Immigrant Churches

Mere affiliation with an ethnic church in America would not be enough to interest us as immigrant origins researchers. However, those churches usually kept records of the sacraments they conducted for their parishioners. The records of these actions—baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and burials—often contain significant information about the people.

The immigrants imported their churches, and their record keeping practices with them. In many European countries, church parishes had been keeping copious, detailed, and comprehensive records since the 1600s. This pattern continued in America.

Often called "ethnic" churches, because they catered to members of a specific ethnic group (Germans, Irish, Norwegians, etc.), these churches often held services in the native language of that group. Therefore, the records are also often in that same language. Indeed, the minister was often trained in that foreign country, at least before acceptable theological schools were established in America.