Newfoundland and Labrador Civil Registration

Online Resources

 * Newfoundland's Grand Banks Parish Records for Newfoundland and Labrador Baptisms, Marriages, Burials.
 * 1753-1893 Index and Images - at FamilySearch
 * 1757-1901 Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1757-1901, index and images, ($)
 * 1793-1945 Images - at FamilySearch
 * 1840-1949 Index and Images - at FamilySearch
 * 1841-1968 Search: Acts of Divorce, 1841-1968 Library and Archives Canada
 * 1850-1949 Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949, index and images, ($)
 * pre-1891 Newfoundland Vital Statistics City of St. John's Pre 1891 Registrations from church records

Introduction
Newfoundland, including the area of Labrador, became a province of Canada in 1949. Official registration of births, marriages, and deaths began in 1891.

'''Until 1948, most vital records were copies of church records. Clergy were required to register the baptisms, marriages, and burials they performed with the civil authorities.''' The collection is not complete as many clergy and churches did not respond to the request of the Department of Public Health and Welfare to transcribe their records. The collection is predominately Protestant as only 6 of the 124 volumes are Roman Catholic. The remainder of the volumes are the records of the Church of England, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian and Reformed Episcopal Churches. They are digitized and indexed in and  Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1757-1901.

By 1948, official death certificates were being prepared by physicians and other medical personnel for the civil authorities.

Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador
Records of this civil registration are available on microfilm at the Archives. All of these records are available online in the listings above.
 * Births - 1891-1899
 * Marriages - 1891-1922
 * Deaths - 1891-1949

The Rooms does not make prints of these records or issue certificates based on the records. Certificates can be obtained from the province’s Vital Statistics Division.

Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador The Rooms 9 Bonaventure Avenue P.O. Box 1800, Station C St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 5P9 Canada Telephone: 709-757-8000 Email: information@therooms.caFax: 709-757-8017

Recent Records
Recent vital statistics for Newfoundland and Labrador are held in the Service Newfoundland, Vital Statistics Division. You need their application form for these events; this can be obtained by writing or on their website:

Digital Government and Service Newfoundland and Labrador Vital Statistics Division P.O. Box 8700 St. John’s, Newfoundland A1B 4J6 Tel: 1-709-729-4834 E-mail:servicenlinfo@gov.nl.ca

Divorce and Adoption

 * Accessing Records Under the Adoption Act, 2013
 * Acts of Divorce, 1841-1968

For Further Reading
Newfoundland and Labrador Birth, Marriage, and Death Records (National Institute)