Ward Membership Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

You can use membership records to obtain baptismal dates, family relationship information, origins, ordinances and ordinations, and more. Records were kept in various ways over the years so information is inconsistent, and many records do not exist. There are several categories of membership records as noted below.

For membership 1830-1848, see also:


 * Membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830-1848, by Susan Easton Black. Contains alphabetical surname listing of church members during the early years of the Church including vital record information, church and temple information. FHL Book 289.3 Ea85m (50 volumes); microfiche 6031596 (95 fiche).

1840s-1948 and 1907-1983
Records from a Ward's inception to about 1948 are often available. The individual's location is needed to use these records. Start in red Jaussi Volume 2, Section 5-13 (Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507) to identify the ward and then look for the specific records starting in section 5-57 which gives the film number. You can use a Place or keyword search in FamilySearch Catalog, at https://www.familysearch.org/, for further details.

Annual Genealogical Report, Form-E
The “Form Es” were submitted at the end of each year by Ward clerks to the Stake. They were kept concurrently with the membership records. They contain blessings, baptisms, confirmations, priesthood ordinations, marriages, missionaries leaving or returning, divorces, excommunications and deaths.

How to search:

In FamilySearch Catalog, Keyword search on Ward or Branch, or Stake or Mission. If you do not find anything, still search Place - Church Records - look for Form E or Record of Members or any other relevant title such as "Record of members"; if there is a long list of records to look through, do a Find search (Cntrl/F) on "Latter-day". The records are chronological and are not indexed, so must be searched by year.

Most reports after 1948 have not been filmed, but some have been filmed up to 1960 so it is worth looking for them on the FamilySearch Catalog.

Why use? To obtain baptism (and confirmation) dates when the record cannot be located in the IGI, or to obtain or verify details about the ancestor based upon the records that were kept by the ward or branch clerk.

Who created them? The Form E reports were compiled by the stakes for the Presiding Bishop's Office. Reports were compiled by the wards in 1907 and again from 1918-1984. The records are called Form E's in the stakes and Form 42FPs in the mission field.

The Form E records are also-known-as:


 * "Annual genealogical reports of stakes, 1908-1917"
 * "Transcript of ward record," 1912-1916
 * "Transcript of record of members", 1917-1918

Historian's Office record of members: known as the "Minnie Margetts" file
Also called the 'Membership Card Index,' this card file is an index to membership records. It is arranged alphabetically by surname. Check women under their maiden and married surnames. Cards may give: name, date and place of birth, parent's names, date and place of baptism, by whom baptized, priesthood ordinations, residence, emigration and remarks. Film 415443 gives a list of the branches indexed.

The Minnie Margetts file indexes most but not all early English branch records 1839-1913. The following Church units outside of England are also included:

INTERNATIONAL BRANCHES:


 * Mexico, Garcia
 * Australia, Sydney
 * Samoa, Vaiafai

CHURCH UNITS IN THE UNITED STATES:


 * Arizona, Pima and Showlow
 * California
 * Harmony Georgia Conference
 * Iowa
 * Harris Grove Florida Conference
 * South Carolina Conference
 * Utah (Circleville, Escalante, Goshsen, Hyrum, Kaysville, Logan 6th, Midway, Moroni, Parowan 1 and 2, Payson, St. George and Vernal)

A list of the film numbers for the index are found in the FamilySearch Catalog (do a Keyword search for 'Minnie Margetts') and are also listed in volume 2 of Jaussi &amp; Chaston's Register... listed above. The list of films is also available online as Minnie Margetts File on the site Tracing Mormon Pioneers.

1983 to Present
Membership Records are available to the member or his/her immediate family from the Ward Clerk. If this is not possible, they should contact the Membership Department who answers questions related to members and, or membership status of living or deceased persons. Member.support@ldschurch.org 801-240-3500.