Dominican Republic Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in the Dominican Republic, go to the Religious Records page.

FamilySearch

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Ancestry.com

 * Dominican Republic, Civil Births, 1828-1917, ($), browsable images, incomplete.
 * Dominican Republic, Select Baptisms, 1726-1924, ($), index, incomplete.
 * Dominican Republic, Select Marriages, 1743-1929, ($), index, incomplete.
 * Dominican Republic, Select Deaths, 1666-1862, ($), index, incomplete.

MyHeritage

 * Dominican Republic, Baptisms, 1726-1924, ($) dates vary, index, incomplete.
 * Dominican Republic, Marriages, 1743-1929), ($) index, incomplete.
 * Dominican Republic Deaths, 1666-1862, index, incomplete.

=Historical Background= As of 2014, 57% of the population (5.7 million) identified themselves as Roman Catholics and 23% (2.3 million) as Protestants (in Latin American countries, Protestants are often called Evangelicos because they emphasize personal and public evangelising and many are Evangelical Protestant or of a Pentecostal group). From 1896 to 1907, missionaries from the Episcopal, Free Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist and Moravians churches began work in the Dominican Republic. Three percent of the 10.63 million Dominican Republic population are Seventh-day Adventists. Recent immigration as well as proselytizing efforts have brought in other religious groups, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 1.1%. The Dominican Republic has historically granted extensive religious freedom. Protestant denominations active in the Dominican Republic now include:


 * Assembly of God
 * Church of God
 * Baptist
 * Pentecostal
 * Seventh-day Adventist Church
 * Church of the Brethren

Other religions include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Jehovah's Witnesses who have had a growing presence in the country.

Missionaries from the Episcopal Church, the LDS Church, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Seventh-day Adventist church, and various Mennonite churches also travel to the island.

Protestants first came as migrants from North America in the 1820s. West Indian laborers added to their numbers in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. By the 1920s, the various Protestant groups had organized nationally and had established links with North American Evangelical groups. Protestant groups expanded, mainly in the rural areas, during the 1960s and the 1970s. With minor exceptions, relations between Protestants and the Roman Catholic majority were cordial.

=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:
 * baptism date
 * the infant's name,
 * parents' names,
 * father's occupation,
 * status of legitimacy,
 * occasionally, names of grandparents,
 * names of witnesses or godparents, who may be relatives,
 * birth date and place,
 * the family's place of residence,
 * death information, as an added note or signified by a cross.

Marriages
Marriage registers can give:
 * the marriage date and
 * the names of the bride and groom,
 * indicate whether they were single or widowed and
 * their ages,
 * their birth dates and places
 * residences,
 * occupations,
 * birthplaces, and
 * parents' names (after 1800)
 * the names of previous spouses and their death dates,
 * names of witnesses, who might be relatives.

Burials
Burial registers may give: =How to Find Records=
 * the name of the deceased and
 * the date and place of death or burial.
 * the deceased's age,
 * place of residence, and
 * cause of death
 * the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower,
 * deceased's birth date and place and
 * parents' names

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 Dominican Republic.
 * b. Click on Places within Dominican Republic 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 the Spanish Letter Writing Guide for help with composing letters. = 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: Dominican Republic

Historical Background
Within the Dominican Republic the hierarchy consists of:
 * Archdiocese of Santiago de los Caballeros
 * Diocese of La Vega
 * Diocese of Mao-Monte Cristi
 * Diocese of Puerto Plata
 * Diocese of San Francisco de Macorís
 * Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
 * Diocese of Baní
 * Diocese of Barahona
 * Diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higüey
 * Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana
 * Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís
 * Military Ordinariate of the Dominican Republic

More than 90 percent of Dominicans were professed Roman Catholics. In the late 1980s, the church organization included 1 archdiocese, 8 dioceses, and 250 parishes. There were over 500 clergy, more than 70 percent of whom belonged to religious orders. Roman Catholicism is the official religion of the Dominican Republic, established by a Concordat with the Vatican.

=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records=

Online Records
Information is available to current members only for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.

Historical Background
The first Dominican members were converted while living in the United States. They returned to the Dominican Republic in 1978, and missionaries arrived the same year. In one year, more than 350 converts joined the Church. Total Church Membership: 138,539. Congregations: 195

=References=