British Virgin Islands Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in the British Virgin Islands, go to the Religious Records page.

= Online Resources and Websites =
 * Wesleyan Methodist Church records, 1815-1933, images.
 * Episcopal Church records, 1862-1934, images
 * , index
 * , index.
 * , index.


 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, West Indies, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, West Indies, index and images, ($)
 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

=Historical Background= Over 90% of the population who indicated a religious affiliation at the 2010 Census were Christian with the largest individual Christian denominations being Methodist (17.6%), Anglican (12%), Church of God (11%) and Roman Catholic (9%). The Constitution of the British Virgin Islands commences with a professed national belief in God. Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991).

=Information Recorded in the Records= Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which might be found (best case scenario):

Baptisms
In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:

Marriages
Marriage registers can give:

Burials
Burial registers may give:

=How to Find Records=

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Virgin Islands (British).
 * b. Click on Places within Virgin Islands (British ) and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. 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.

Writing for Records
You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * '''Churches in the BVI"

=Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records=

Online Records

 * Episcopal Church records, 1862-1934, images

Writing for Records

 * Episcopal Church Find a Church: British Virgin Islands
 * Google Maps search results for Anglican churches in British Virgin Islands

Historical Background
The Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) which includes both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. In 1917 when the United States bought the Danish West Indies from Denmark, the three Anglican parishes and one mission on the islands were under the Anglican Bishop of Antigua who was part of the Diocese of Barbados. By a Deed of Relinquishment the Archbishop of the West Indies on 24 November 1963 transferred ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Anglican Churches in the British Virgin Islands to the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America.

= Catholic Church Records =

Writing to a Local Parish
To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: British Virgin Islands

Historical Background
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, covering five English-speaking jurisdictions in the Caribbean, including the British Virgin Islands.

=Church of God Church Records=

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Church of God churches in British Virgin Islands

Historical Background
=Methodist Church Records=

Online Records

 * Wesleyan Methodist Church records, 1815-1933, images.

Writing for Records

 * Google Maps search results for Methodist churches in British Virgin Islands

Historical Background
In 1793 in the Tortola Circuit, 1,496 out of 8,000 citizens of the British Virgin Islands were Methodist, 7/8 of whom were slaves. Those numbers were eventually reduced through emigration and natural disasters.

=References=