Denominational Profile

Notes

The Primitive Methodist Church grew out of the revivalist impulse in England in the early nineteenth century. It was founded in 1811 by Revs. Hugh Bourne and William Clowes and was brought to the United States in the 1820s.

Membership Data

Year	Clergy	Churches	Members
1925	80	87	11,905
1929	85	90	12,399
1935	77	81	12,081
1937	-	83	12,051
1940	-	85	12,130
1942	-	88	12,185
1946	-	89	11,995
1950	79	87	12,000
1951	69	91	12,295
1952	57	90	12,320
1953	63	90	12,217
1954	75	92	12,061
1955	70	92	12,166
1956	70	92	12,662
1957	90	80	12,571
1958	73	92	12,844
1959	90	90	14,613
1960	65	91	12,360
1961	90	90	12,805
1965	60	86	11,945
1975	94	85	11,024
1976	95	88	10,832
1977	93	88	10,519
1978	91	88	10,222
1979	97	87	10,126
1980	88	87	10,138
1981	90	87	9,978
1986	105	86	8,625
1987	92	84	8,487
1989	84	85	8,244
1992	98	81	7,677
1993	94	81	7,360
1994	118	79	7,298
1995	90	78	7,234
1996	103	75	7,200
1997	106	78	6,588
1998	108	78	6,746
1999	112	77	6,031
2001	92	78	4,717
2002	90	79	4,399
2003	91	79	4,480
2004	90	79	4,487
2005	97	76	4,290
2006	93	72	3,984
2008	84	67	3,915
2009	68	66	3,672

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]