The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership history
The Deseret Morning News LDS Church Almanac gives information on historical membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The church's reported membership as of December 31, 2015 was 15,634,199.[1] The growth of 1.7% in 2015 is the lowest percentage growth since 1937.[2]
Membership Defined
The LDS church defines membership as:[3]
- Those who have been baptized and confirmed.
- Those under age nine who have been blessed but not baptized.
- Those who are not accountable because of intellectual disabilities, regardless of age.
- Unblessed children under age eight when:
- Two member parents request it.
- One member parent requests it and the nonmember parent gives permission.
Growth and demographic history
The records of the LDS Church show membership growth every decade since its beginning in the 1830s. Following initial growth rates that averaged 10% to 25% per year in the 1830s through 1850s, it grew at about 4% per year through the last four decades of the 19th century Utah. After a steady slowing of growth in the first four decades of the 20th century to a rate of about 2% per year in the 1930s (the Great Depression years), growth boomed to an average of 6% per year for the decade around 1960, staying around 4% to 5% through 1990. After 1990, average annual growth again slowed steadily to a rate around 2.2% for the ten years ending 2015, approximately double the average world population growth rate of 1.1% for the same period.
Questioning the membership numbers reported by the LDS church.
Main article: Religion in Brazil
In 2012, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported a membership of 1,173,533 in Brazil, with 1,940 congregations and 315 family history centers. The LDS Church now also has 6 temples spread out across the nation, in Campinas, Curitiba, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, and São Paulo, with an additional temple under construction in Fortaleza. This represents a dramatic differential from the 2010 national census that reported 226,509 self-identifying members, causing some to question the membership numbers reported by the LDS church.[4][5][6]
LDS Church membership numbers
LDS Church Growth From 1829 to 1860
Table for recent growth
World population numbers as of April 4, 2015.[7] [8]
Year | LDS church growth rate | World growth rate |
---|---|---|
1950 | 3.03% | 1.47% |
1951 | 3.23% | 1.61% |
1952 | 3.65% | 1.71% |
1953 | 4.82% | 1.78% |
1954 | 4.48% | 1.87% |
1955 | 4.23% | 1.89% |
1956 | 4.38% | 1.96% |
1957 | 5.05% | 1.94% |
1958 | 4.53% | 1.77% |
1959 | 3.88% | 1.40% |
1960 | 4.77% | 1.34% |
1961 | 7.71% | 1.81% |
1962 | 7.79% | 2.20% |
1963 | 7.72% | 2.20% |
1964 | 5.55% | 2.09% |
1965 | 7.20% | 2.08% |
1966 | 3.55% | 2.03% |
1967 | 5.38% | 2.04% |
1968 | 2.67% | 2.08% |
1969 | 4.60% | 2.05% |
1970 | 4.39% | 2.07% |
1971 | 5.46% | 1.99% |
1972 | 4.14% | 1.94% |
1973 | 2.73% | 1.88% |
1974 | 3.12% | 1.79% |
1975 | 4.76% | 1.72% |
1976 | 4.77% | 1.71% |
1977 | 6.05% | 1.68% |
1978 | 4.98% | 1.71% |
1979 | 5.69% | 1.70% |
1980 | 5.35% | 1.70% |
1981 | 6.05% | 1.75% |
1982 | 4.92% | 1.76% |
1983 | 3.66% | 1.70% |
1984 | 5.41% | 1.69% |
1985 | 4.94% | 1.71% |
1986 | 4.18% | 1.74% |
1987 | 3.69% | 1.72% |
1988 | 5.11% | 1.69% |
1989 | 8.74% | 1.68% |
1990 | 6.19% | 1.57% |
1991 | 4.23% | 1.55% |
1992 | 3.88% | 1.50% |
1993 | 3.39% | 1.45% |
1994 | 3.86% | 1.44% |
1995 | 3.48% | 1.41% |
1996 | 3.79% | 1.38% |
1997 | 3.91% | 1.34% |
1998 | 2.80% | 1.31% |
1999 | 3.85% | 1.28% |
2000 | 2.94% | 1.26% |
2001 | 2.94% | 1.23% |
2002 | 2.87% | 1.21% |
2003 | 2.25% | 1.21% |
2004 | 2.42% | 1.20% |
2005 | 2.32% | 1.19% |
2006 | 2.45% | 1.18% |
2007 | 2.52% | 1.18% |
2008 | 2.38% | 1.17% |
2009 | 2.34% | 1.15% |
2010 | 2.22% | 1.13% |
2011 | 2.19% | 1.11% |
2012 | 2.31% | 1.11% |
2013 | 2.03% | 1.09% |
2014 | 1.92% | 1.08% |
2015 | 1.70% | 1.08% |
Table for LDS Church membership numbers
Year | Membership | Number change | Percentage growth |
---|---|---|---|
1829 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
1830 | 280 | 274 | 4566.67% |
1831 | 680 | 400 | 142.86% |
1832 | 2,661 | 1,981 | 291.32% |
1833 | 3,140 | 479 | 18.00% |
1834 | 4,372 | 1,232 | 39.24% |
1835 | 8,835 | 4,463 | 102.08% |
1836 | 13,293 | 4,458 | 50.46% |
1837 | 16,282 | 2,989 | 22.49% |
1838 | 17,881 | 1,599 | 9.82% |
1839 | 16,460 | -1,421 | -7.95% |
1840 | 16,865 | 405 | 2.46% |
1841 | 19,856 | 2,991 | 17.73% |
1842 | 23,564 | 3,708 | 18.67% |
1843 | 25,980 | 2,416 | 10.25% |
1844 | 26,146 | 166 | 0.64% |
1845 | 30,332 | 4,186 | 16.01% |
1846 | 33,993 | 3,661 | 12.07% |
1847 | 34,694 | 701 | 2.06% |
1848 | 40,477 | 5,783 | 16.67% |
1849 | 48,160 | 7,683 | 18.98% |
1850 | 51,839 | 3,679 | 7.64% |
1851 | 52,165 | 326 | 0.63% |
1852 | 52,640 | 475 | 0.91% |
1853 | 64,154 | 11,514 | 21.87% |
1854 | 68,429 | 4,275 | 6.66% |
1855 | 63,974 | -4,455 | -6.51% |
1856 | 63,881 | -93 | -0.15% |
1857 | 55,236 | -8,645 | -13.53% |
1858 | 55,755 | 519 | 0.94% |
1859 | 57,038 | 1,283 | 2.30% |
1860 | 61,082 | 4,044 | 7.09% |
1861 | 66,211 | 5,129 | 8.40% |
1862 | 68,780 | 2,569 | 3.88% |
1863 | 71,770 | 2,990 | 4.35% |
1864 | 74,348 | 2,578 | 3.59% |
1865 | 76,771 | 2,423 | 3.26% |
1866 | 77,884 | 1,113 | 1.45% |
1867 | 81,124 | 3,240 | 4.16% |
1868 | 84,622 | 3,498 | 4.31% |
1869 | 88,432 | 3,810 | 4.50% |
1870 | 90,130 | 1,698 | 1.92% |
1871 | 95,596 | 5,466 | 6.06% |
1872 | 98,152 | 2,556 | 2.67% |
1873 | 101,538 | 3,386 | 3.45% |
1874 | 103,916 | 2,378 | 2.34% |
1875 | 107,167 | 3,251 | 3.13% |
1876 | 111,111 | 3,944 | 3.68% |
1877 | 115,065 | 3,954 | 3.56% |
1878 | 125,046 | 9,981 | 8.67% |
1879 | 128,386 | 3,340 | 2.67% |
1880 | 133,628 | 5,242 | 4.08% |
1881 | 140,733 | 7,105 | 5.32% |
1882 | 145,604 | 4,871 | 3.46% |
1883 | 151,593 | 5,989 | 4.11% |
1884 | 158,242 | 6,649 | 4.39% |
1885 | 164,130 | 5,888 | 3.72% |
1886 | 166,653 | 2,523 | 1.54% |
1887 | 173,029 | 6,376 | 3.83% |
1888 | 180,294 | 7,265 | 4.20% |
1889 | 183,144 | 2,850 | 1.58% |
1890 | 188,263 | 5,119 | 2.80% |
1891 | 195,445 | 7,182 | 3.81% |
1892 | 200,961 | 5,516 | 2.82% |
1893 | 214,534 | 13,573 | 6.75% |
1894 | 222,369 | 7,835 | 3.65% |
1895 | 231,116 | 8,747 | 3.93% |
1896 | 241,427 | 10,311 | 4.46% |
1897 | 255,736 | 14,309 | 5.93% |
1898 | 267,251 | 11,515 | 4.50% |
1899 | 271,681 | 4,430 | 1.66% |
1900 | 283,765 | 12,084 | 4.45% |
1901 | 292,931 | 9,166 | 3.23% |
1902 | 299,105 | 6,174 | 2.11% |
1903 | 304,901 | 5,796 | 1.94% |
1904 | 324,289 | 19,388 | 6.36% |
1905 | 332,048 | 7,759 | 2.39% |
1906 | 345,014 | 12,966 | 3.90% |
1907 | 357,913 | 12,899 | 3.74% |
1908 | 371,472 | 13,559 | 3.79% |
1909 | 377,279 | 5,807 | 1.56% |
1910 | 398,478 | 21,199 | 5.62% |
1911 | 407,291 | 8,813 | 2.21% |
1912 | 417,555 | 10,264 | 2.52% |
1913 | 431,607 | 14,052 | 3.37% |
1914 | 454,718 | 23,111 | 5.35% |
1915 | 466,238 | 11,520 | 2.53% |
1916 | 477,321 | 11,083 | 2.38% |
1917 | 488,038 | 10,717 | 2.25% |
1918 | 495,962 | 7,924 | 1.62% |
1919 | 507,961 | 11,999 | 2.42% |
1920 | 525,987 | 18,026 | 3.55% |
1921 | 548,803 | 22,816 | 4.34% |
1922 | 566,358 | 17,555 | 3.20% |
1923 | 575,896 | 9,538 | 1.68% |
1924 | 597,861 | 21,965 | 3.81% |
1925 | 613,572 | 15,711 | 2.63% |
1926 | 623,909 | 10,337 | 1.68% |
1927 | 644,745 | 20,836 | 3.34% |
1928 | 655,686 | 10,941 | 1.70% |
1929 | 663,652 | 7,966 | 1.21% |
1930 | 670,017 | 6,365 | 0.96% |
1931 | 688,435 | 18,418 | 2.75% |
1932 | 703,949 | 15,514 | 2.25% |
1933 | 717,619 | 13,670 | 1.94% |
1934 | 730,738 | 13,119 | 1.83% |
1935 | 746,384 | 15,646 | 2.14% |
1936 | 760,690 | 14,306 | 1.92% |
1937 | 767,752 | 7,062 | 0.93% |
1938 | 784,764 | 17,012 | 2.22% |
1939 | 803,528 | 18,764 | 2.39% |
1940 | 862,664 | 59,136 | 7.36% |
1941 | 892,080 | 29,416 | 3.41% |
1942 | 917,715 | 25,635 | 2.87% |
1943 | 937,050 | 19,335 | 2.11% |
1944 | 954,004 | 16,954 | 1.81% |
1945 | 979,454 | 25,450 | 2.67% |
1946 | 996,505 | 17,051 | 1.74% |
1947 | 1,016,170 | 19,665 | 1.97% |
1948 | 1,041,970 | 25,800 | 2.54% |
1949 | 1,078,671 | 36,701 | 3.52% |
1950 | 1,111,314 | 32,643 | 3.03% |
1951 | 1,147,157 | 35,843 | 3.23% |
1952 | 1,189,053 | 41,896 | 3.65% |
1953 | 1,246,362 | 57,309 | 4.82% |
1954 | 1,302,240 | 55,878 | 4.48% |
1955 | 1,357,274 | 55,034 | 4.23% |
1956 | 1,416,731 | 59,457 | 4.38% |
1957 | 1,488,314 | 71,583 | 5.05% |
1958 | 1,555,799 | 67,485 | 4.53% |
1959 | 1,616,088 | 60,289 | 3.88% |
1960 | 1,693,180 | 77,092 | 4.77% |
1961 | 1,823,661 | 130,481 | 7.71% |
1962 | 1,965,786 | 142,125 | 7.79% |
1963 | 2,117,451 | 151,665 | 7.72% |
1964 | 2,234,916 | 117,465 | 5.55% |
1965 | 2,395,932 | 161,016 | 7.20% |
1966 | 2,480,899 | 84,967 | 3.55% |
1967 | 2,614,340 | 133,441 | 5.38% |
1968 | 2,684,073 | 69,733 | 2.67% |
1969 | 2,807,456 | 123,383 | 4.60% |
1970 | 2,930,810 | 123,354 | 4.39% |
1971 | 3,090,953 | 160,143 | 5.46% |
1972 | 3,218,908 | 127,955 | 4.14% |
1973 | 3,306,658 | 87,750 | 2.73% |
1974 | 3,409,987 | 103,329 | 3.12% |
1975 | 3,572,202 | 162,215 | 4.76% |
1976 | 3,742,749 | 170,547 | 4.77% |
1977 | 3,969,220 | 226,471 | 6.05% |
1978 | 4,166,854 | 197,634 | 4.98% |
1979 | 4,404,121 | 237,267 | 5.69% |
1980 | 4,639,822 | 235,701 | 5.35% |
1981 | 4,920,449 | 280,627 | 6.05% |
1982 | 5,162,619 | 242,170 | 4.92% |
1983 | 5,351,724 | 189,105 | 3.66% |
1984 | 5,641,054 | 289,330 | 5.41% |
1985 | 5,919,483 | 278,429 | 4.94% |
1986 | 6,166,974 | 247,491 | 4.18% |
1987 | 6,394,314 | 227,340 | 3.69% |
1988 | 6,721,210 | 326,896 | 5.11% |
1989 | 7,308,444 | 587,234 | 8.74% |
1990 | 7,761,179 | 452,735 | 6.19% |
1991 | 8,089,848 | 328,669 | 4.23% |
1992 | 8,404,087 | 314,239 | 3.88% |
1993 | 8,689,168 | 285,081 | 3.39% |
1994 | 9,024,368 | 335,200 | 3.86% |
1995 | 9,338,859 | 314,491 | 3.48% |
1996 | 9,692,441 | 353,582 | 3.79% |
1997 | 10,071,783 | 379,342 | 3.91% |
1998 | 10,354,241 | 282,458 | 2.80% |
1999 | 10,752,986 | 398,745 | 3.85% |
2000 | 11,068,861 | 315,875 | 2.94% |
2001 | 11,394,522 | 325,661 | 2.94% |
2002 | 11,721,548 | 327,026 | 2.87% |
2003 | 11,985,254 | 263,706 | 2.25% |
2004 | 12,275,822 | 290,568 | 2.42% |
2005 | 12,560,869 | 285,047 | 2.32% |
2006 | 12,868,606 | 307,737 | 2.45% |
2007 | 13,193,999 | 325,393 | 2.53% |
2008 | 13,508,509 | 314,510 | 2.38% |
2009 | 13,824,854 | 316,345 | 2.34% |
2010 | 14,131,467 | 306,613 | 2.22% |
2011 | 14,441,346 | 309,879 | 2.19% |
2012 | 14,782,473 | 341,127 | 2.31% |
2013 | 15,082,028 | 299,555 | 2.03% |
2014 | 15,372,337[1] | 290,309 | 1.92% |
2015 | 15,634,199[9] | 261,862 | 1.70% |
See also
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics
References
- 1 2 "2015 Statistical Report for April 2016 General Conference", Mormon Newsroom, April 2, 2016.
- ↑ "LDS Church Growth Slows to Its Lowest Level Since 1937, But Here's the Good News in That".
- ↑ "Membership record". LDSTech Wiki. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ↑ http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/54497395-180/church-census-lds-reported.html.csp
- ↑ http://www.ibge.gov.br/estadosat/temas.php?sigla=to&tema=censodemog2010_relig
- ↑ https://vozesmormons.org/2012/06/30/quantos-mormons-no-brasil-2/
- ↑ http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/worldpop.html
- ↑ http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/worldpop/table_population.php
- ↑ "LDS Church membership grows to 15.6 million people". April 2, 2016.