Canada, Newfoundland Vital Statistics - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains records dating from 1753 to 1893. The records include images of church record transcripts. These records contain baptisms, marriages, and some burials from many churches in the province. Burial records were not systematically gathered for this collection so only a very small number are found in the collection.

Civil registration started in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1891 and 1892. At that time, all clergy were required to register every baptism, marriage, and burial conducted within their jurisdiction. Prior to 1891, no central registry existed, so the only record of a baptism, marriage, or burial was the one held by the church. During the 1930s and 1940s, Sir John Charles Puddester was disturbed that the original parish registers were in bad condition and some of the records had been lost in fires and other disasters. So, he initiated a program of transcribing the pre-1891 church records. Burial records were not requested, although some churches did submit them. The collection contains mostly Protestant records; only 6 of the 124 volumes are Roman Catholic records. Civil registration did not exist in Newfoundland and Labrador until 1891 or 1892. The Newfoundland Registers of Vital Statics were created in order to gather birth and marriage information from churches for the time period before 1891.

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

Baptism
 * Child's name
 * Names of parents
 * Date and place of birth
 * Gender of child
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Religious denomination of child
 * Father's occupation

Marriage
 * Name of groom and bride
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Age of bride and groom
 * Marital Status
 * Occupation
 * Religion Denomination
 * Residence
 * Names of witnesses
 * Officiator at marriage

Burial
 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Age, gender and occupation of deceased
 * Place of birth
 * Religious denomination
 * Burial information

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The name of a relative or 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
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and 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 can help you find possible relatives
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband
 * Search in the FamilySearch Catalog

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

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * The Newfoundland ancestor : quarterly newsletter of Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society, Inc. St. John's, Newfoundland : Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society, c1987- FS Library 971.8 D25n
 * Newfoundland. Department of Public Health and welfare. Registers of Vital Statistics collection, 1753-1893

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.