Research Strategy

When pursuing research for baptism and confirmation information, you should work from known information to the unknown, rather than vice versa.

For example, you may know that the individual was baptized in England but you don’t know the name of the branch where he or she lived. You may also know the names of branches or wards (local unit congregations) where the person lived subsequent to his or her baptism. Begin by tracking the individual’s name in the known local units. Using this approach, you may come across clues that lead back to the branch in England where the person joined the Church. It is even a possibility that the original baptism or confirmation date will be recorded in the subsequent local unit records if the individual was not subsequently baptized.

Coupled with working from the known to the unknown, another vitally important aspect of finding baptism and confirmation information is determining where the individual was living at the time he or she joined the Church. Membership records at both the Church History Library and the Family History Library are filed by name of the branch or ward (local unit), and these generally reflect the name of the geographic locality where the person was centered. Most of the resources listed in this guide are here to help you identify where an individual lived.

MormonPlaces is an interactive database and gazetteer listing important locations (including local units) in the early Church. It is a good place to start when looking for the location where an individual may have lived. This website is hosted by Brigham Young University. This is not a Church-sponsored website, and the Church does not endorse the content.