Malta, Rabat and Mdina, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes Roman Catholic Church census records (status animarum), household census returns, baptism records, and marriage records for Rabat and Mdina, Malta from 1692-1982. Mdina is also known as Città Vecchia or Città Notabile. Original records are conserved in the archives of the Wignacourt Museum, Rabat, Mal.

These records are preserved in the collection of the Wgnacourt Museum, Rabat, Malta. The Wignacourt Museum is directly correlated with the Parish Church of St. Paul. The Parish of St. Paul was dedicated on September 21, 1726.

Many of these records are in Latin. Please refer to the [Latin Genealogical Word List] if you need help with genealogical terms in Latin.

Record Content
This collection contains the following records: Parish censuses, household census returns, baptisms, and marriages.


 * Parish censuses (status animarum) are lists of baptisms and marriages that took place at a parish. They may contain the following information:

•Names of parishioners (people who attend the church) •Addresses of parishioners •Date of census •Name of priest


 * Household census returns are surveys filled out by parishioners (people who attend the church). They contain the following information:

•Address of the family •The names, birth dates, and birth places of the parents •Place and date of marriage of parents •Profession of father •Names of children and their dates of birth, baptism, and confirmation. •The profession or school of children •Marital status of children


 * Baptism records usually contain the following information:

•Name of child baptized •Name of parents of child •Location of parish (church) •Date of baptism •Name of priest that performed the baptism •Names of witnesses

*Marriage Records usually contain the following information:

•Names of bride and groom •Names of parents of bride •Names of parents of groom •Date and location of marriage •Profession, residency, and origin of bride and groom •Name of priest that performed the wedding •Names of witnesses

Search the Collection
‘’’To search by image:’’’ To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Record Type, Volume and Year Range' category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

‘’’When searching:’’’ As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, as well as some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. For example, it helps to know how many and what kind of children your ancestor had.

Since this collection covers a long period of time, knowing dates of events is also helpful.

Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Latin. For help with reading the records, see the following wiki articles: •[Latin Genealogical Word List]

Related Websites
Helpful advice for researching Roman Catholic Church Records General Information on Malta

Related Wiki Articles
Malta Latin Genealogical Word List

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