LDS Denominations


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See LDS Chart for a breakdown.


Name Year Founder Members Comments
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1830 Joseph Smith Jr. 16,118,169 Founded at Fayette in New York state. It remains the largest LDS denomination, with headquarters at Salt Lake City in Utah. It originally was called the "Church of Christ"; renamed in 1838. Nicknamed "Mormon" by detractors. Brigham Young seized control shortly after Joseph's murder in June 1844 and moved members west to Utah. Heber Grant reorganized as a Corporation Sole in 1916; president of the corporation owns all assets. Bylaws stipulate that the next senior apostle automatically becomes president upon demise of the prior president. Also called Brighamites.
Pure Church of Christ 1831 Wycam Clark 6 Founded at Kirtland in Ohio state. First schismatic church; disbanded after a few meetings.
Independent Christ 1832 Hoton ? Founded at Kirtland in Ohio state. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded. Little is known about this group.
Church of Christ 1836 Ezra Booth ? Founded at Kirtland in Ohio state. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded.
Church of Christ 1837 Warren Parrish ? Founded at Kirtland in Ohio state. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded.
Alston Church 1839 Isaac Russell ? Founded in western Missouri. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded and members rejoined the LDS church in Nauvoo.
Church of Christ 1838 William Chubby ? Established to minister specifically to black Americans. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded.
Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife 1840 George Hinkle ? Founded at Moscow in Iowa state. Schismatic church that disbanded after 1843. He advocated eternal marriage.
Church of Christ 1842 Hiram Page ? Schismatic church that quickly disbanded. He was one of eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon gold plates.
Church of Christ 1844 Lyman Wight ? Led many LDS members to central Texas. Most later joined the RLDS church.
Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion 1844 Sidney Rigdon ? Founded at Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania state. Originally called the Church of Christ; defunct in 1847.
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1844 William Law ? Founded at Nauvoo in Illinois state. Schismatic church that quickly disbanded. He and other former LDS high officers opposed plural marriage and printed the Nauvoo Expositor.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1844 James Strang 300 Founded at Voree in Wisconsin state. Current headquarters at Shreveport in Louisiana. Also called Strangites.
Church of Christ 1844 Aaron Smith ? Founded at Voree in Wisconsin state. Schism from the Strangites; quickly became defunct.
Church of Christ 1847 William McLellin ? Founded at Kirtland in Ohio state. He encouraged David Whitmer to head the church; also called the Whitmerites. Most members joined the Temple Lot church in 1925.
The Bride, the Lamb's Wife 1848 Jacob Syfritt ? LDS schism that quickly became defunct.
Church of Christ 1848 James Brewster ? LDS schism that quickly became defunct. It published The Olive Branch.
Congregation of Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion 1848 Charles Thompson ? LDS schism that quickly became defunct.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1851 Gladden Bishop ? Defunct after Bishops' death in 1865. Most members helped form the Temple Lot church.
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) 1852 Granville Hedrick 7,310 Hedrick and John E. Page founded the church and maintains the Temple Lot at Independence in Missouri. Also called the Hedrickites.
Church of Jesus Christ 1853 Alpheus Cutler 12 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Also called Cutlerites.
Church of the Potter Christ 1857 Arnold Potter ? Founded in California; they eventually settled at Council Bluffs in Iowa. Disbanded after his death in 1872.
Community of Christ 1860 Joseph Smith III 250,301 Founded at Amboy in Illinois state. It is the second largest LDS denomination, with headquarters at Independence in Missouri. It originally was called the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"; renamed in 2001.
Church of the Firstborn 1861 Joseph Morris 300 Founded at Kingston Fort in Utah. LDS leaders at Salt Lake City initiated the "Morrisite War" that resulted in several deaths, including Morris in 1862.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1861 Walter Gibson ? Founded a Mormon colony on Lanai in Hawaii. Excommunicated for stealing LDS funds to purchase Lanai. He later became Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Interior. Also called Gibsonites; defunct in the 1870s.
Church of the Messiah 1861 George Adams 70 Members moved from Maine to Palestine. Their mission failed.
Church of Jesus Christ 1862 William Bickerton 23,600 Headquarters at Monongahela in Pennsylvania state. It recognized Sidney Rigdon as a true successor to Joseph Smith Jr. Nicknamed the Bickertonites or Rigdonites.
Kingdom of Heaven 1866 William Davies 43 Founded a colony near Walla Walla in Washington. Schism of the Morrisites; defunct in 1880.
Church of Zion 1868 William Godbe ? Founded in Utah. Schismatic church that became defunct in 1880s. It was the core of Utah territory's Liberal Party.
Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High 1882 John Eardley ? Followers of Joseph Morris; the largest group was in Montana. Disbanded in 1969.
Order of Enoch 1884 James Brighouse few Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Defunct by 1892.
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ 1907 Allen Wright ? Branch at Erie in Pennsylvania state. Schism of the Bickertonites; now defunct.
Primitive Church of Jesus Christ 1914 James Caldwell ? Rejoined with a branch at Erie in Pennsylvania state. Schism of the Bickertonites; now defunct.
Church of the Christian Brotherhood 1918 Richard Evans ? Organized at Toronto in Canada. Schism of the RLDS church; now defunct.
Council of Friends 1929 Lorin C. Woolley 2,500 Founded in Salt Lake City. Schismatic church that refused to abandon polygamy. They settled in Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. Most Mormon fundamentalists devolved from this group.
Apostolic United Brethren 1929 Lorin C. Woolley 10,000 Founded by polygamists; headquarters at Bluffdale in Utah. Members are in other western states and own a temple in Mexico. They use the term "The Work", "The Priesthood" or "The Group". Recent leader was Rulon C. Allred.
Church of Christ 1929 Otto Fetting 2,450 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Also called Fettingites.
Church of Christ at Halley's Bluff 1932 Thomas B. Nerren 100 Headquarters at Schell City in Missouri. Schism of the Hedrickites.
Latter Day Church of Christ 1935 J. Ortell Kingston 2,000 Polygamist group with headquarters at Salt Lake City but members are in Davis County, Utah. Renamed in 1941 as the Davis County Cooperative Society Inc. by C. Elden Kingston.
Third Convention 1936 Abel Páez several thousand Dissident LDS group in Mexico. They returned to the LDS Church in 1946.
Church of the Saints of the Fullness of Times 1936 ? 300 Located in San Gabriel Ometotztla, Mexico. Schism of the Third Convention; active as of 1997.
Kingdom of God in its Fulness 1936 ? 700 Polygamist group located in Colonia Industrial, Mexico. Affiliated with Apostolic United Brethren and Third Convention; active as of 1997.
Church of Christ (Restored) 1937 A.C. DeWolf 450 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of the Fettingites.
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message 1943 William Draves 12,500 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of the Fettingites.
House of Aaron 1943 Maurice Glendenning 1,000 Headquarters at Eskdale in Utah. Current leader is John M. Conrad.
Church of Christ (Hancock) 1946 Pauline Hancock ? Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of the Fettingites and the first founded by a woman; defunct in 1984.
Third Conventionist 1947 Margarito Bautista 700 Located in Ozumba, Mexico. Active as of 1997.
Zion's Order 1951 Marl Kilgore 100 Headquarters at Mansfield, Missouri. Schism of the Aaronic Order.
True Church of Jesus Christ 1953 Clyde Fletcher 10 Headquarters at Clitherall in in Minnesota. Members rejoined the Cutlerites in 1969.
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 1954 Leroy S. Johnson 8,000-10,000 Largest LDS polygamist group; headquarters at Colorado City in Arizona. There are 700 members at the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas.
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times 1955 Joel F. LeBaron 1,000 Polygamist group with headquarters at Colonia Lebaron in Chihuahua, Mexico. Members also are in the Salt Lake City area.
Church of the Firstborn 1955 Ross W. LeBaron 100 Polygamist group with headquarters at Salt Lake City in Utah. He broke away from brothers at Colonia Lebaron in Mexico.
Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter-day Saints 1955 William Conway ? Mystical sect; Zapotec tribe in the Yucatán declared Conway to be a prophet.
Church of Christ 1965 Howard Floyd 35 Centered at Holden in Missouri state. Schism of the Fettingites.
Church of Jesus Christ 1965 Theron Drew few Founded in Wisconsin state. Schism of the Strangites.
Holy Church of Jesus Christ 1966 Alexandre Caffiaux ? Members in France in New Mexico; now defunct. Schism of the Strangites.
United Order Family of Christ 1966 David Desmond ? Gay young men's group started at Denver in Colorado. Defunct in 1973 or 1974.
Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1968 Stanley King 40 Headquarters at Chatsworth of Ontario in Canada. Polygamist schism of the RLDS church.
Church of Israel 1972 Dan Gayman ? Headquarters at Schell City in Missouri. Racist schism of the Hedrickites.
Church of the First Born Lamb of God 1972 Ervil LeBaron ? Polygamist group at Los Molinos in Baja California, Mexico. He broke away from brothers at Colonia Lebaron in Mexico and died in prison after ordering the murders of Joel LeBaron and Rulon Allred.
Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly 1974 Alex Joseph 400 Polygamist group with headquarters at Big Water in Utah. Alex also formed the Confederate Nations of Israel in 1977.
True Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1974 David Roberts ? Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Roberts claimed to be a successor of James Strang.
Church of the New Covenanet in Christ 1975 John W. Bryant ? Polygamist group headquartered at Salem in Oregon. Wives claimed he converted temple ordinances into free love sexual rites.
Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 1978 Gerald Petertson 100-200 Polygamist group with headquarters at Modena in Utah. He claimed to be the successor to Rulon Allred and Spencer Kimball.
Restored Church of Jesus Christ 1980 Eugene O. Walton 25 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of the Cutlerites.
Independent RLDS / Restoration Branches 1980s various 10,000 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Sons Ahman Israel 1981 David Israel ? Fundamentalist group with headquarters at Cane Beds in Arizona. David's real name is Gilbert Clark.
School of the Prophets 1982 Robert Crossfield ? Fundamentilist group with headquarters at Salem in Utah. He published the Book of Onias, which condemned LDS leaders.
Church of Jesus Christ 1983 Art Bulla ? Cult with headquarters at Salt Lake City in Utah. He requres followers to pray in his name; active as of 2013.
Centennial Park 1984 J. Marion Hammon 1,500 Fundamentalist group with headquarters at Centennial Park in Arizona. Schism that broke with Leroy Johnson.
Church of Christ 1985 David B. Clark ? Headquarters at Oak Grove, Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ 1985 Antonio Feliz 500 Headquarters at Salt Lake City in Utah. Also known as the Gay Mormon Church; defunct in 2010.
Church of Jesus Christ (Zion's Branch) 1986 Robert Cato 200 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Lundgren Group 1988 Jeffrey Lundgren 20 Headquarters at Kirtland, Ohio. Schism of RLDS church.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God 1990 Frank Naylor 200-300 Polygamist group with headquarters at Bluffdale in Utah. Schism of Centennial Park.
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1991 various ? Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-4ay Saints 1994 Mike Bethel ? Schism of LDS church; extant as of 1998.
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days 1994 James Harmston 300-500 Polygamist group with headquarters at Manti in Utah. Schism of Centennial Park.
Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830 2000 Nolan Glauner ? Headquarters at Tarkio, Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2000 Frederick Larsen 1,000-2,000 Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of RLDS church.
Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven 2001 Terrll Dalton ? Polygamist group with headquarters at Fromberg, Montana.
Church of Jesus Christ Inc. 2002 Winston Blackmore 700 Polygamist group with headquarters at Bountiful, British Columbia.
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, The Assured Way of the Lord, Inc. 2004 Leonard Draves ? Headquarters at Independence in Missouri. Schism of the Hecrickites.
Church of Jesus Christ in Zion 2004 Roger Billings 1,000 Polygamist group with headquarters at Bountiful, British Columbia.
Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ 2007 Matthew Gill ? Headquarters at Independence in Missouri.
Fellowships of the Remnants 2013 Denver C. Snuffer Jr. 5,000 Founded by followers of Denver Snuffer; located in Utah and other western states. Composed of restorationist Christians.
Sword of YHVH Ministries 2013 Jake Hilton 9,000 Located in northern Idaho and conducted via the internet.
Cause of Zion 2016 Joseph F. Smith 450 Headquarters at Holden in Missouri. AKA Joseph Smith Ministries at Blue Springs, Missouri.

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