Utah Church Records
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Historical Background[edit | edit source]
Before 1900, the largest religious groups in Utah were The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Methodists, and Presbyterians.[1]
Information Found in the Records[edit | edit source]
To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:
Finding the Records[edit | edit source]
Look for online records.[edit | edit source]
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.
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Online databases are incomplete. This can lead to two common errors:
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- Utah, FamilySearch, Early Church Information File, 1830-1900 - browse only index.
- Seventy Quorum Membership, 1835–1846, index
- Utah, Church Records, 1915-1972, index and images, incomplete
- Utah, Early Mormon Missionary Database — index and images
Look for digital copies of church records listed in the FamilySearch Catalog.[edit | edit source]
- The Family History Library (FHL) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
- Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
- If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
- 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 records of United States, STATE.
- b. Click on Places within United States, STATE and a list of counties will appear.
- c. Click on your county if it appears.
- d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
- e. Click on Places within United States, STATE [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.
- f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
- g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
- h. 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.
Consult available finding aids.[edit | edit source]
These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.
Correspond with or visit the actual churches.[edit | edit source]
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
- Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
- To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
- Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
- A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
- If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
- See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
- Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.
Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.[edit | edit source]
Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher.
Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.
Reported Membership by Denomination[edit | edit source]
1906[edit | edit source]
| Denomination | Members | PCT |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist | 987 | 0.57% |
| Congregational | 1,174 | 0.68% |
| Methodist Episcopal | 1,537 | 0.89% |
| Presbyterian | 1,902 | 1.10% |
| Protestant Episcopal | 977 | 0.57% |
| Other Protestant | 1,616 | 0.94% |
| Roman Catholic | 8,356 | 4.84% |
| Jewish | 183 | 0.11% |
| Greek Orthodox | 4,500 | 2.60% |
| Latter-day Saint | 151,032 | 87.40% |
| All other | 550 | 0.32% |
Source: United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Religious Bodies : 1906, Part I. "Table 4. Population in 1900 and Communicants or Members for Selected Denominations, For Each State and Territory, by Counties: 1906." Washington, D.C. : Government Printin Office, 1910. p. 364 Google Books edition.
1916[edit | edit source]
| Denomination | Members | PCT |
|---|---|---|
| Adventist | 175 | 0.06% |
| Baptist | 1,305 | 0.46% |
| Congregational | 1,616 | 0.58% |
| Disciples of Christ | 318 | 0.11% |
| German Evangelical Synod | 118 | 0.04% |
| Jewish | 670 | 0.24% |
| Latter-day Saint | 257,719 | 91.76% |
| Reorganized RLDS | 563 | 0.20% |
| Lutheran | 257 | 0.09% |
| Methodist | 1,848 | 0.66% |
| African Methodist Episcopal | 69 | 0.02% |
| Presbyterian | 2,254 | 0.80% |
| Protestant Episcopal | 1,469 | 0.52% |
| Roman Catholic | 10,000 | 3.56% |
| Salvation Army | 111 | 0.04% |
| Swedish Evangelical Free | 71 | 0.03% |
| All other | 2,285 | 0.81% |
Source: United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Religious Bodies 1916, Part I. "Table 62. Statistics of Religious Bodies in Each State, By Denominations: 1916." Washington, D.C. : Government Printing Office, 1919. p. 226 Google Books edition.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)[edit | edit source]
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been the predominant religion in Utah since the pioneers arrived in 1847. Membership records can identify parentage, birth, marriage, death, baptism, priesthood ordination and missionary information along with geographical locations where Latter-day Saint families were living between the1840s-1960s. For more complete information see Tracing Latter-day Saint Ancestors, including Temple records.
Family History Library
35 N. West Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
Phone: 801-240-2584 or 866-406-1830
The Family History Library has copies of ward, branch, district, stake and mission records up to 1948 with a few up to 1977. Copies of the films may be sent to FamilySearch Centers or other libraries with FamilySearch lending.
Church History Library
15 East North Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-1600
Phone: (801) 240-2272 The records The Church History Library has a much broader collection of historical records than the Family History Library.
To locate records of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it helps to use an index. The LDS Family History Suite 2 and the Early Church Information File are two important indexes used to find Church members and other people of Utah. A source that describes events in Church history from 1805 to 1913 is:
- Jenson, Andrew. Church Chronology: A Record of Important Events Pertaining to The History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FHL film 599327 it 2; FHL fiche 6051314; FHL book 289.303 J453c.
The following are a few general sources and histories for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of the sources are indexed in The Pioneer Heritage CD-ROM, LDS Family History Suite, and the Early Church Information File. Some of the complete text is also computerized on the compact disks:
- Jenson, Andrew. Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Publishing Company, 1941. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL film 496776; FHL fiche 6053258; FHL book 289.309 J453e. Index: FHL film 928073 item 8; FHL fiche 6103908; FHL book 289.309 J453ei. This record contains histories of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints units describing when they were organized and if they were created from a different unit. From this you will be able to determine where the membership records are found. Leaders of the area are also listed. Indexed in the Early Church Information File.
- Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1830-1973). Salt Lake City, Utah: Historical Dept., 1969, 1973. FHL films 1259729-795. Films do not circulate to Family History Centers. This collection includes newspaper clippings and extracts from journals, letters, histories, biographies, rosters, and manuscript material. Daily events are arranged chronologically. Also available at the Church History Library and Church Archives. The sets at the Harold B. Lee Library and the Utah Historical Society Library are not as current.
- The Journal History Index is online from the Church History Libraary. (Images of a card index) The microfilm index is cataloged separately in Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The. Historical Department. Index to Journal History. Salt Lake City, Utah: Historical Department, 1973. FHL film 1233503 (first of 58). Films do not circulate to family history centers. This index contains an alphabetical listing of individual names, places, events, and subjects. Each entry gives the date and page where the entry is found in the Journal History films.
- 1877-1918 - Utah LDS Mission Calls and Recommendations 1877-1918 at FamilySearch — index
- Utah, FamilySearch, Early Church Information File, 1830-1900 — index and images
A register listing call numbers for membership records at the Family History Library is:
- Jaussi, Laureen R. and Gloria Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. FHL 129780 book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507
Episcopal[edit | edit source]
Diocese of Utah
80 South 300 East Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Phone: (801) 322-4131
Each parish maintains its own records. The Diocese has records for some discontinued parishes. The Marriott Library at the University of Utah has a collection of their records. The Family History Library has a few records, including the following:
- Episcopal Church, Diocese of Utah. Episcopal Register of the Bishop of Utah (Bishop's Personal Register) 1899-1946, 1951-1967. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975. FHL film 908728. This record has baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials. It covers all of Utah and some areas of eastern Nevada.
Lutheran[edit | edit source]
Rocky Mountain District, LCMS
14334 E. Evans Ave
Aurora, CO 80014
Phone: (303) 695-8001
Fax: (303) 695-4047
Each congregation maintains its own records. The Rocky Mountain District office can help you locate current congregations and provide suggestions for finding the records of discontinued congregations.
South West California Synod / ELCA Region 2 Archives
1300 E. Colorado St.
Glendale, CA 91205
Phone:(818) 937-4761
E-mail: archives@socalsynod.org
- Archives hold records for closed churches. For open churches write directly to the local church.
Methodist[edit | edit source]
Iliff School of Theology
Ira J. Taylor Library Archives
2201 South University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80210
Phone: (303) 744-1287
Fax: (303) 744-3387
United Methodist Church Rocky Mountain
2800 S. University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80710
Phone: (303) 733-3736
Fax: (303) 733-1730
The Methodist church was organized in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 8, 1872.Its history is found in the following:
- Merkel, Henry Martin. History of Methodism in Utah. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Dentan Printing, 1938. FHL book 979.2 K2m. This book has a bibliography and a list of pastors. Each congregation maintains its own records.
- The Ira J. Taylor Archives has the records for some of the discontinued congregations of Utah. Staff there can also help you locate existing congregations. See Iliff School of Theology above.
Presbyterian[edit | edit source]
Presbytery of Utah
342 West 200 South Street Suite 30
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 539-8446
Each Presbyterian congregation maintains its own records. The Presbytery of Utah can help you locate current congregations and will provide suggestions for finding records of discontinued congregations. The Westminster College Library has a miscellaneous collection of Utah Presbyterian records. Their address is:
Westminster College Library
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Phone: (801) 484-7651
A historical society for Presbyterian churches maintains records of discontinued congregations and some current congregations. Their address is:
The Presbyterian Historical Society
425 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516
Phone: (215) 627-1852
For a history of the Presbyterian Church see:
- Murray, Andrew E. The Skyline Synod: Presbyterianism in Colorado and Utah. Denver, Colorado: Golden Bell Press, 1971. FHL book 978.8 K2m. It is indexed by the name of the church. It is a historical account of the church with a list of officials. There are some pictures of church buildings and reverends.
Roman Catholic[edit | edit source]
Diocese of Salt Lake City
27 C Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Phone: (801) 328-8641
Fax: (801) 328-9680
Archives extension: 304
The diocese includes the counties of: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne and Weber.[2]
The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City has records from the early 1870s to the present for all of Utah. The early records are incomplete. Each congregation keeps its records for a few years before sending them to the Pastoral Center.
For a history of the Catholic Church in Utah, see:
- Mooney, Bernice Maher. Salt of the Earth: The History of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, 1776-1987. Salt Lake City, Utah: Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, 1987. FHL book 979.2258 K2m. This gives a history of the church for most Utah congregations. It includes photographs and an index. It gives a historical account and information of church officials, when church buildings were erected, and a list of reverends and their dates of service.
- Catholic Church, Diocese of Salt Lake City. The Official Directory of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Diocese, 1988. FHL book 979.2 K24c. Covers many parts of Utah in addition to Salt Lake City. It has a list of parishes with addresses and maps for Salt Lake City showing the 1988 boundaries. It includes a list of clergy, sisters, and deacons and their wives.
Finding Aids[edit | edit source]
To locate records for other churches, contact the existing congregations in Utah. The Utah State Historical Society and the Marriott Library of the University of Utah have church record collections. The following guide can also help you learn about church records in Utah:
- Historical Records Survey. Inventory of the Church Archives of Utah. Three Volumes. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah Historical Records Survey, 1940. FHL book 979.2 K2h; fiche 6046577. This was prepared as a complete inventory of church records. It contains a history of religion in Utah and has a list of books arranged by the name of the denomination. It also contains an inventory for the various religions
A wiki article describing an online collections is found at:
Utah Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ William Chamberlin Hunt and United States Bureau of the Census, Religious Bodies: 1906 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1910), Vol. 1:364. Digital version at Google Books.
- ↑ Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.
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