Trinidad and Tobago Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Trinidad and Tobago, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites

 * 1590-1928 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index; Also at American Ancestors ($), MyHeritage ($)
 * 1790-1906 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1591-1905 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1959-1983 Church book from The Norwegian Seamen's Mission in San Fernando 1959-1983 - Baptisms - images, Digitalarkivet.no
 * 1959-1983 Church book from The Norwegian Seamen's Mission in San Fernando 1959-1983 - Marriages - images, Digitalarkivet.no
 * 1959-1983 Church book from The Norwegian Seamen's Mission in San Fernando 1959-1983 - Deaths and burials - images, Digitalarkivet.no
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Trinidad and Tobago at Findmypast - index & images ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials at Findmypast - index & images ($)

Historical Background
According to the 2011 census, Roman Catholics were the largest single religious group in Trinidad and Tobago with 21.60% of the total population. The Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel denominations were the third largest group with 12.02% of the population. The remaining population is made of various Christian denominations (Spiritual Shouter Baptists (5.67%), Anglicans (5.67%), Seventh-day Adventists (4.09%), Presbyterians or Congregationalists (2.49%), Jehovah's Witnesses (1.47%), other Baptists (1.21%), Methodists (0.65%) and the Moravian Church (0.27%)).

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 FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Trinidad and Tobago.
 * b. Click on Places within Trinidad and Tobago 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.

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: Trinidad and Tobago

Historical Background
The Catholic Church has been present on the island of Trinidad since the 15th century, when the first missionaries arrived here from the Dominican and the Franciscan Religious orders. Missionary ventures to the country launched in the 16th century resulted in the death of a number of missionaries. In 1516, Trinidad was named a territorial abbey, which was the first Catholic structure in Trinidad and Tobago. This Territorial abbey ceased to exist in 1650. The first Catholic church in Trinidad was built in 1591. Capuchins worked there from 1618 to 1803. In 1672, Trinidad and adjacent islands were included in the Diocese of Puerto Rico and in 1790 in the Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana, now Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolivar.

In 1797, Trinidad came under British control and missionary work continued because freedom of worship was granted to Catholics. In 1818, the Apostolic Vicariate of Trinidad was established, and on 30 April 1850 it was elevated to the Archdiocese of Port of Spain in 1850. Constant missionary activity of the Catholic Church only began in 1864 in Trinidad. Only in 1864 did the archbishops begin a serious program of evangelization of the island of Tobago, where other Christian denominations had prospered in the meantime, including Anglicans and Methodists.

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
Members have been in Trinidad and Tobago since 1977. Elizabeth Anne Rogers, a Trinidadian by birth, married a member of the Church, Emil Paul Dopson, in England, in 1974. She was baptized two months later. In 1976, the Dopson family moved back to Trinidad. Liz Dopson wrote a letter to President Spencer W. Kimball, requesting that full-time missionaries be sent to Trinidad. The Trinidad government allowed missionaries to enter the country. The first sacrament meeting (worship service) was held in November 1976. A branch (a small congregation) in Port of Spain was organized 5 June 1980, under the Venezuela Caracas Mission. The area was transferred to the West Indies Mission in September 1983.nThe Trinidad Tobago Mission was created 1 July 1991, but discontinued in 1994. That year the West Indies Mission headquarters was moved from Barbados to Trinidad.Total Church Membership: 3,497. Congregations: 5.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Baptist churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Jehovah's Witnesses churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Methodist churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Moravian churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Pentecostal churches in Trinidad and Tobago
 * Google Maps search results for Evangelical churches in Trinidad and Tobago
 * Google Maps search results for Full Gospel churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Presbyterian churches in Trinidad and Tobago

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Seventh-day Adventist churches in Trinidad and Tobago