How to Find a Baptismal Record

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.

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It can be extremely difficult to locate a copy of someone's baptismal record, depending on how long ago it was and whether or not the church conducting the baptism maintains good files. You may need to provide a copy of your baptismal record when applying to be married or as your child enters a religious school. In the event no record exists, you may be apply to apply to have a new record created.

Part 1 of 3:

Gathering Facts

Step 1 Ensure you are eligible to receive a copy of the baptismal record." width="460" height="345" />

Be sure you or your child actually was baptized. Some people simply assume that they were because they were too young to remember the event.
You will need to provide proof of your identity and your relationship to the baptized person in order to receive a copy of the baptismal record.

Anabaptist
Baptist
Church of Christ
Reformed Protestantism
Roman Catholic
Jehovah's Witness
Latter-Day Saints

You will need to provide evidence of a name change such as a marriage certificate or a name change certificate from the social security office if you or your child’s name do not match the name listed on the baptismal record.
If your child is adopted you will need to provide proof of the adoption in the form of adoption papers.

Websites like Ancestry.com or Genealogy.com may contain copies of the baptismal record if they have been uploaded by other members of your extended family or someone that knew that family member personally.
If the baptism took place in a country outside the United States, they may have uploaded their baptismal records to an online database.

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Contacting the Church

Some churches may no longer retain copies of baptismal records from many years ago due to space restrictions.
Some churches submit their records to a centralized record keeping location.
Church officials may be able to direct you to the correct place to request a copy of your or your child’s certificate.

Some churches retain their own records as well as submitting them to a parent parish for inclusion in the Baptismal Register.
Churches do not usually maintain baptism databases so you will need to know the exact date of the baptism in order to make finding it possible.

Use the internet to find out what Diocese or alternate authority the church fell under before it closed.
Contact that authority to request a copy of the baptismal record.

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Seeking a Replacement

Many churches will accept witness testimonies in the form of legal affidavits testifying that the witnesses were physically present at the baptism.
You usually need to provide affidavits from at least two witnesses in order to be considered valid.

You may be required to fill out documentation justifying the need for a replacement document to be produced.
You may need to provide evidence that you are a member of the church you are requesting the document from.

Godparents cannot usually be changed after the baptism.
Name changes may be permitted on the form if the name was changed for a reason the church deems legitimate for the purposes of recreating a baptismal record.

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