Manitoba Church Records

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Historical Background

 * The first Catholic parish was founded at Red River in 1818 by two priests.
 * The Church of England (Anglican) began in the same area in 1820.
 * The Methodists were established at Rossville in 1840.
 * The '''Presbyterians first arrived in Assiniboin in 1851.
 * Baptists, Lutherans, and Mennonites were established in Manitoba in the 1870s as a result of the arrival of large numbers of Germanic and Slavic immigrants.
 * The Congregationalists, Methodists, and some of the Presbyterians were combined in 1925 to form the United Church of Canada.

Information Found in the Records
To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:

Indexes

 * 1800-1959 at FamilySearch; index and images. Incomplete — How to Use this Collection
 * 1834-1959 Manitoba, Canada, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1834-1959 at Ancestry ($)

Lutheran

 * 1800-1946 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1946 at Ancestry ($) - includes Manitoba

Methodist

 * 1828-1910 Web: Canada, Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal Register, 1828-1910 at Ancestry ($)
 * Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal Registers

Look for digital copies of church records listed in the FamilySearch Catalog.

 * The FamilySearch Library (FS Library) has microfilmed and/or digitized records for churches in the Canada.
 * Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the province or a 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 FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
 * To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Canada, Manitoba.
 * b. Click on Places within Canada, Manitoba and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town or the town where the church was, if different.
 * 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. FHL icons.png. 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.
These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.
 * Inventory of Archival Material in Western Manitoba. 'Coates, K.S. and J.C. Everitt, W.R. Morrison, Kempthorne, Roberta, editors. Other locations at WorldCat
 * Guide to the Holdings of the Ecclesiastical Province and Dioceses of Rupert’s Land at WorldCatMacDonald, Wilma. Winnipeg: St. John’s College Press, 1986.

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
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.

Addresses

 * Canadian Church Directory
 * Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.
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 province. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to  Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Provincial Archives
Archives of Manitoba 130-200 Vaughan St. Winnipeg, MB R3C 1T5 Telephone: 204-945-3971 Toll Free (Manitoba only): 1-800-617-3588 E-mail: archives@gov.mb.ca
 * Extracts from registers of baptisms, marriages and burials in Rupert's Land sent to the Governor and Committee
 * Keystone Archives Descriptive Database, incomplete. Enter the name of the denomination.
 * Microfilm and paper copies of records for some Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic churches

Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Service Points Outside Ottawa

Telephone: 613-996-5115 or 1-866-578-7777 (toll-free in Canada and the United States) TTY: 613-992-6969 or 1-866-299-1699 (toll-free in Canada) Fax: 613-995-6274
 * Genealogy and Family History
 * Aurora: Library Search
 * Voilà: Library Search
 * Archives Search Select "Textual material" to limit your search. Keywords: name of place or religious denomination with "church records," "registres de paroisses," "registers of births," "marriage records," "registers of marriages," "death registers," "burials," "baptisms," "baptêmes," "mariages," "sépultures".

Centre du patrimoine
Centre du patrimoine 340 boul. Provencher St. Boniface, Manitoba R2H 0G7 Telephone: (204) 233-4888 Email: [mailto:shsb@shsb.mb.ca shsb@shsb.mb.ca]
 * Collections and Research
 * Managed by the Société historique de Saint-Boniface, the oldest francophone historical society of Western Canada, the Centre du patrimoine is an archives and research centre dedicated to preserving, studying, disseminating and promoting the francophone and Métis history of Manitoba and Western Canada.
 * The genealogical research section holds publications of indexes and microfilms of baptisms, marriages and burials of Quebec and Western Canada parishes. A large vertical file collection on persons or families is also available. A number of databases provide access to indexes of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and some State parish registers, voyageur contracts, some censuses, photographs and archival materials.

Anglican Churches
Anglican Diocese of Brandon Synod Office 403 13th St Brandon, MB R7A 4P9 Canada Phone: 204-727-7550 Fax: 204-727-4135 E-mail: info@brandon.anglican.ca This diocese, which was created in 1913, covers the western third of the province
 * Archives Search Request
 * Congregations

The Anglican Diocese of Keewatin was formed in 1902. It ceased to exist as of July 31, 2014 after the creation of the Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh. The territory of the diocese included north western Ontario and Eastern Manitoba. Some parishes in the southern Ontario region were transferred to the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. The Diocese of Keewatin fonds. — 1846-2014 (50 m textual records and other material) are stored dat the General Synod Archives. The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada 80 Hayden Street Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2 Canada Phone: (416) 924-9192
 * Search Our Collections
 * Diocese of Keewatin Fonds

Diocese of Rupert’s Land Archives 935 Nesbitt Bay Winnipeg, MB R3T 1W6 Phone: 204-992-4203 Fax: 204-992-4219 E-mail: archives@rupertsland.ca This was the first diocese in Manitoba, dating from 1820, when it covered most of what is now Western Canada but today covers central southern Manitoba.
 * Request Form for Information From Parish Registers

Mennonite Records
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Email: [mailto:office@mennonitechurch.ca office@mennonitechurch.ca]
 * The archives have personal and congregation collections. Browse holdings list in the left sidebar.

Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in Canada 1310 Taylor Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Z6 Phone: (888) 669-6575 (Toll-free) or (204) 669-6575 Fax: (204) 654-1865 E-mail:cmbs@mbchurches.ca
 * Genealogies Index
 * Search Engine

Methodist Records
United Church of Canada Archives Conference of Manitoba Northwestern Ontario & All Native Circle Conference The Archives and Record Centre 5th Floor Library University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9 Canada Phone: 204-783-0708 E-mail:ucarchives@uwinnipeg.ca
 * Baptism, Marriage, and Burial Records
 * Application Form for Baptism, Marriage or Burial Record

Roman Catholic Church

 * 1834-1959 Manitoba, Canada, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1834-1959 at Ancestry ($)

151, de la Cathédrale Avenue Winnipeg MB R2H 0H6 Canada Telephone: 204-237-9851 When someone requests a certificate for Church-related purposes, the fee at the Archdiocese is $15. However, when the certificate or information is needed for other purposes, the fee is $75. This fee pays for the research process, but does not guarantee results. Parishes may charge less. Please contact Jeannine, the Chancery assistant, to request a certificate from a closed parish.
 * Archdiocese of St. Boniface Chancery
 * How to obtain various certificates: The Chancery Office receives requests for baptism and marriage certificates, as well as for genealogical information. We recommend that individuals contact the parish directly for such requests. If you don’t know in which parish the sacrament was received, you will need to find this information in order to proceed.  It might well be available through the Centre du patrimoine of the St. Boniface Historical Society.  The Chancery can only produce a certificate when a parish has been closed and its registers are in our vault.

Archdiocese of Keewatin-LePas Archives 76 First Street West P.O. Box 270 The Pas, Manitoba R9A 1K4 Canada Phone: (204) 623-6152 ext 3 Fax: (204) 623-6121 Email: chancery@keepas.ca
 * Requesting Sacramental Records Includes printable request forms.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg Archives 1495 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C6 Telephone: (204) 452-2227 Email: archives@archwinnipeg.ca
 * Archives and Sacramental Records
 * Baptism Sacramental Record Request Form
 * Marriage Sacramental Record Request Form

Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church
Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Telephone: 204-474-7967 Fax: 204-474-7913

United Church of Canada
Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario - United Church of Canada University of Winnipeg Library 515 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 Canada Telephone: 204-783-0708 By appointment only Email:haglund@uwinnipeg.ca
 * The archive holds records of Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches within the region prior to 1925, and of the United Church of Canada after 1925.

Go to the Wiki article for your ancestors' denomination to find more archives.
There are frequently additional, nationwide or regional archives for each denomination. Find the article for your ancestors' denomination and follow the instructions there to access these sources. This is especially important if local archives are not given above.

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.
Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.