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

Historical Background

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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 and
the names of the bride and groom,
indicate whether they were single or widowed and
their ages,
their birth dates and places
residences,
occupations,
birthplaces, and
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 and
the date and place of death or burial.
the deceased's age,
place of residence, and
cause of death
the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower,
deceased's birth date and place and
parents' names

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 records of Guam.

b. Click on Places within Guam 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 the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

Catholic Records

Writing to a Local Parish

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

The Catholic Directory