Illinois, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains church records from 1837 to 1995, from different denominations located in several counties in Illinois. Some representative churches include:
 * St. Paul United Church of Christ (Belleville)
 * St. John's United Church of Christ (Breese)
 * St. Paul United Church of Christ (Barrington)
 * First Zion Evangelical Church (River Forest)
 * Grantfork Evangelical Church (Highland)
 * Emmanuel Methodist Episcopal Church (Dwight)

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * Dates for significant events, such as birth, baptism, marriage, death, and burial
 * The names of parents
 * The names of witnesses, who may be relatives
 * The names of clergy

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The approximate date and or location of the event

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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Search for vital records such as birth, marriage, and death on the state and county level
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Illinois.
 * Illinois Guided Research
 * Illinois Record Finder
 * Illinois Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Illinois Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

Related FamilySearch Catalog
Iowa Missouri
 * Sunny Jane Morton and Harold A. Henderson, CG, How to find your family history in U.S. church records: a genealogist's guide Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 2019 FS Library 973 K27m
 * Illinois, church records : COLLECTION RECORD, 1837-1995
 * Barrington, St. Paul United Church of Christ, 1858-1980
 * Chicago, Adams Street United Evangelical Church Church records, 1888-1928; church history, 1884-1887
 * Chicago, Moreland Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church Records, 1890-1921
 * Chicago, First Italian Methodist Episcopal Church (Chicago, Illinois); Methodist Episcopal Church. Italian Mission, Church Records, 1901-1920
 * Chicago, Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church Records, ca. 1846-1928
 * Chicago, Dickson Street Methodist Episcopal Church Records, ca. 1856-1887
 * Mokena, St. John's United Church of Christ, Church Records, ca. 1856-1933
 * Chicago, Ingleside Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church Records, ca. 1875-1955
 * Chicago, Swedish Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church Records, ca, 1895-1917
 * Chicago, Hyde Park Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church, Membership roll, ca. 1898-1935
 * Dwight, Emmanuel Methodist Episcopal Church records, including baptisms & marriages, 1891-1923
 * Elburn Methodist Episcopal Church Records, 1891-1931
 * Leland Methodist Episcopal Church records and Lee Methodist Church records, 1875-1919
 * La Salle Mission, Methodist Episcopal Church, Membership & baptism records, 1859-1878
 * Piper City, United Presbyterian Church Records, 1867-1894
 * Private register of Rev. Dan Buchmueller, 1890-1954
 * Quincy, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Baptisms, deaths, marriages, confirmations & communion, 1873-1945
 * River Forest, First Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church records, 1868-1943
 * Stone Church, St. Peter's United Church of Christ. Baptisms, marriages, deaths & other records, 1842-1992
 * Sioux City, Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church records, 1893-1934
 * St. Louis, St. James United Church of Christ, Church Records, 1886-1982

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Illinois Historical Records Survey, Division of Community Service Programs, Work Projects Administration. Sponsored by the governor of Illinois, Guide to church vital statistics records in Illinois Chicago, Illinois : Historical Records Survey, 1942

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.