Genealogical Resources and Services

 

The Associated Archives at St. Mary's Seminary and University has developed a genealogical policy responsive to individuals researching their Catholic roots. Researchers now have a choice of scheduling an on-site visit to the archives or submitting a written request.

Please note that we only have records for the parishes within the current boundaries of the Archdiocese of Baltimore (Baltimore City, Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties). All records for parishes that now comprise the Archdiocese of Washington, DC (est. 1939), Diocese of Wilmington, DE (est. 1868), Diocese of Richmond (est. 1820), and Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston (est. 1850) must be accessed through those respective dioceses.

Individuals interested in the sacramental records that have survived from the colonial and Revolutionary periods will need to contact the Special Collections Division of Lauinger Library at Georgetown University, where the Archives of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus are housed. The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, was the religious order in charge of the mission to Catholics in the British colonies of North America. Please note that very few records have survived for these periods, the majority of which have been transcribed and published in Edwin Beitzell's The Jesuit Missions of St. Mary's County (rev. ed.; priv. publ., 1976). Another helpful resource is Timothy O'Rourke’s Catholic Families of Southern Maryland: Records of Catholic Residents of St. Mary's County in the Eighteenth Century (Baltimore: Genealogical Publ. Co., 1985) and Colonial Source Records: Southern Maryland Catholic Families (Parsons, KS: Brefney Press, 1981).

The Archdiocese's earliest records in the period following the Revolution are those of St. Peter’s pro-Cathedral (1770-1841) in Baltimore City and date back to 1782. These records have been transcribed and published by Mary and Stanley Piet as Early Catholic Church Records in Baltimore, Maryland, 1782-1800 (Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1989).

In the absence of sacramental records, civil records are another resource for researching your family's history. For example, county clerks in the state of Maryland have been required to issue marriage licenses since 1777 and court clerks have been required to record marriages by banns since 1890. The Maryland State Archives has created a number of indices to assist researchers who are interested in consulting these records.

Restrictions on Sacramental Records
According to the policy approved by the Archbishop of Baltimore, access to records of Baptism shall coincide with access to Federal Census records (current year minus 70 years). Records 70 years old and less are sealed to the public. No restrictions apply to records of First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Death, Interment or Burial.

Information contained in the records

1. Baptism: Dates of birth and baptism; name of child; names of parents, sponsors (godparents), and officiating priest.
2. Marriage: date of marriage; names of parties being married and name(s) of place(s) where they are from, names of parties’ parents; name(s) of official witness(es), and name of officiating priest.
3. First Communion and Confirmation: date of first communion or confirmation; name of child and officiating cleric. Please note that parishes are not required under canon law to maintain first communion registers, although many do.

NOTE: Variations in the spelling of surnames are quite common. It is recommended that you look under any possible spelling variation when searching the records.

On-Site Research
You are welcome to visit the Archives by appointment to examine the sacramental registers we have on microfilm and consult the resource and reference material we have compiled for genealogists. Reference staff is also available to assist patrons. Please click on the Contacts link for information on how to schedule an appointment. Researchers are requested to make a $5.00 donation.

Requests
If you are unable to visit the Archives in person, we do provide limited genealogical services. Fees, services, required and helpful information are outlined below. Please click on the link below.

All genealogical requests must be submitted in writing. We DO NOT take genealogical requests over the telephone. You have the choice of submitting a sacramental records request form or a written request. Please click on the Contacts link for address information.

Genealogical Policy
Sacramental Records Request Form

Fees:

1. Research fees are charged on an hourly rate. The charge is $20.00 for the first hour and $20.00 for each additional hour. A check or money order for $20.00 made payable to "Associated Archives at SMSU" must accompany the research request. The hourly fee will cover research on any number of ancestors an individual wishes to research. NOTE: Do not send more than $20.00 with the initial request. If the request requires more than one hour to complete, the researcher will be billed for any additional fees. If you wish to place a time limit on the amount of time spent researching your request, please indicate such information in the initial request. The normal response to genealogical inquiries is either an abstract from the register or a photocopy of the record from the microfilm. Genealogical copies of sacramental certificates are available for $5.00 per certificate.
   
   
2. There is a charge of $10.00 per certificate when the researcher only requests a genealogical copy of a sacramental certificate.

Required Information
Because there is no central name index, we will need the following information before we can examine the records:

1. Parish in which the sacrament was administered or name of the officiating priest. If you do not know the name of the parish but have a local address, we may be able to identify the parish where the sacrament was administered from this information. In some instances the name of the town will suffice. If you do not have a local address, you can find this information from two sources: 1) a city/town directory and 2) federal census records. If your family lived in Baltimore City, we recommend that you either visit or write the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore to consult their Baltimore City Directory collection (Enoch Pratt Free Library, Maryland Department, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201; website:). The 1864 Baltimore City Directory is currently available online through the Enoch Pratt Library. Another online resource for Maryland City Directories is the Maryland State Archives. If your family lived outside of Baltimore City, contact the local library of that community for information on their directory collection. Address information can also be found in the Federal Census Records available online through the Maryland State Archives. Please note that Baltimore City renumbered its street addresses in 1886. If you are looking for a family member's address prior to 1886, remember to also consult the 1887 Baltimore City Directory, which has a conversion chart, to learn the new number assigned to the old street address.

If you are trying to locate the names of parishes located within the different wards of Baltimore City, the Archives has prepared a list based on an 1877 map of Baltimore City. Please click on the link below to see a copy of this list.

1877 Baltimore City Wards and Parishes

2. Date sacrament was administered.
   
   
3. Name(s) of individual(s) receiving the sacrament.

Please note that the Associated Archives only has the records for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, St. Mary’s Seminary and University, and the U.S. Province of the Society of St. Sulpice. We do not have government records (such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, etc.), records from other Catholic dioceses or religious orders, or records from other religious denominations.

Helpful Information

Catholic Directory Collection
A directory on the Catholic Church in the United States has been published annually since 1833.* The directory has had several publishers and titles over the course of its history, including the Catholic Almanac or, the Laity’s Directory, the Metropolitan Catholic Calendar & Laity’s Directory, and Sadlier’s Catholic directory, ordo and almanac. Since 1912 it has held the title of the Official Catholic Directory and is published by P.J. Kenedy & Sons. Useful information found in the directory, which is organized by diocese, includes the names, addresses, and establishment dates of parishes and an annual list of clergy serving in the U.S. Directories can be found in most diocesan and religious archives, including the Associated Archives, and at Catholic institutions of higher learning.

*: Except for the years 1862-1863, due to the Civil War.

National Parishes
The Archdiocese has had a number of national parishes over the course of its history. A national or ethnic parish is established to serve the needs of a particular ethnic group, especially language. Immigrants and the children of immigrants frequently attend national parishes when they are available. To see a list of the national parishes established within the Archdiocese’s current territorial boundaries, please click on the link below.

Archdiocese of Baltimore's National Parishes

Student Records
Archdiocesan Schools
The Archives has the student records for the following Archdiocesan closed schools: Fourteen Holy Martyrs Elementary School (1889-1964), St. Francis Elementary, High School, and Orphanage (1927-1950), and St. Paul's Elementary School, Baltimore City (1897-1963). Individuals interested in records for any of the Archdiocese's other elementary, middle, and secondary schools should contact the school directly if it is still open. (Click here to see a list of the Archdiocese's schools.) If the school has been closed but the parish is still open, contact the parish for school records. (Click here for current parish contact information.) If both the school and parish have been closed, contact the Catholic Schools Office for assistance.

If you are interested in the records of a private school that has been closed, contact the religious community that ran the school directly for assistance. (Click on the following links for current contact information: Men's Religious Communities and Women's Religious Communities.)

Individuals interested in post-secondary school records will need to contact the institution's Registrar's Office directly.

Sulpician Schools in Maryland
Student records for St. Charles College (1848-1969) and St. Mary’s Seminary and University (est. 1791) are closed. If you are an alumnus of either of these institutions and are interested in obtaining an official copy of your transcript, please contact the University Registrar of St. Mary's: Patricia Grega, pgrega@stmarys.edu or 410-864-3605.

If you are interested in obtaining information on students that attended either of these institutions, as well as St. Mary's College (1799-1852), for your family history, please submit your request in writing to the Archives, providing as much information as you can on the student (ex., full name, place and/or date of birth, approximate years attended) along with your questions. There is a $10.00 research fee for each name submitted.

Orphanage and Medical Records
The Archives does not maintain the records for any of the orphanages that operated in the Archdiocese. The records for the following orphanages were transferred to Associated Catholic Charities when they were closed: St. Anthony's Orphan Asylum (1854-1943), St. Elizabeth's Home for Colored Infants and Children (1881-1960), St. Francis Orphanage for Colored Children (1889-1950), St. Mary's Female Orphan Asylum (1818-1960), St. Vincent's Infant Home (1856-1960), St. James Home for Boys (1878-1949), and St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys (1866-1960). Individuals interested in obtaining information from these records will need to contact Associated Catholic Charities directly to request assistance (Records, Associated Catholic Charities, 11 East Mt. Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202-2714). These records are not open to researchers. Please submit all requests in writing.

For information on all other orphanages, please contact the Archives and we will try to assist you in locating the records.

The Archives does not have medical records for any of the hospitals or clinics operated in the Archdiocese. Individuals will need to contact the hospital or clinic directly to request assistance.

Marriage Tribunal Records
The Archives does not have any records relating to annulments. All records of annulments are held by the Marriage Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, 320 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, 410-576-6920. Records of the Marriage Tribunal are not available for genealogical investigation under any circumstances.

Death Certificates
The Catholic Church does not issue death certificates. This right is reserved to the state alone. Parishes maintain death or burial registers, which record the date of death, date and place of burial, and cause of death. A copy of the information recorded in a death or burial register is not recognized as an official record of death. To request a copy of a death certificate, you will need to contact the Maryland State Division of Vital Records (post-1969 at 410-764-3038 or 800-832-3277) or the Maryland State Archives (pre-1969 at 410-260-6400). For information on the Vital Records Indexing Project sponsored by the Maryland State Archives, click here.

Cemetery Records
Parish cemetery records are maintained at the parish level. Click here for current parish contact information. If the parish cemetery you are interested in has closed, click here for information the Archives has compiled on closed cemeteries. If the cemetery you are interested in does not appear on the list, please contact the Archives directly for information. The cemetery records of New Cathedral Cemetery, 1871-1977, have been microfilmed and are available for researchers to work with at the Associated Archives and the Maryland Historical Society. You may also contact New Cathedral Cemetery directly at: 4300 Old Frederick Road, Baltimore, MD, 21229; 410-566-7770.

If you are uncertain where the person you are searching for is buried, Find a Grave is a searchable online database with information on cemeteries around the country.

Genealogy Resource Links
The Maryland State Archives has developed many resources for individuals researching their Maryland ancestors. We recommend that you visit their website to learn not only what local records are available for researchers, but for suggestions on how to get started in your research: Guide to Family History Research in Maryland.

Other helpful websites for learning how to get started include:

University of Washington Libraries: [http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/history/historyday/his.html]

National Archives and Records Administration: [http://www.archives.gov]

Enoch Pratt Free Library: [http://www.pratt.lib.md.us/slrc/ssh/genealogypratt.html]

Rootsweb: [http://www.rootsweb.com]

For those interested in Baltimore City specifically: [http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdcbalti/]

For Archaic Medical terms, see the list compiled by Genealogy Quest: [www.genealogy-quest.com/glossaries/diseases1.html]

For Latin terms, see the list compiled by Genealogy Quest: [http://www.genealogy-quest.com/glossaries/latin.html]