The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Census Records (Worldwide) - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Church census records include censuses for the years 1914, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1950, 1955, and 1960. Included with the 1914-1935 census are some delayed birth certificates which originated in the Church Historian's Office and a few Salt Lake Granite Stake genealogical survey cards. The records are arranged alphabetically by the head of the household. Microfilm of original records in the LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah. Each image contains one family. Mother and Father are usually called out as such or as "Parents" then children are listed. The father will be the head of the household. All forms are filed alphabetically according to the head of the family. If the head of the family was a widow, the form is filed under her name if the name of her former husband is not given. If several children are living away from home and have been entered upon a census form as children with no parents shown, the form is filed under the name of the first listed person. The forms for widows usually have the surname of the husband in the upper right-hand corner and that is the name under which the form is filed. All the forms for the same family have been placed together whenever possible. The entire family, with the name of each member living with the family at the time of the census, is given. In many cases, the names of the husbands were not given if they were not members of the church. In these cases, the forms are filed under the married name of the wife. However, if the name of the husband is known, the form is filed in the regular manner whether he was a member of the church or not.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Family name
 * Ward or Branch
 * Stake or Mission
 * Address
 * Mother and father's name, date and place of birth
 * Children name, sex, date and place of birth
 * Branch record number

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

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?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find church and vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family
 * Church Records were kept years before counties began keeping records. They are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well
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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.