Church Records and Resources

The Connecticut Historical Records Survey inventoried various Church Records as part of a Works Projects Administration (W.P.A.) project during the 1930s. These inventories are great resources for locating what records existed for Connecticut Churches. Though the information is almost 100 years old, it provides an excellent snapshot of what records from the colonial period and later survived. Following is a listing of the surveys that were published. The first is a Guide to the Vital Statistics in the Church Records of Connecticut. This is arranged alphabetically by Town and includes most denominations. The other resources are specific to certain denominations. 

However, not all of the work undertaken by the Connecticut Historical Records Survey for the Church record project was published. With the outbreak of World War II, W.P.A. projects ended somewhat abruptly. However, the CT State Archives holds the original records in State Archives Record Group 033,  Works Progress Administration for Connecticut records, Series 31, Church Records Survey. Please see the guide Access Archives & Secured Collections for information about requesting and using off-site archival records. Survey forms sent to African American Churches have been scanned and are available as a link below.

RG 33:31, Church Records Survey. African American Churches Survey, 1936-1939. Records surveys sent to primarily African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) churches in the state, plus several congregations that indicated they were part of the Methodist Colored Church South.

Published Church Records Surveys