Iowa Church Records

Historical Background
Before 1900, the largest religious groups were the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran churches along with The Society of Friends (Quakers) and other small groups were also early settlers.

Information Found in the Records
To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:

Look for online records.

 * 1839-2004 at FamilySearch; index and some images — How to Use this Collection
 * 1830-1950 at FamilySearch; Index — How to Use this Collection
 * 1857-1947 Iowa Births and Christenings Index, 1857-1947 at Ancestry; Index ($)
 * 1837-1987 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection


 * 1809-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: American Ancestors ($), Ancestry ($), MyHeritage ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage ($), index.
 * 1837-1989 at FamilySearch; index — How to Use this Collection


 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch; index — How to Use this Collection
 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: American Ancestors ($), Ancestry ($), MyHeritage ($)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 * Early church vital records, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Iowa at FamilySearch; e-book
 * Record of members, 1882-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1951, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Iowa District at FamilySearch

Dutch Reformed

 * 1639-1989 U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)
 * 1701-1995 U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)
 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)
 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)

Episcopal

 * 1853-1886 Church records, 1853-1886, Episcopal Church. Diocese of Iowa Browse images at FamilySearch

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)
 * 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)
 * 1866-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Methodist

 * Iowa Churches: A File at the Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (online) films 956387–417. This file consists of church histories, names of early members, anniversary programs, and newspaper clippings. It is arranged by towns or by the name of the church.
 * Ministerial Biographies: A File in the Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (online) films 956418–42. These films contain biographies, mainly of Methodist ministers.

Presbyterian

 * 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, index and images, incomplete. at Ancestry ($)

Quakers

 * The William Wade Hinshaw index to Iowa Quaker meeting records at FamilySearch
 * 1800-1950 U.S., Quaker Cemetery Records, 1800-1990, index and images, at Ancestry ($)

Look for digital copies of church records in the FamilySearch Catalog.

 * The FamilySearch Library (FS Library) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
 * Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
 * If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
 * 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 United States, Iowa.
 * b. Click on Places within United States, Iowa and a list of counties will appear.
 * c. Click on your county if it appears.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Click on Places within United States, Iowa [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.
 * f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * h. 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.

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Consult available finding aids.
These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.
 * Iowa History Reference Guide. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1952. This bibliography includes sections about American Indians, immigration, land, government, courts, military, schools, churches, businesses, history, and biographies. It is arranged by subject and has an index. WorldCat
 * Churches and Their History North American Baptist Conference.

Iowa Published Church Records

 * German immigrants in American church records WorldCat
 * German Immigrants in Western Iowa Protestant Church Records
 * German Immigrants in NE Iowa Protestant Church Records
 * German immigrants in American church records. Volume 9, Iowa southeast Protestant

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Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.
Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher.

'''Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to  Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Baptist
Church and Family History Research Assistance for Primitive Baptist Churches in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri Click on county. North American Baptist Conference Heritage Commission 2100 South Summit Avenue Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 Phone:(605) 274-2702 or (605) 274-2731
 * 1750-1899 U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Churches and Their History

Lutheran
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Wartburg Theological Seminary 333 Wartburg Place Dubuque, IA 52001 Phone: (563) 589-0200 Fax: (563) 589-0333

The Wartburg Theological Seminary has Lutheran records from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and upper Michigan. The WTS Archives also contain the documents of the German Lutheran Synod of Iowa, 1854-1930 and the records of antecedent bodies of the ELCA Region 5. Many of the records in this repository can be borrowed for a small fee.


 * ALC Congregations on Microfilm. ALC Archives. Dubuque, Iowa: The Archives, [197-?]. 6330690–93. Fiche 6330690 has records from Iowa. The list is alphabetical by state and then by city.
 * American Lutheran Church Shelf List Index to Their Church Records N. p., 1988. 973 K2aL.
 * Archives hold records for closed churches. For open churches write directly to the local church.

Methodist
Iowa Wesleyan College Library Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641 Phone: (319) 385-6317 Fax: (319) 385-6324

You can find two of the library’s collections in:


 * Iowa Churches: A File at the Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (online) films 956387–417. This file consists of church histories, anniversary programs, and newspaper clippings. It is arranged by towns or by the name of the church.
 * Ministerial Biographies: A File in the Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa (online) films 956418–42. These films contain biographies, mainly of Methodist ministers.

Roman Catholic
Diocese of Davenport Archives 2706 N. Gaines Street Davenport, IA 52804 Phone: (563) 324-1911 Fax: (563) 324-5842
 * Requests for sacramental records are to be made to the parish where the sacrament was celebrated. Use form below.
 * Sacramental Record Request Form (downloadable)


 * To locate sacramental records of parishes that have closed, consult this list of closed parishes and location of their records

The diocese includes the counties of: Appanoose, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington

Diocese of Sioux City Office of Archives and Records 1821 Jackson Street Sioux City, IA 51105 Phone: (712) 255-7933 Fax: (712) 233-7598 The diocese includes the counties of: Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Monona, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, Webster, and Woodbury
 * Request for Research Information
 * To contact the local parish, see: Parish Finder.

Diocese of Des Moines Archives 610 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: (515) 243-7653 Fax: (515) 237-5070
 * First contact the parish where the sacrament took place. If you need further help, a link to the Archivist is on this page.

The diocese includes the counties of: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Lucas, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, Union, Warren and Wayne

Archdiocese of Dubuque Archives Archdiocesan Center 1229 Mt Loretta Ave. Dubuque, IA 52004-0479 Phone: (563) 556-2580
 * Sacramental records (of interest to genealogists & family historians):
 * The Archives office maintains a limited collection of sacramental records.
 * Click here for a list of sacramental records located in the archdiocesan archives. Please note, most sacramental records in the Archdiocese remain at the parish.
 * Click here regarding the location of sacramental records of closed parishes.
 * To contact the local parish, consult: Parish Finder.

The diocese includes the counties of: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Howard, Jackson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Mitchell, Story, Tama, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Worth, and Wright

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.
Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held.

Next, go to the Wiki article for your ancestors' denomination.
There are frequently additional, nationwide or regional archives and online collections for each denomination. Find the article for your ancestors' denomination and follow the instructions there to access these sources.

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.