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Home / History of the Archdiocese / Archives / Accessing Genealogy Records
Accessing Sacramental Records for Genealogy
 It is the responsibility of the Archdiocese of Detroit, acting through the pastors of the various parishes, to supervise how sacramental records are used, by whom and for what purposes.
The passing of time has a critical impact on the sensitivity of most records. As current events will one day become historical events, the need for withholding records from use is gradually reduced and, in some cases, may disappear entirely. For this reason, older records may be more widely available to researchers, while more recent records require more restricted access rules.
Sacramental Records Up To & Including Year 1900
The present cutoff date for unrestricted access to sacramental records is the year 1900.
Burton Historical Collection of the main Detroit Public Library holds microfilmed versions of the original church registers for all interested genealogists. The records of the oldest Catholic parishes that are presently within the six-county jurisdiction of the Archdiocese have been microfilmed and made available for public use.
Researchers are not permitted to handle the original registers under any circumstances. The microfilmed records at the Burton are exact duplicates of the original registers found at the various parishes. They contain neither more nor less information already found in the originals.
Sacramental Records for 1900 to Present
Death records after the year 1900 are not subject to any type of restriction. All other Sacramental Records from 1901 to present are not open to examination by the general public. An individual seeking his or her own sacramental record for either a church or civil purpose may obtain a certificate as needed. Find your Sacramental Records.
Some exceptions may be made however, regarding access to records after 1900.
- Sacramental records may be used for statistical, quantitative research for certain scholarly projects.
- For genealogical research, information after 1900 may be made available to immediate family only.
- Our definition of "immediate family" is limited to a child seeking his or her own parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., i.e. your own direct linear descent.
- No "branching out" among other family members is permitted.
Orphanages
The Archdiocesan Archives does not maintain the records of any orphanages or similar child care institutions. These are the responsibility of the institution itself, if it still exists, or the religious order that administered the facility in the past. The Archives can provide interested researchers with the address of the religious provincialate or motherhouse where they may write for further information.
Adoptions
In the case of sacramental records that may concern an adoption, the Archives cannot reveal the names of the natural/biological parents. No certificate issued by either the Archives or any individual parish will contain this information. The Archdiocese of Detroit adheres to state guidelines that give priority to the privacy rights of the natural parents.
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