Cambodia Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Cambodia, 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 family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * French Oversees Cambodia Civil Registration and Parish Records, 1873-1914, index and images.
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Cambodia, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Cambodia, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

Historical Background

 * Today, there are around 20,000 Catholics in Cambodia which represents 0.15% of the total population. There are no dioceses, but there are three territorial jurisdictions - one Apostolic Vicariate and two Apostolic Prefectures.
 * Steinberg reported, also in 1953, that an American Unitarian mission maintained a teacher-training school in Phnom Penh, and Baptist missions functioned in Battambang and Siem Reap provinces. A Christian and Missionary Alliance mission was founded in Cambodia in 1923; by 1962 the mission had converted about 2,000 people.
 * Various Protestant denominations have reported marked growth since the 1990s, and by some current estimates Christians make up 2-3% of Cambodia's population.
 * The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormons) has a growing population in Cambodia. The church's president, Gordon B. Hinckley, officially introduced missionary work to Cambodia on May 29, 1996. The church now has 31 congregations (27 Khmer language and three Vietnamese language, and one international).
 * Jehovah’s Witnesses are present in Cambodia since 1990 and opened their third Kingdom Hall in 2015.

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 Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Cambodia.
 * b. Click on Places within Cambodia 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 French Letter Writing Guide for help with composing letters.
 * Maps.me Listing of Churches in Cambodia

Writing to a Local Parish
To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Cambodia
 * Google Maps search results for Catholic churches in Cambodia

Historical Background
Despite the French colonization in the 19th century, Christianity made little impact in the country. In 1972, there were probably about 20,000 Christians in Cambodia, most of whom were Roman Catholics. Before the repatriation of the Vietnamese in 1970 and 1971, possibly as many as 62,000 Christians lived in Cambodia. According to Vatican statistics, in 1953, members of the Roman Catholic Church in Cambodia numbered 120,000. Today, there are around 20,000 Catholics in Cambodia which represents 0.15% of the total population. There are no dioceses, but there are three territorial jurisdictions - one Apostolic Vicariate and two Apostolic Prefectures.

Online Records
Online church information is available to current members, 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
Many Cambodian refugees from the Vietnam War living in the United States joined the Church in the 1970s. Cambodian branches of the Church were also established in various metropolitan areas in other countries. The government of Cambodia granted legal recognition to the Church on 4 March 1994. Total Church Membership: 14,725. Congregations:29.

Writing for Records

 * [ Google Maps search results for Jehovah's Witnesses churches in Cambodia]