Diocesan Dates of Formation

A diocese within the Episcopal Church may be formed in several ways. Some were established as dioceses at the very beginning of the Episcopal Church, often following state boundaries. Others emerged from Missionary Districts once they met criteria set by the General Convention. Some dioceses came into being through subdivision of an existing diocese, while others were created by the combination of two or more dioceses.

Similarly, a diocese may also come to an end in different ways. It may merge with another diocese, reunite with the body from which it originally divided, or in rare cases, become its own independent church (for example, the Diocese of Mexico).

Each diocese carries its own unique story of formation, growth, and—in some cases—conclusion. Many of these stories are preserved in diocesan histories. You are encouraged to explore whether your diocese has such a history and to delve into it as a way of discovering how faith has been lived out in your local context.

For further study, download “Bibliography of Diocesan Histories” by John M. Kinney from a 1974 issue of The Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

The following table lists the formation dates of each diocese in the Episcopal Church, along with ending dates where applicable. The province number (as of 2025) is also provided for reference.