United States, Church Records Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to selected records from various churches for the years 1764 to 1982.

The states represented are:


 * Illinois
 * Iowa
 * Kansas
 * Kentucky
 * Maryland
 * Ohio
 * Pennsylvania
 * Tennessee

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The index generally lists:


 * Names of primary individuals
 * Religion
 * Event date and place

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * The name of your ancestor.
 * The date an event took place.
 * The place where the event happened.
 * The names of family members and their relationships.

Search the Index
Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s church record in the index, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found in the index to search the actual church records.
 * Use the information found to search for the family in census records.
 * Use the information found to search for the family in additional county and state records.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records. If you know where your ancestor lived, check with the societies in that area.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals who may be part of your family.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.


 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.