Brunei Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Brunei, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites
'''Ancestry.com, findmypast.com, and MyHeritage.com can be searched free of charge at your local FamilySearch center or the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969, index ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Brunei, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Brunei, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

Historical Background
According to the CIA World Factbook, 79% of Brunei's population is Muslim. However, other religions also have a considerable foothold in Brunei: 9% of the population is Christian and another 8% is Buddhist. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. The right to practice privately is given to a plethora of religions. Furthermore, some non-Islamic holidays, such as Christmas, are recognized. However, these rights are limited: religious education is controlled, even in private schools, and any non-Islamic religious materials being distributed are subject to confiscation.

Information Recorded in the Records
Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which might be found (best case scenario):

Baptisms
In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:

Marriages
Marriage registers can give:

Burials
Burial registers may give:

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the of Brunei'''.
 * b. Click on Places within Brunei and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Writing for Records
You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Google Maps search results for churches in Brunei

Writing to a Local Parish
Earlier records can be held at the diocese, with more recent records still kept in the local parish. To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a diocese or local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Brunei
 * Google Maps search results for Catholic churches in Brunei

Historical Background
The Catholic Church in Brunei Darussalam is a part of the worldwide Catholic Church, in communion with the pope in Rome. The entire territory of the Church in Brunei is organized as an apostolic vicariate, under the leadership of a bishop.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Brunei