Temple Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Temple records sometimes show important clues about Latter-day Saint pioneers and their ancestors that cannot be found in other records. These include the names, birth dates, and birthplaces of parents, grandparents, and other relatives. You can also verify information about an endowment, a sealing to parents, or a sealing to a spouse. During the 19th century many pioneer women received their endowments using their married name and not their maiden name; therefore, you should search for female endowments using both a woman’s maiden name and married name. These records will help you identify ancestors who may still need ordinances, and avoid unnecessary duplication of ordinances for others. You can also find proxy temple ordinances completed by pioneers for their ancestors.

Temple records were created to document completed ordinances. Some ordinances were done in special places other than temples, especially where temples were not available. For example a few proxy baptisms were done in the Mississippi River, and sealings to spouses were done at Winter Quarters in Iowa, and at various places after the pioneers arrived in Utah.

Temple Chronology
The earliest "temple" records are proxy baptisms for the dead performed in the Mississippi River in 1840. Many early Latter-day Saints went to the temple in to receive their own endowments. You can find temple records of sealings to spouse and a few sealings to parents as early as 1846 in Nauvoo. Proxy endowments for the dead began in 1877 in the St. George Temple in Utah. For additional details about early temples see the following Early Temple Record Chronology table. Early Temple Record Chronology

For up-to-date information about all temples see:


 * The official Church website has links to current information about each temple, articles about temples, and a temple list that can be sorted alphabetically, by place, and by dedication date.
 * Church of Jesus Christ Temples, though not the official Church site, also has current information, including photos, articles, temple codes, construction status, maps, and more.

Temple records correctly record the ordinance being performed but other information is not always accurate. For example, if asked for his baptism date, a temple visitor may have depended on his memory to estimate a date. Also when a pioneer ancestor was cut off by his family for joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he or she would have themselves sealed, as a child, to one of the Church Leaders. Where possible, genealogical information listed in temple records should be verified in original records.

Submitting Names for Temple Work - CA 1942
I recently came across a website that had a letter from 1942 describing new policies for submitting temple work. It's interesting the great effort that was taken to avoid duplication in our temple work before computers.

OFFICIAL LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS

Submit Names for Temple Work on Family Group Record

December 11, 1941.

Dear Stake Chairman:

As foreshadowed in our letter of November 3, 1941, it can now be officially announced that the new plan of submitting names for temple work will go into effect January 1, 1942.

After that date all names to be submitted for baptism and endowment are to be copied (preferably typed) on the revised form of family group record. . . . This group record should be brought or mailed to The Index Office, 80 North Main, Salt Lake City, Utah. There it will be censored to see if correctly made out with adequate identification, exact source of information, name of heir, name and address of patron, and other facts called for on the sheet.

If approved by the censor department, this record sheet will be checked at the temple index bureau to determine if any ordinance of baptism or endowment has been previously administered for any person named on the record. If it is discovered, for example, that the husband and two of the children—those named on lines 2 and 5—are already baptized and endowed, the dates of these ordinances with the name of the heir and the relationship of this heir to the dead will be copied in the spaces provided opposite these names. This is so the patron may record these dates in his own family record.

The names of those found to be not endowed will be approved for ordinance work. The Genealogical Society will then make a typewritten copy in duplicate of this group sheet you have sent, one to serve as a temple copy, the other as the archives copy; and the sheet sent in by the patron, with the addition of the ordinance dates and names of heirs inserted, as mentioned above, will be returned to him.

From the typewritten copy we have made, index cards will then be typed in duplicate. The carbon copies will be filed in the index bureau to prevent any other person receiving approval to do ordinance work for these same individuals. The originals will be placed in envelopes bearing the name of the heir, and the name and address of the patron or person who submitted the names. These envelopes will be sent to whichever temple the patron may designate, and held in readiness for baptism and endowment, Both ordinances will be done from the card.

These cards will be photographed at the temple for their temple record after the baptism ordinance, and again after the endowment; then they will be returned to the Genealogical Society of Utah. There dates of baptism and endowment will be entered on the two copies of the group sheet which has been typed. Then these original index cards will be filed in the Index Bureau, replacing the duplicates there, which have now served their purpose of preventing duplication.

When a sufficient number of family group records for one patron are ready for sealing, he will be notified by the Genealogical Society and requested to inform them when and at what temple he will do the sealings, and whether he will provide his own proxies for the sealings. The society will then send the temple copies of these group records, which are ruled so as to be suitable for sealing, directly to the temple so designated. There the names of proxies will be inserted. Following the sealing each group record, bearing now the date of sealing, names of officiator, witnesses and proxies, will be photographed; and then returned to the Genealogical Society. There the sealing date will be recorded on the archives copy. The temple copy will finally be returned to the patron, and he may preserve this complete record, giving dates of baptism, endowment and sealing, as part of his own family record.

Since under the new plan patrons will have to make out only one record form—the revised family group record—emphasis must be placed on how to prepare it correctly. Kindly call together your stake and ward committeemen as soon as possible, and acquaint them with these facts. We enclose enough copies of this letter so there may be one for each ward chairman in your stake. Urge them to make due announcement of the change in their wards.

In the discussion with your workers points may be raised which require these instructions:

1. The complete family should be entered on the group record. If the names of a husband and wife only can be found, submit their names on the sheet; for it is anticipated that later research will reveal the names of all the children, at which time they can be added to the record. Submit the names of all children in a family, including those who died under eight years, and also those who have been previously baptized and endowed and even sealed.

2. Names of isolated individuals un- connected by record as yet with either a father, mother, wife or husband, or child, should be retained by the patron as a subject for further research, until at least one such relative can be given. Exceptional cases will be considered on their merits.

3. Be specific in citing the source of information for facts shown on the group sheet sent in for temple work. If it is a printed volume, give the title of the book and page where this particular record will be found. If from a family record, name the person who compiled it, as “Family Record of George Mason, Jr.” If the data were obtained from a living person, give his name and address. If from a vital record or a parish register, name the town or parish and the record, as “Mansfield Vital Records” or “Norton Parish Register.”

4. The new family group record form may be obtained from the Deseret Book Company, 44 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, at the price of seventy-five cents a hundred, if bought over the counter, or eighty-five cents a hundred if sent by mail postpaid. But the old price of 10c per dozen will continue.

5. The old form of family group record can still be used for private family records or for sending copies of completed records to the Church Record Archives.

Sincerely your brother,

Joseph Fielding Smith,

Church Historian and Recorder.


 * 1) Joseph Fielding Smith, “Official Letter of Instructions,” Improvement Era 45 (January 1942): 45. https://bycommonconsent.com/2012/06/19/genealogy-and-temple-practice-ca-1942/

Terms
When you use temple records, you are likely to see the following key terminology:

Family representative
or F.R.: This usually means the submitter, however, sometimes it refers to the heir.

For the dead
An ordinance performed by a living person acting as a proxy for a dead person.

Heir (or Heiress)
The name of a family member (usually one of the first members of the Church in a family) in whose name temple work was submitted. A small "d" after the name means the heir or heiress is dead.

In the instance of
or inst of : Some temples used these terms as a synonym for heir. In other temples, it means the actual submitter.

Living ordinance
An ordinance performed by an individual during his or her lifetime, even if he or she is now dead.

Licensed Sealing
The couple is at the temple to be married and sealed at the same time.

Previously Married
A couple who were married earlier in a civil ceremony are now at the temple to be sealed.

Proxy
An individual who acts in behalf of a deceased person in receiving temple ordinances.

Signature Books
A register of couples who were married civilly and then sealed in the temple. They signed a signature book and wrote down the date and place of the civil marriage. See "Signature Books" in the "Vital Records" section in the wiki.

Access to Temple Records
Most temple records are available to the public. For example, about 20 percent of temple records have no restrictions and can be used at the Family History Library and at Family History Centers.

About 80 percent of temple records are restricted, especially records that include information about living people. Restricted temple microfilms are housed in the Special Collections room in the Family History Library, on the 2nd floor (northwest corner), and do not circulate to Family History Centers. The hours for Special Collections are 9-11 a.m. and 1-5 p.m. Monday - Friday, closed Saturday and Holidays.

Restricted temple records can be used in Special Collections by Latter-day Saints with a current temple recommend (a limited use temple recommend is also approved). Also, members without a current recommend can bring a letter from their Bishop stating they are a member in good standing. They will also need to have a photo ID to enter Special Collections. Information from Special Collections records is not available by telephone, or through the mail. If you cannot visit Special Collections in person, you can ask a friend or relative with a temple recommend to visit special collections for you, or hire a professional researcher with a temple recommend.

The Membership Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not have access to temple ordinance films. They will, however, provide ordinance information for any member who has died since 1975 and for whom they have verification of death. Telephone the membership department at 801-240-3500 for more information.

General Indexes to Proxy Temple Records
Most temple records are in chronological order. If you do not know the date you will need to use an index.

Family Tree (1840–Current).
Family Tree is part of FamilySearch. In 1969 the Church started listing all new proxy ordinances in the Computer File Index. Later this became the International Genealogical Index. In 1998 the ordinances from the International Genealogical Index were transferred to the Ordinance Index, including all ordinances before 1970 only showing deceased individuals. Then in 2007, new.familysearch.org was created by combining records from the IGI, Ancestral File, and Pedigree Resource File. New FamilySearch became Family Tree and was released to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2012.

Archives Sheets (1942–1969).
This has five million family group record forms submitted for proxy temple work from between 1942 and 1969. The families are listed alphabetically by the father’s name and serve as an index to proxy baptisms, endowments, sealings to spouse, and sealings to parents. These microfilms are not restricted and can be used instead of the restricted ordinance films with the same ordinance dates. For more information see "Family Group Records Collection."

Endowment Index (1842–1970).
This important source is sometimes called the Temple Records Index Bureau or TIB.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Temple Records Index Bureau.Endowment Index, 1842–1969. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973, 1975, 1977–1979, 1991. (On 3081 FHL films beginning with 1267592). It is restricted. This indexes more than 30 million people who received their endowments in life or by proxy from 1842 to 1970. These films are available at Brigham Young University, and in Special Collections at the Family History Library. For more information on how to use this index see:

A Brief Guide to the Temple Records Index Bureau. Revised Edition. Research Papers (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Genealogical Department), Series F, no. 2. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Department, 1976. (FHL book 929.1 G286gs Ser. F No. 2 1976; fiche 6031506). This is a 16-page guide. Online Guide to TIB

Extracts of data from the Nauvoo Temple records for the period of 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846.

Heir Indexes (1840–1958).
Before 1958 each temple also kept separate indexes to proxy ordinances performed in their temple. Proxy baptisms, proxy endowments, proxy sealing to spouse, and sealings to parents each have a separate set of heir index. They index the name of the first member of the family to join the Church. This person is referred to by the term heir (or instance of).

The value of heir indexes. The heir indexes will lead you to early proxy ordinances done for the relatives and ancestors of the heirs. This ordinances may have clues about relationships, names, dates, and places which cannot be found elsewhere.

When to use heir indexes. Heir indexes are a "last resort" because they are not easy to use. It is worthwhile to search heir indexes only if you (1) cannot find an ordinance in the general indexes listed previously, (2) cannot find it in the genealogy sources listed in Latter-day Saint Compiled Genealogies, (3) believe the ordinance was completed, (4) believe you know the temple and approximate date of the ordinance, and (5) can determine who the early converts to the Church were (heirs or the family representatives).

How to determine the heir or family representative. To use an heir index you must determine who the heir is. Sometimes there is more than one. The easiest way to find who the heir might be is to try looking up the name of several ancestors in the Individual Search of the Ordinance Index. Some of the people listed on the right side of the results screen have Re: in front of their name. Anyone with Re: (Relative) by their name is an heir you could search for in an heir index.

How to use heir indexes. After each heir’s name is a list of all the pages where the ordinance work appears for the heir’s family (for the years covered by that index). Use this information to look up the original volume and pages of the proxy temple records. Find the name of the heir in the middle of the page, and then look on the left side to find the deceased individuals for whom proxy ordinances were performed.

Be prepared to search several heir indexes. You will have to search a separate set of heir indexes for each ordinance: baptisms, endowments, sealings to parents, or sealing to spouse. You can also look at heir indexes in several temples.

How to find heir indexes. All proxy ordinance indexes before 1958 are heir indexes (except for proxy endowments to 1898 at the St. George Temple). Heir index microfilm numbers are mentioned in the same FamilySearch Catalog entry as the proxy temple records they index. Look in the Subject Search under:

TEMPLE RECORDS— [TEMPLE]

Proxy Temple Records
If you do not know the temple or the date, use the Ordinance Index to find this information.

Finding Proxy Temple Records (1840–1969)
You can find film numbers for original temple records in the Subject Search of the

FamilySearch Catalog under:

TEMPLE RECORDS— [TEMPLE]

Now look for the ordinance you want to check. At the beginning of the entry, you will find the film numbers for heir indexes to those ordinances. Most proxy ordinance records are on microfilm at the Family History Library, and at Family History Centers, except as noted below.

These volumes also may contain the film numbers for many (but not all) temple record films. ''Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers''. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507).

Proxy Baptisms (1840–Early 1940s).
Proxy baptisms were recorded in registers from the 1840s to the 1940s. The registers may list the following information for the deceased person: name, birth date and place, date of death, when baptized, the name of heir or proxy, and their relationship to this person, by whom baptized, by whom confirmed, the witnesses, and the recorder. Males and females are often listed separately.

Starting in the 1940s microfilms of "Baptismal Certificates/Statements" do not show baptisms and are of no genealogical value. Do not order proxy baptism microfilms after the dates in the following table. After the dates below, the baptism date became part of the endowment record.

Proxy Endowments (1877–Early 1940s).
Proxy endowments were first performed in the St. George Temple in 1877. The endowment registers may list the deceased person’s name, birth date and place, the date of death, date baptized and confirmed, heir or proxy, and their relationship to the deceased, and by whom ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.

Men and women are listed separately. You may need to check the same film in several places or you may need to check separate films.

Proxy Baptisms and Endowments (1940s–1969).
During the 1940s, temples began to use a new recording system without separate registers for proxy baptisms and endowments. Baptismal dates were stamped on the endowment card. When the endowment was completed and the date recorded, these cards were then filmed in chronological order. Men and women are often listed separately. These films may be difficult to use.

You might be more successful if you use the Archive Section instead. The archive sheets have the same information, and are arranged alphabetically by the father’s name. Women would be listed under their father’s or husband’s name. Men may be under their own name or under their father’s name. Rubber stamped dates are considered valid. See Latter-day Saint Compiled Genealogies for more information.

Proxy Sealings to Spouse (Pre-1940s).
Proxy sealings to spouse in this period are restricted, because they included couples where one spouse was alive. These records give the name of the individuals who were sealed, when and where born, when died, the name of heir or proxy, when sealed, by whom, and the witnesses.

Proxy Sealings to Parents (Pre-1940s).
Proxy sealings to parents in this period are restricted, because living and proxy ordinances are mixed together. These registers list the names of persons sealed, when and where born, when died, to whom sealed, the name of the heir or proxy, by whom sealed, the and witnesses.

Proxy Sealings to Spouse and to Parents (1940s–1969).
Proxy sealings for this time period are restricted, because living and proxy ordinances are mixed together. These microfilms contain family group record forms and are difficult to use.

If someone on the sheet was alive. The ordinance records are usually arranged by date of the ordinances. You may have to search the ordinance records name by name.

If everyone on the sheet was dead. For proxy ordinances where everyone on the sheet was dead, use the sheets in the Archive Section instead. The archive sheets have the same information (but not restricted), and are arranged alphabetically by the father’s name. Rubber stamped dates are considered valid. See Latter-day Saint Compiled Genealogies for more information.

Proxy Temple Records (1970–1991)
Ordinances from 1970 to 1991 are difficult to verify. Ordinances were processed using many different systems. Each type was put on a separate set of films. For more information see Laureen Jaussi’s book Genealogy Fundamentals cited fully in "For Further Reading. Chapters 26 to 34, pages 214–324 give a fairly accurate explanation of how to verify ordinance dates in this time period. These chapters also give the history of names processing.

Proxy Temple Records (1991–1996)
Verifying the proxy ordinances after 1991 with a microfilm is not useful. All of the information that is currently available about each ordinance is loaded directly from temple data into the Ordinance Index. This same information is then filmed. The film contains exactly the same information as the Ordinance Index. No additional information is given. The information about who submitted the work, or what source was used, is not available.

Living Temple Records
An ordinance is considered "living" if the person did the ordinance during his or her lifetime. This includes people who are now dead.

Respect Privacy. Please respect the privacy of people who are still living. The best way to do this is to ask a person to help verify her or his own temple ordinances. It is unethical to research the temple ordinance information of another living person without his or her express permission.

Living Baptisms (1829–present)
While most living baptisms are not performed in the temple, baptism is part of the information often verified by submitters before contributing four-generation information to Ancestral File.

Baptisms (Before 1983). See Ward Membership Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more information.

It may seem formidable to locate the birth origins of early converts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also, left unanswered and often "lost" are the numerous early converts, who, after baptism never made it across the ocean, nor across the vast country to re-settle in "Zion" but remained in the country of origin or state. How can these "lost sheep of Israel" be found and their birth origins discovered and it might legitimately be asked:  How may these living baptismal ordinances be discovered, and these early members (spiritually) rescued?

Here are a few steps and points researchers can take and ought to bear in mind, which may lead towards finding such important information as a convert's birth place, birth date, parents' names, place[s] of residence, marriage date and place, burial date and place, and priesthood ordination[s], name[s] of baptizing elders and etc.:

1) Search for earlier recorded baptismal dates by searching for their names in the Family Tree 2) In branch records identified in the Family History Library Catalog/FamilySearch Catalog: Click "Keyword"; type [name of the] State or County or Province; then type "LDS" or "Branch" or "Conference"

3) Most early living baptisms have been captured via indexing and are now included (mostly) in the Family Tree.

4) Some branch records were never microfilmed and thus never indexed, so the original branch membership records must be searched. Those few which have thus far been identified as not having been indexed include--about 25 branches in the City of Nauvoo; approximately 22 branches for Winter Quarters, Nebraska, and around 15 branches in the Missouri Valley; and one or more for possibly South Africa. Many saints passed through these places, and searches ought to be made in these records. They are usually available at the Church History Library and are in the process of being digitally scanned by the Church History Department.

5) Cholera epidemics occurred along the way through the midwest's big cities including St Louis and Kansas City where numerous members were victimized, and died. Cemetery records and death records available at the county court house, and branch records may identify dates of birth, parentage and death details.

For finding additional possible relatives and/or other early converts who may have remained in the state or country of birth origin, here are some tips:

1) Search these individuals and families in (FamilySearch's) the Family Tree

2) Search for other family members or relatives in the records of the local county courthouse or civil/vital registrations of births, marriages and deaths. Key point: type only the surname, and search only the area or region or county for popular names in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints such as "Moroni", "Hyrum", "Brigham", "Joseph Smith", "Parley", "Heber", etc.

3) In census records: search under the known names of family members. By finding them in the census records, you may learn of additional other family members who are not known.

4) Search ancestry.com 's ship passenger lists to determine the names of additional family members who came and may've died before arriving in Utah

Baptisms (After 1983). Information concerning your baptism is only available to you from your current ward or branch clerk. You may also get baptism information for your immediate family if they are under 18, living in your household, unmarried, and in your custody.

Salt Lake Tabernacle Baptisms (1907–1960). Some people living in the Salt Lake Valley were baptized in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Their baptism was recorded in:

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake Tabernacle. Baptisms of the Living, 1907–1960. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1961. (FHL films 241136–40). Names are listed by year and alphabetically by stake. These records are not restricted.

Living Endowment Records (1845–1996)
Records of living endowments in the Nauvoo Temple are not restricted and are available in the Family History Library and to Family History Centers:

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Temple Records Index Bureau. ''Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register: 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846. Salt Lake City, Utah 1974''. (FHL book Q 977.343/N1 K29c; fiche 604126). This is a typescript of handwritten Nauvoo endowment and sealing records. Includes index. Women are usually listed by their married name, and sometimes by their maiden name. This was indexed in the Early Church Information File''. ''

All other endowments for the living are restricted and are only available in the Special Collections room of the Family History Library.

Living Sealing to Spouse Records (1841–1996)
Living sealing films are restricted. The sealing information for the Nauvoo Temple, President’s Office and the Endowment House have been extracted and appear on the Ordinance Index. You may want to view the original records to see if there is additional birth or parent information which does not appear in the Ordinance Index.

It is easy to look in the wrong section for the sealing you need. Check the catalog and the film to see if licensed sealings and previously married entries are:


 * mixed together on one film.
 * on the same film in separate sections, or
 * on separate films.

Also see Signature Books in Latter-day Saint Vital Records.

Living Sealings to Parents Records (1846, 1877–1996)
Sealings to parents are restricted and only available in Special Collections at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. As of September 2012, Special Collections was located on the 2nd floor, in the northwest corner.