Solomon Islands Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in the Solomon Islands, go to the Religious Records page.

Historical Background
The religion of Solomon Islands is mainly Christian (comprising about 92% of the population). The main Christian denominations are: the Anglican Church of Melanesia (35%), Roman Catholic' (19%), South Seas Evangelical Church' (17%), United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (11%) and Seventh-day Adventist (10%). Other Christian denominations are Jehovah's Witnesses, New Apostolic Church (80 churches) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

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 Solomon Islands.
 * b. Click on Places within Solomon Islands 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 Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Maps.me Church Listings for Solomon Islands
 * Google Maps search results for churches in Solomon Islands

Writing to a Local Parish
Earlier records can be held at the diocese, with more recent records still kept in the local parish. To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a diocese or local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Solomon Islands

Historical Background
The Catholic Church in Solomon Islands is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are just over 90,000 Catholics in Solomon Islands - just under a quarter of the total population. The country is divided into three dioceses: the Archdiocese of Honiara, the Diocese of Gizo and the Diocese of Auki.

Online Records
Online information is available to current members, 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
The Solomon Islands were dedicated for the preaching of the gospel and missionary work on 10 March 1987. The first missionaries arrived in the islands in February, 1995. President John Gibson of the Papua New Guinea Mission later sent two pidgin-speaking Polynesian missionaries from Papua New Guinea. The Honiara Branch (a small congregation) of the Solomon Islands District of the Papua New Guinea Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized on 4 February 1996. Total Church Membership: 1,240. Congregations: 5.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Solomon Islands

Historical Background
The Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and includes eight dioceses across Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. ACOM was formed in 1861 by Bishop George Selwyn as the Diocese of Melanesia, within the Church of the Province of New Zealand. Today, there are nearly 200,000 Anglicans out of an estimated population of more than 800,000 people in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and a newly formed parish in Nouméa, New Caledonia.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for South Seas Evangelical churches in Solomon Islands

Historical Background
The South Seas Evangelical Church (SSEC) is an evangelical, Pentecostal church in the Solomon Islands. In total, 17% of the population of the Solomon Islands adheres to the church, making it the third most common religious affiliation in the country behind the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the Roman Catholic Church. The SSEC is particularly popular on Malaita, the most populous island, where 47% of its members live; there are also smaller populations in Honiara and elsewhere on Guadalcanal, on Makira, and in other provinces. The organization was founded in 1886 as the "Queensland Kanaka Mission" (QKM) in Queensland, Australia, as an evangelical and non-denominational church targeting Kanakas (labourers at the sugarcane plantations, mostly from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu). Florence Young, the sister of Arthur, Horace and Ernest Young, the owners of the Fairymead plantation on which the mission was located, was largely responsible for the establishment of the mission. The South Seas Evangelical Mission (SSEM) was established in 1904 by Young as a branch of the Queensland Kanaka Mission. Its purpose was to follow the workers back to their homeland, and maintain their religious instruction there.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Pentecostal churches in Solomon Islands

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Seventh-day Adventist churches in Solomon Islands

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for United churches in Solomon Islands
 * Google Maps search results for Methodist churches in Solomon Islands