Mormon Genealogy Record

by Becky Garrison ~ Last Updated:

One of the organizations which have the greatest influence in genealogy growth is the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.). Their special reasons for doing research are associated with their ancestor's proxy baptisms. In fact, they publicly open their staggeringly huge databases through their FamilySearch website, their Salt Lake City's Central Library, and their Family History Centers.

Anyone can utilize the Family History Centers located in the towns across the country. LDS members contribute a big part on the creation of IGI (International Genealogical Index), which is a main surname index of records in the parish, accessible at the Family History Centers and Mormon website.

The Mormons website is the FamilySearch.com. Although biased on the church members needs, this site provides significant information to trace your ancestors. You may find the website too detailed and big because it serves dedicated researchers, church members, and general public.

FHC (Family History Center) Visits

Every genealogist, if given the chance, would love to visit the well known Family History Library of the Mormons in Salt Lake City. However, this is not always possible. Through the Family History Center (FHC), this conflict was solved.

There are more than 3,400 FHCs opened under the Family History Library. These branches operate in sixty four countries providing over 100 thousand microfilm rolls circulating on the FHCs each month.

These records contain vital, land, census, immigration, church, and probate records. Moreover, other valuable genealogical records are also included. All main cities and numerous smaller communities have FHCs. So, it is very accessible.

Using any FHCs is free. The public is really welcome. Community and church volunteers are ready to answer queries and offer assistance. Generally, the Family History Centers are funded and staffed by local congregations of the church, thus these is typically housed in church buildings. FHCs are satellite libraries containing volumes of resources to aid people in their genealogy research. It includes genealogy records, family histories, genealogy maps and books, and family tree databases.

The majority of FHCs houses large numbers of microfiche, microfilm, and books in its permanent collections, open for viewing anytime. However, most records of interest may not be available sometimes at local FHCs. These records need to be requested on loans by an FHC volunteer to the Family History Library. Borrowing materials entails paying for about 3 to 5 dollars per film.

After the request, these records will normally take 2 to 5 weeks before it arrives at the local FHCs. These records remain at the local FHCs for three weeks for the researcher to view before returning to the Family History Library.

Guidelines on how to request records from the Family History Center

- The researcher can renew their loan if more time is needed.

- Any requested microfiche records can stay at the local FHC through permanent loans.

- Renewal of microfilm rolls twice or paid within three rental periods can remain at the local FHCs as permanent loans.

- Permanent loans are arranged from the start by asking the Family History Center volunteer and paying the whole three rental period.

- Books from the Family History are not allowed to be loaned by the local FHCs. However, these books can be requested to be microfilmed. Ask the help of the local FHC volunteer.

Mormon Genealogy In The News


 Library Corner - Daily Star

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:54:00 GMT

Librarian Sarah Livingston will offer a series of genealogy programs during March. The sessions are listed below, and you can sign up for as many programs as you like. One-on-One Genealogy Sign up for individual genealogy workshop sessions March 22 ...


 Kudrow Explores Her Roots and Takes Other Friends With ... - Forward

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:56:00 GMT

Lisa Kudrow — best known as Phoebe Buffay from the TV show “Friends” — stands in front of the monument and puts ... As an adult and a physician practicing in Los Angeles, David went to a Mormon church in L.A. — the church is a repository of ...


 Mormon Media Observer's potpourri of news and opinion - Mormon Times

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:56:00 GMT

Two TV shows are generating increased interest in family history and tangentially the LDS Church's work in genealogy. NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" takes famous Americans on a genealogical journey. For example, Sarah Jessica Parker's search led ...


 Today in the Bloggernacle - Mormon Times

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:25:00 GMT

He explains: "the goal is to find pre-1923 Mormon books (out of copyright), scan them, OCR them, clean up the OCRed text, and release the plain ... of the Lord" is the premise of the wonderful new Mormon Messages video. He reminds us to "not overlook ...


 'Mormonism's Last Colonizer: The Life and Times of William H. Smart ... - Deseret News

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:20:00 GMT

"MORMONISM'S LAST COLONIZER: The Life and Times of William H. Smart," by William B. Smart, Utah State University Press, 319 pages, $44.95. At the turn of the 20th century, the Uintah Basin was Utah's last frontier of unsettled land. And there were ...