Baptismal records were kept differently by different denominations. Knowing the particular doctrines and discipline of a denomination helps in using the baptismal record. If a church did not practice infant baptism, you need to know this or you could make serious errors in calculating birth dates. It also helps to be aware that adult and infant baptisms were sometimes filed together.

Baptism records almost always list at least the name of the person baptized, the date and place of birth, and the date and place of the baptism. In some cases, though, just the birth or baptism date may be given, and it is important to determine which one is actually recorded. For infant baptisms, the pastor usually recorded the parents' names and often their place of residence, particularly if the pastor was serving a circuit rather than a single parish. In addition, baptismal records may list the names of sponsors or godparents, who are often close relatives of the parents. See the following table for still other details that may appear in a baptismal record.