada.

Family History Library

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has some microfilm copies of church records in Manitoba. Copies of these films can be accessed through any of their FamilySearch Centers worldwide. Check the catalog for details.

Archives of Manitoba

The Archives of Manitoba have microfilm and paper copies of records for some Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic churches, plus All Souls Unitarian and the Shaarey Zedek Jewish Congregation, Winnipeg. Restrictions apply. There are finding aids online for each set of records that provide the names of the parishes, the years covered and the microfilm numbers.

Anglican Churches

There are three Anglican dioceses in Manitoba. If the records you are interested in are not in the local church contact the diocese office for more information about where they may be held.

Anglican Diocese of Brandon
Box 21009 W.E.P.O.
Brandon, Manitoba R7B 3W8<3W8>Telephone: (204) 727-7550
Email: diobran@mts.net

This diocese, which was created in 1913, covers the western third of the province

Anglican Diocese of Keewatin
(Northern Manitoba and Northwest Ontario)
915 Ottawa St.
Keewatin, Ontario P0X 1C0
Telephone: (807) 547-3353
Email:dioceseofkeewatin@shaw.ca

This diocese, which was created in 1899, covers most of Northern Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.

Anglican Diocese of Rupert’s Land
935 Nesbitt Bay
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 1W6
Telephone: (204) 992-4200
Email: general@rupertsland.ca

This was the first diocese in Manitoba, dating from 1820, when it covered most of what is now Western Canada but today covers central southern Manitoba.

Guide

• MacDonald, Wilma. Guide to the Holdings of the Ecclesiastical Province and Dioceses of Rupert’s Land. Winnipeg: St. John’s College Press, 1986.

Baptist Church

Many Baptist congregations have deposited their original records in the Canadian Baptist Archives which is located at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Remember that baptism is only as an adult.

Canadian Baptist Archives
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1
Telephone: (905) 525-9140 Extension 23511
Email: cbarch@mcmaster.ca

Jewish Religious Records

The Genealogical Institute of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada
Suite C140-123 Doncaster Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3N 2B2
Telephone: (204) 477-7460
Email: jewishheritage@jhcwc.org

The genealogical institute has extensive records of Jewish communities, organizations and individuals in Western Canada. The birth, marriage and burial records for 1907-1971 for Shaarey Zedek Synagogue are available for loan from the Archives of Manitoba.

Lutheran Church

To find the current addresses for Lutheran churches contact the following synod addresses:

Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod
201 - 3657 Roblin Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3R 0E2
Telephone: (204) 889-3760
Email: mbnosynod@elcic.ca

Lutheran Church-Canada
3074 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3K 0Y2
Telephone: (204) 895-3433
Toll free: 1- 800-588-4226
Email: info@Lutheranchurch.ca

Central District Lutheran Missouri Synod
1927 Grant Drive
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 4V6
Telephone - Toll-free: 1-800-663-5673

Methodist and Mennonite Church

The records for the Methodist congregations that joined the United Church in 1925 are found in the Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Conference Archives. This centre has records for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Mennonite Church
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
600 Shaftesbury Boulevard
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4
Telephone: (204) 888-6781
Email: office@mennonitechurch.ca

The archives have personal and congregation collections.

Presbyterian Church in Canada

The Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives and Records Office has original church records for several hundred Presbyterian congregations as well as microfilm copies of others. In addition to the church records there are session minutes which often contain births/baptisms and marriages. Communion rolls and registers list members of the congregation.

The Presbyterian Church In Canada Archives and Records Office
50 Wynford Drive
Toronto, Ontario M3C 1J7
Telephone: (416) 441-1111ext. 310
Email: karnold@presbyterian.ca

Roman Catholic Church

Index

• Lareau, Paul J. and Julien Hamelin, compilers. Manitoba Marriages: Mariages du Manitoba. 3 volumes. Ottawa: Centre de généalogie, 1984.

Archdiocese of St. Boniface

Archdiocese of St. Boniface
Centre du patrimoine-records of baptisms, confirmation, marriages and burials
340 boul. Provencher St.
Boniface, Manitoba R2H 0G7
Telephone: (204) 233-4888
Email: shsb@shsb.mb.ca

Guides

• Fortier, Alfred and Agnes Labossiere.Répertoire des mariages du Fort Alexandre et missions, 1878-1955: Fort Alexandre (FTA), Manigotagan, Hole River. Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Société de Saint-Boniface, 1985.
  

• Fortier, Alfred. Répertoire des mariages: Laurier, MB, 1889-1982. Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Société de Saint-Boniface, 1985.
  

• Fortier, Alfred and Yvette Cenerini. Christian Delaquis, Lucille Jamault,Repértoire des mariages de Notre-Dame de-Lourdes, Manitoba, 1891-1982. St.-Leon, Manitoba: La société de historique de Lourdes, 1982.
  

• Fortier, Alfred and Estelle Dupuis. Répertoire des mariages de la paroisse Precieux-San, Saint-Boniface, Manitoba, 1946-1984. Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Société de Saint-Boniface, 1985.
  

• Fortier, Alfred and Agnes Labossiere. Répertoire des mariages: Sacre-Coeur de Winnipeg, 1905 -1970. Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Société de Saint-Boniface, 1985.
  

• Fortier, Alfred and Suzanne Comte.Répertoire des mariages de Saint-Leon, Manitoba, 1879-1982. Saint-Leon, Manitoba: La société historique et généalogique de Saint-Leon, inc., 1982.
  

• Hamelin, Julien, compiler.Répertoire des mariages de Saint-Boniface, 1825-1983. Ottawa: Centre de généalogie, 1985.

Archdiocese of Keewatin-LePas

Archdiocese of Keewatin-LePas
P.O. Box 270
The Pas, Manitoba R9A 1K4
Telephone: (204) 623-6152
Email: chancery@keepas.ca

Guide

• Fortier, Alfred and Yvette Gaudet. Mariages de Le Pas (Manitoba). 1911- 1983. Saint-Boniface, Manitoba: Société de Saint-Boniface, 1985.
  

Archdiocese of Winnipeg

Archdiocese of Winnipeg
1495 Pembina Highway
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C6
Telephone: (204) 452-2227
Email: archives@archwinnipeg.ca

The Archdiocese of Winnipeg has an archive section with guidelines about searching Catholic roots along with a sacramental record release form. Note the fee.

Guide

• Jonasson, Eric. “The Roman Catholic Church in Manitoba and the West.” Generations: The Journal of the Manitoba Genealogical Society 1 (Spring 1976).

Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church

Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church
9 St. John’s Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2W 1G8
Telephone: (204) 586-3093
Email: consistory@uocc.ca

The website has the addresses for eleven Ukrainian Orthodox churches in Manitoba.

United Church of Canada

Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Conference Archives
Rare Book Room
University of Winnipeg Library
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9
Telephone: (204) 783-0708
Email: d.haglund@uwinnipeg.ca

The archive holds records of Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches within the region prior to 1925, and of the United Church of Canada after 1925.

Guides

• Butcher, Dennis L. et al. Prairie Spirit: Perspectives on the Heritage of The United Church of Canada in the West. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1985. Includes A Guide to the United Church Archives, Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario,. by Catherine MacDonald, pp. 333-342.
  

• Guide to Family History Research in the Archival Repositories of the United Church of Canada. Toronto: The Ontario Genealogical Society, 1996.
  

• Individual Charge Indexes to United Church Archives Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Conference: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials. 2 volumes. (43 rural and Winnipeg charges), Winnipeg: Manitoba Genealogical Society, 1996-2000.