Iowa, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to selected birth and baptism records. The collection covers the years 1837 to 1987.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The index may contain the following information:
 * Name of child
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Parent's names
 * Film number
 * Digital folder number
 * Image number

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The name of a parent or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses. Witnesses were usually family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records were kept years before counties began keeping records. They are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"Iowa, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1837-1987." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Citing multiple archives, United States.
 * Collection Citation: