Church records are the formal documents that churches have kept about their congregations through the years. Churches normally record information about christenings, baptisms, marriages, and burials. The type of information you will find in the records are the name(s) of the individual(s) involved, the date of the event, the location of the event, and the clergyman's name. You may find additional information, such as parents' names (father's full name and mother's maiden name), the names of witnesses to an event, and the individual's (or family's) place of residence.

What is the best place to find church records?

Of course the best place to find church records is at the church itself, if you know the name. You can often find the name of your ancestors' church in memorabilia at home. In addition, some church records are stored in the archives of a particular denomination, or in state or local archives. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has an extensive collection of church records.

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