Saint Lucia Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Saint Lucia, 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 FamilySearch center or the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * 1751-1793 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * French Overseas Civil Registration and Parish Registers, 1751-1789, index and images.
 * 1590-1928, index; Also at American Ancestors ($), MyHeritage ($)
 * 1790-1906, index
 * 1591-1905, index

Historical Background
About 61.5% of the population is Roman Catholic. Another 25.5% belong to Protestant denominations, (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant 0.9%). Evangelicals comprise 2.3% of the population and 1.1% are Jehovah's Witnesses.

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 Saint Lucia.
 * b. Click on Places within Saint Lucia 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: Saint Lucia

Historical Background
The Catholic Church in St. Lucia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and the curia in Rome. Catholics form roughly a two-thirds majority (61.5%) of the island's population of 163,362 (2004). The entire country comprises a single diocese, the Archdiocese of Castries.

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
In November 1983, missionary work began. The Castries Branch (a small congregation of the Church) was organized in January 1984. By June 1984, about 40 investigators and members were attending meetings. In 1986, missionaries were asked to leave the country by immigration officials in preparation for a visit of Pope John Paul II. Missionaries were not allowed to return following the papal visit. The Castries Branch was discontinued in 1994, but was reorganized in April 2003. Total Church Membership: 377. Congregations: 2.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in Saint Lucia

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Baptist churches in Saint Lucia

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Church of God churches in Saint Lucia

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Jehovah's Witnesses churches in Saint Lucia

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Pentecostal/Evangelical churches in Saint Lucia
 * Google Maps search results for Evangelical churches in Saint Lucia

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Seventh-day Adventist churches in Saint Lucia