Prince Edward Island Church Records

Church Records

Church records are extremely important genealogical sources. The Public Archives and Records Office holds microfilm copies of the records of many of the churches on the island, including most of the Catholic records before 1891. Baptism records since 1886 are sealed. Records before 1886 are available. The National Archives of Canada also has the early French Catholic records of Notre-Dame (1724–1758) and St-Pierre (1721–1724, 1749–1758) in St-Pierre-du-Nord. A complete list of the churches is found in:


 * Baxter, Angus. In Search of Your Canadian Roots. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989. p. 280. (Family History Library book 971 D27ba.) The Family History Library has several of the National Archives records on film:


 * Prince Edward Island Division of Vital Statistics. Prince Edward Island Card Index to Baptisms Prior to 1886. Charlottetown, P.E.I.: Filmed by the Public Archives of Prince Edward Island, 1983. (On 19 Family History Library films beginning with 1487750.) The index cards are roughly in alphabetical order by surname. This index is available online at www.gov.pe.ca/cca/baptismal. It includes records from the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Free Church of Scotland, United Church and Methodist churches.  The earliest records begin in 1777 and include entries to 1886.  Records from 1886-1923 are currently being entered.


 * Church of Scotland (Prince Edward Island). Church Records, 1853–1926. Charlottetown, P.E.I.: Filmed by the Public Archives of Prince Edward Island, 1978. (Family History Library film 1630116 items 2–11.) These are microfilm copies of original records at the Provincial Archives of Prince Edward Island.


 * Eglise Catholique. Paroisse de l'Ile-St-Jean. Registres Paroissiaux, 1721–1758. Salt Lake City: Filmé par la Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. (Family History Library film 959787 item 2.) These are microfilms of the parish registers of baptisms, marriages, burials for Ile-St-Jean. They were microfilmed from the originals records in the Archives Nationales, Section Outre-Mer, Paris.