Guyana Church Records

History
Christianity and Hinduism are the dominant religions in Guyana. According to the 2012 census, approximately 63 percent of the population is Christian. The major groupings compose:

=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);
 * Pentecostal, 22.8% of the national population, increasing from 17% in 2002
 * Anglican, 5.2%, decreasing from 7%, and
 * Seventh-day Adventist, 5.4%, increasing from 5% in 2002
 * Roman Catholicism, 7.1%, decreasing from 8,1%
 * Other Christian groups, 20.8%, increasing from 17.9%.

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:

Dutch Church Records

 * Walloon Reformed Church, marriage registers of Demerara and Essequibo, 1758-1811, browsable images.

Anglican Church Records

 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, British Guiana, index and images, ($)


 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, British Guiana, index and images, ($)


 * British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, index and images, ($)

Correspondence Searches
In addition, church records can help with finding your ancestors. The Guyana/British Guiana Genealogical Society explains how you can request church records (usually accompanied by a donation) directly from the churches in Guyana. Generally, records are not digitized and must be manually searched; therefore, the genealogical society suggests telling the church that you are sending it a small donation to help facilitate its search for your ancestor’s records. The genealogical society’s website lists the contact information and holdings of many of the nation’s churches. How Do I Research My Guyanese Heritage? by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Catholic Addresses

 * The Catholic Directory, Guyana

Pentecostal Addresses
About 25% of the Guyana Population are Pentecostal. For addresses of Pentecostal congregations use Google and Google Maps.

Letter Writing Guide
For help with phrasing your requests and composing a courteous letter, use the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy.