Indonesia Church Records

Asia Indonesia

Church records (Daftar gerja)
Research use: Usually information given is quite complete and identifies parents and often grandparents and other relationships. There are gaps, however, in many parish registers.

Record type: Births or baptisms, marriages, marriage proclamations, deaths or burials, confirmations, church censuses and memberships.

Time period: 1579-present. Registers may exist for the following denominations:


 * Roman Catholic (Igreja Católica) 1579-
 * Dutch Reformed (Nederlandse Hervormd) 1595-
 * Indonesian Christian Church (Gereja Kristen) 1844-
 * German Lutheran (Evangelisch-Lutherische) 1861-
 * Baptist 1900-
 * Methodist 1900-
 * Protestant Episcopal 1901-

Other religious groups in Indonesia:


 * Islam (Muslim immigrants and converts 11th-15th centuries)
 * Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian (Chinese have maintained a strong presence in Indonesia since the 16th century, but many more arrived in the 19th century).
 * Hindu (Strong influence in early centuries, declined with advance of Islam).

Contents: Baptismal records: Baptism dates; children’s names; parents’ residence and names (sometimes mother's maiden name is given); witnesses’ and godparents’ names, and sometimes their residence and relationship to infants; sometimes grandparents’ names. Marriage records: Candidates’ names; marriage and/or proclamation dates; often birth places, residence, witnesses, former spouses and parents’ names. Death/burial records: Name of deceased; burial date; often age and cause of death; residence; spouse’s name, especially for women; parents’ names for deceased children. Confirmation records: Children were confirmed between the ages of 5 and 15. Candidates name, age, residence and father’s name. Church censuses, membership lists: Names of married couples, their ages or birth dates and places, sometimes marriage dates, childrens’ names, ages or birth dates, death or burial dates of children. Sometimes marriage dates and names of spouses of children are given.

Location: Diocese and parish archives.

Reliability: Good.

Muslim marriage records (Surat kawin Muslim)
Research use: Family linkage material. Particularly valuable prior to 1945.

Record type: Marriage information.

Time Period: 1800-present.

Content: Name of husband and wife, marriage and birth dates of couple, names of parents.

Location: Local offices of Islamic affairs.

Reliability: Good.

Accessibility: Personal visit.