May 2, 2025
This week I’ve been working on updating an older presentation on U.S. church records. It has been several years since I used this presentation. That means I need to make sure that the sources and resources I recommend are up to date.
The problem is how to do that without spending hours searching the internet and various genealogical books and publications. My solution, like the solution to many of my genealogical how-to questions, is the Family Search Wiki.
The Family Search Wiki (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Main_Page ) is part of the Family Search website. It is a free website containing reference information and educational articles. This information aids in locating and interpreting genealogical information.
Family Search Wiki is not a place to find documents or records about a specific person or family. Instead, it is a directory indicating where that information can be found. Whenever I start a new project or review an old project, my first stop is the Family Search Wiki.
Most Wiki articles focus on a place. This can be a country, state, or town. For each location, you can then specify a topic. For example, I entered “United States Church Record” to begin my search for information on church records.
This led me to links to articles on various topics related to church records. Articles such as church denominations, church records by states and the value of church records were available.
All the articles included links to records relating to the topic. One of the best parts of the Family Search Wiki is that links to articles are not just for articles found on the Family Search website. Articles from other genealogy-related websites are also included. Offline resources are discussed, as well.
Family Search Wiki is a shortcut to finding genealogical resources. If you’re not already using it, you should consider it. You won’t be disappointed.
Carol Stetser
Researcher
Larimer County Genealogical Society