Online Church Records

  1. If a church still exists, the records may be there.

  2. Find the date of the last known location and use the historic Baltimore Sun to find any moving, merging and closings.

Baltimore County Genealogical Society (BCGS)

The BCGS Church Collection list is on the Library page at
→ http://www.baltimoregenealogysociety.org/BCGShome/library/
Scroll down to CHURCH RECORDS and select from 2 lists.

Maryland State Archives (MSA)

A list of MSA Church collections for Baltimore City is at
→ http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/pages/churches/results.aspx?&county=BC.
If the church of interest has holdings at the Maryland State Archives and they are not available online, you can plan a field trip or contact them at
→ http://msa.maryland.gov/.

Maryland Historical Society (MHS)

The MHS has some collections that the MSA does not have. The Maryland Historical Society has about 200 indexed transcripts of church records and some original records for various denominations. The Society also has the Norris Harris Church Register File. This is a card index to many of the births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and other information found in the Church
Registers. Search their catalog at
→  http://www.mdhs.org/search.

Family History Libraries (FHL)

A list of FHL Church collections for Baltimore City is at
→ https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/results#count=20&query=%2Bkeywords%3ABaltimore%20%2Bkeywords%3AChurch.

If you find a film in their catalog, fill out the online form and it will be sent to a nearby family history center for viewing. Shipping fees should be nominal. The libraries are free and open to the public. Find a nearby FHL at
→ https://familysearch.org/locations

Library of Congress Guide to Maryland Resources.

http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/religion/maryland.html

Baptist Records

 

Catholic Records

Baltimore Archdiocese records were microfilmed twice. In 1977 the Maryland State Archives (MSA) microfilmed about half of the parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. These were as complete as possible. In 1954 almost all the parishes were filmed. A starting point of 1875 was used. If a microfilm is not available at MSA, it is likely to be found at St. Mary’s.

A list of holdings at MSA and St. Mary’s is at the following link:
→ <http://www.stmarys.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/parishes_w_microfilm.pdf>.

Catholic Parish records are available at
Associated Archives
St. Mary’s Seminary & University
5400 Roland Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21210
410-864-4074
It is by appointment only and a $10.00 reading room fee is required.
The online link is
→ http://www.stmarys.edu/archives/genealogy/.

The following records are available at FamilySearch.org:
→ <https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/results#count=20&query=%2Bkeywords%3ABaltimore%20%2Bkeywords%3ACatholic>.

Episcopal Records

 

Jewish Records

 

Lutheran Records

 

Methodist Records (Prepared by Wanda Barnes Hall wanda@clan-hall.com – November 2011)

If the church has merged, you need to know the name of the resulting church. If the church is open, the records should be there. If the records are not at the church, MSA or FHL, then try:

  1. Baltimore Washington United Methodist Archives: www.lovelylanemuseum.org. Some of the records are from
    Ames-Sudbrook
    Dorguth Memorial
    Fort Avenue
    Light Street
    Lowe Memorial
    Monroe Street
    Mt. Vernon-Hampden (most records saved from the 2008 fire)
    Olive Branch, Parlett
    Patterson Memorial
    Payson Street
    Rogers Memorial
    Scott St.-EUB
    South Baltimore Station
    Southwest Christian Parish (Rogers Memorial, Union Square, Wilkens Ave, Frederick Ave)
    Strawbridge
    Union Square & Monroe Street.
    (This list is from the July 2011 Newsletter of the Harford County Genealogical Society)
    General Commission on Archives and History – Methodist: www.gcah.org. There may be a $5.00 fee to copy a memoir.
  2. Maryland Historical Society: MdHS Methodist Records <http://www.mdhs.org/search/node/methodist>.
  3. Daughters of the American Revolution: http://www.dar.org.
Methodist Records at FamilySearch

The site Familysearch.org has the following: Methodist Records
→ <https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/results#count=20&query=%2Bkeywords%3ABaltimore%20%2Bkeywords%3Amethodist>.

Presbyterian Records

 

Reformed Records

NOTE: “Reformed” is used by several denominations.

 

Other Denominations

For now, the user must search for these. In the future we will publish more information.