Canada, Newfoundland Vital Statistics - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Burial records were not systematically gathered for this collection so only a very small number are found in the collection.

Civil registration started in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1891 and 1892. At that time, all clergy were required to register every baptism, marriage, and burial conducted within their jurisdiction. Prior to 1891, no central registry existed, so the only record of a baptism, marriage, or burial was the one held by the church.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Sir John Charles Puddester was disturbed that the original parish registers were in bad condition and some of the records had been lost in fires and other disasters. So, he initiated a program of transcribing the pre-1891 church records. Burial records were not requested, although some churches did submit them. The collection is not complete because many clergy and churches did not respond to the request. The collection contains mostly Protestant records; only 6 of the 124 volumes are Roman Catholic records.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

This collection contains records dating from 1753 to 1893.

Civil registration did not exist in Newfoundland and Labrador until 1891 or 1892. The Newfoundland Registers of Vital Statics were created in order to gather birth and marriage information from churches for the time period before 1891.

These records are generally reliable, but not all churches and clergy responded to the request for records, so the collection is not complete. Also, because most of the records were handwritten and then copied, there may be transcription errors and mistakes in the spelling of some individuals’ names. It is important to check for alternate and similar spellings.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Digital images of originals housed at various municipal archives throughout Newfoundland.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Baptism Records may contain:


 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Parents' names (often just the father’s name)
 * Name of child
 * Sex of child
 * Date of baptism
 * Religious denomination of child
 * Parishes where baptized

Marriage Records may contain:


 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Name of groom and bride
 * Age (if known)
 * Bachelor or Spinster
 * Occupation
 * Religion Denomination
 * Residence at time of marriage
 * Witnesses for each marriage

Burial Records may contain:


 * Name of Deceased
 * Date of Burial
 * Place of Death
 * Name of Deceased
 * Religious Denomination
 * Age
 * Place of Birth (on some records only)
 * Place of Interment (on some records only)

How to Use the Records
The information in some of these records may not be complete. Because the transcription project was so large and because some of the names in the registers may not have been clearly legible, mistakes may have been made. It is advisable to check the original registers whenever possible.

Beginning Your Search

To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate year of event
 * Place of event

Searching the Images

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "District/Municipality/Town" category ⇒Select the "Church" category ⇒ Select the "Record Type and Years" category which will take you to the images.

Look at each image one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Related Websites

 * Newfoundland Grand Banks - Genealogy
 * Canada Genweb

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada Archives and Libraries
 * Newfoundland History
 * Newfoundland and Labrador Vital Records

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Newfoundland, Vital Statistics, 1753-1893," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org https: accessed 31 March 2011), William Champion and Rosanna Mansfield, September 13, 1874; citing Marriage Records, Flowers Cove, Flowers Cove (Methodist), Marriage 1874-1890, Vol. 95, Image 1, number 2; Newfoundland Department of Public Health and Welfare, Provincial Archives of Newfoundland, St. John's Newfoundland.