Poland, Roman Catholic Church Books - FamilySearch Historical Records

Poland

What is in This Collection?
The earliest Catholic Church records in Poland date from 1537, but very few records exist from the 1500s; many date from the 1600s and 1700s to the present. Starting dates vary depending upon the region.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Polish, Russian, and Latin. For help reading these records see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Poland Language and Languages
 * Polish Genealogical Word List
 * Russia Language and Languages
 * Russian Genealogical Word List
 * Russia Handwriting
 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Reading Polish Handwritten Records
 * Latin for Genealogists
 * Reading Russian Handwritten Records

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptism
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Given name of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Parents' names and occupation of father
 * Legitimacy of child and parents
 * Names of godparents

Birth
 * Name of declarant/father
 * Declarant's age, occupation and residence
 * Name and gender of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Parents' names including maiden name of mother
 * Names of witnesses or godparents, their age, occupation and residence

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Names of groom's parents, including maiden name of mother
 * Bride's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Names of bride's parents, including maiden name of mother
 * Sometimes, birthplaces of bride and groom are given
 * Dates of the marriage banns
 * Witnesses' names, their age and occupation

Death and Burial
 * Date and place of death and burial
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Cause of death
 * Father of deceased and his occupation
 * Sometimes, date and birthplace of deceased
 * Marital status of deceased
 * If married, the name of the spouse

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, record all the entries you find as they may identify relatives

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Poland.
 * Record Finder
 * Poland Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used. Polônia - Livros da Igreja Católica Romana (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)