Lithuanian (Roman Catholic) genealogical sources online

Church books and related records

• Epaveldas (Lithuanian State Historical Archives collection)

  Church books for over 200 Lithuanian churches. See How to search epaveldas.lt for additional information.

• Epaveldas (Vilnius University Library collection)

  Church books and parishioners' lists, following parishes available (coverage varies): Bagaslaviškis, Baisogala, Breslauja (Belarus), Daugai, Eišiškės, Ylakiai, Joniškelis, Liškiava, Merkinė, Mosėdis, Nemajūnai (Birštonas district), Pakapė, Pašušvys, Pavandenė, Pievėnai, Rumbonys, Salantai, Seirijai, Skapiškis (Kupiškis district), Skuodas, Surviliškis, Šateikiai, Šaukotas, Šiaulėnai, Šiauliai, Šumskas (Vilnius district), Traupis (Anykščiai district), Troškūnai (Anykščiai district), Upytė, Žaludkas (Belarus). See this spreadsheet (in Lithuanian) for inventory and direct links.

• E-Reading Room

  Contains digitized church books for many parishes. You can switch the interface language to English using the flag button in the top-right corner. Easiest way to use it is to scroll down to parish map and click on the parish of interest, links to the matching documents will then be displayed. You can also search, to restrict the search to documents available online, click on "Advanced Search", enter your search phrase, and tick the "Archival Description with Digital Object" box.

  See also Guide to LSHA collection 669.

• Church book collection at Wikimedia Commons.

  Quite a few parishes available, high document quality.

• Genmetrika

  Church books and various genealogical documents donated by volunteers. Continuously updated, document quality varies, website in Lithuanian.

• Metrikai.lt

  Website with a searchable database of records, indexed by volunteers. Primarily from Suvalkija (former Suwalki governorate) area. Use Lithuanian name spelling (with correct diacritical marks) to search.

• Geneteka

  Website with a searchable database of records, indexed by volunteers. Primarily from eastern Lithuania (former Vilnius governorate). Click on "Litwa" on the map, and use Polish name spelling to search.

• Varniai parish records index

  Searchable database of Varniai parish records, indexed by volunteers. Website in Lithuanian.

• Varniai deanery records (1865-1938)

  Registration required to access, see this post for instructions. Records available for the following churches (coverage varies): Naujieji Varniai, Senieji Varniai, Laukuva, Požerė, Tverai, Žarėnai (Telšiai district), Medingėnai, Lauko Soda, Janapolė (Viržuvėnai), Luokė, Viekšnaliai (Beibelis), Ubiškė, Kaunatava, Upyna (Telšiai district), Užventis, Pavandenė (Telšiai district), Kolainiai.

• FamilySearch

  TBD.

• Polish archives website (Szukaj w archiwach)

  Has church books for a number of parishes from south-western Lithuania and north-eastern Poland (former Suwalki governorate). Follow the links to get to the corresponding collection, then click on "List of units" to see what's available:
  • Kapčiamiestis (Kopciowo)
  • Krasnapolis (Krasnopol)
  • Meteliai (Metele)
  • Miroslavas (Mirosław)
  • Leipalingis (Lejpuny)
  • Liškiava (Liszkowo)
  • Lazdijai (Łoździeje)
  • Punskas (Puńsk)
  • Seinai (Sejny)
  • Seirijai (Sereje)
  • Šventežeris (Święto Jeziory)
  • Veisiejai (Wiejsieje)
  • Rudamina (Urdomin, Lazdijai district)

  Also has books for many parishes in Poland (both Catholic and other confessions).

• Church books on Biržai museum website

  Click on "Biržų krašto katalikų metrikai" to see Catholic records (or other tabs for other confessions). Records available for Biržai, Kupreliškis, Kvetkai, Nemunėlio Radviliškis, Pabiržė, Papilys, Suostas, Vabalninkas, Vaškai parishes.

• Pasvalys district church books

  Records for Pasvalys, Pušalotas, Krinčinas, Vaškai.

• Church books on Krinčinas school website

  Records for Krinčinas, Vabalninkas, Pasvalys.

• Zarasai district church books

  Records for Dusetos, Suviekas, Zarasai, Baltriškės, Smėlynė. Click on "Metrikų knygos" on the left panel to select.

• Raduraksti (Latvian archives website)

  Many church books (both Catholic and other confessions) for Latvian parishes. Free registration required to use.

Miscellaneous records

• Arolsen Archives

  If your ancestors were Displaced Persons (DPs), who left Lithuania during WWII, Arolsen Archives (International Center on Nazi Persecution) may have their records. Even if you are not able to find anything relevant through their online search, it's still worth submitting a search request to them, as not all records have been made available online yet. Continuously updated.

Lithuanian surname databases

Credits

• Tomas Astrauskas
• Janina Leonavičienė-Paplauskaitė
• Antanas Vaišvila
• Józef Pławski