Chile Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Chile, go to the Religious Records page. =Online Resources and Websites= Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast records can be searched free of charge at a Family history Center near you.
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 * , FamilySearch, index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Select Baptisms, 1585-1932, Ancestry.com, ($) index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Baptisms, 1585-1932, MyHeritage, ($), index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * , Family Search, index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Select Marriages, 1579-1930, Ancestry.com, ($) index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Marriages, 1579-1930, MyHeritage, ($), index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * , FamilySearch, index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Select Deaths, 1700-1920, Ancestry.com, ($) index, incomplete, dates vary.
 * Chile, Deaths, 1700-1920, MyHeritage, ($), index, incomplete, dates vary.


 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages,, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

=Historical Background= The declining majority religion in Chile, according to a 2019 survey Encuesta Nacional Bicentenario, is still Christianity (63%), with an estimated 45% of Chileans belonging to the Catholic Church, 32% not religiously affiliated, 18% to Protestant or Evangelical churches and 5% to any other religion. The religiously unaffiliated population (32%) includes: atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion.

Protestants represent 13% of Chilean people. Protestants first arrived in the first half of the nineteenth century, with American missionary David Trumbull and with German immigrants from Protestant parts of Germany, mainly Lutherans. Later came Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and other Protestant Christians. Seventh-Day Adventist missionaries first arrived in 1895.

=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:

=How to Find Records=

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 Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Chile.
 * b. Click on Places within Chile 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 the Spanish Letter Writing Guide for help with composing letters.

= Catholic Church Records =

Writing to a Local Parish
To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Chile

Historical Background
There are about nine million Catholics - around 58% of the total population. There are 5 archdioceses, 18 dioceses, 2 territorial prelatures, 1 apostolic vicariate, 1 military ordinariate and a personal prelature.

Catholicism was introduced by priests with the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century. Most of the native population in the northern and central regions was evangelized by 1650. The southern area proved more difficult. In the 20th century, church expansion was impeded by a shortage of clergy and government control.

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

Online Records
Information is available to current members only for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.

Historical Background
Church President David O. McKay visited expatriate Church members in Santiago in 1954. On May 26, 1956, Chile became part of the Argentine Mission, and the first Chilean branch was organized in Santiago on July 5. The Chile Mission was organized on October 8, 1961, with 1,100 members. When the first stake (diocese) was organized 11 years later, with Carlos A. Cifuentes as president, membership had grown to more than 20,000 members.

Total Church Membership (2020): 595,526. Congregations: 590.

=References=