Samoa Church Records

Pacific Samoa

Records of births, marriages, and deaths are commonly called “civil registration,” because critical events in a person's life are recorded in them. Church records that contain vital records were made by pastors and priests. They are often called parish registers or church books. They include records of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and burials. In addition, church records may include account books (which record fees for tolling bells, fees for masses for the dead, and so forth), lists of confirmations, lists of members, and family registers.

The following sources are available at the Family History Library:


 * Correspondence and other papers, 1848-1934 Catholic Church. Vicariate of Samoa. Canberra : Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, 1972 (FHL films 1,514,253 and 1,514,254).
 * W. Karl Brewer, Armed With the Spirit: Missionary Experiences in Samoa, Brigham Young University, 1976 (FHL Family History book 921.9614 B758b).
 * Carl R. Harris, Samoa Apia mission history, 1888-1983 (FHL International book 996.14 K2h).
 * Correspondence with the German Administration, Samoa, 1905-1915, Manuscript collection in possession of Congregational Council for World Mission (formerly London Missionary Society) in London; P.M.B. manuscript no. 143 (FHL film 1,514,248).

The Family History Library has a few church records for Samoa. You can determine whether the library has records for the locality your ancestor came from by checking the Locality Search of the FamilySearch Catalog. Look in the catalog under:

SAMOA - CHURCH RECORDS

Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:


 * Samoa Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Samoa Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)