List of missionaries to the South Pacific

Following is a list of notable Christian missionaries to the South Pacific islands, organized by protestants, restorationists, and Roman Catholics. Historically called the South Seas or Oceania, the South Pacific is a geographic region consisting of the portion of the Pacific Ocean located south of the equator.^[1]^[2]^[3] Countries in the South Pacific include Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.^[4] The region also include French Polynesia, consisting of Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Society Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Tahiti, and the Tubuai Islands.^[5]

Protestant

Cecil Abel (1903–1994), from and to Papua New Guinea
Charles Abel (1863–1930), from England to Papua New Guinea
Friedrich Wilhelm Albrecht (1894–1984), from Poland to Australia
Peter Ambuofa, from Australia to Malaita^[6]
Joseph Annand (1844–1932), from Canada to New Hebrides (now Vanuatu)
Clarissa Chapman Armstrong (1805–1891), from the United States to the Marquesas Islands
Francis Armstrong (1813–1897), from Scotland to Australia
Richard Armstrong (1805–1860), from the United States to the Marquesas Islands

Benjamin Yate Ashwell (1810–1883), from England to New Zealand
James Backhouse (1794–1869), from England to Australia
Emilia Baeyertz (1842–1826), from Wales to Australia and New Zealand
Aminio Baledrokadroka (died 1926), from Fiji to Papua New Guinea
Charles Baker (1803–1875), from England to New Zealand

Shirley Waldemar Baker (1836–1903), from England to Australia and Tonga
Thomas Baker (1832–1867), from England to Fiji
William Bambridge (1820–1879), from England to New Zealand
Charles Barff (1791–1866), from England to Huahine
Helen Hugo Barrett (1921–2019), from England to the Solomon Islands
George Bennet (1774–1841), from England to Tahiti
Richard Berry (1824–1908), from England to Australia
Henry Bicknell (1766–1820), from England to Tahiti and Moorea (Society Islands)
Hiram Bingham II (1831–1908), from the United States to the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati)
William Binnington Boyce (1804–1889), fron England to Australia
Alfred Brown (1803–1884), from England to New Zealand
George Brown (1835–1917), from England to Samoa
Thomas Buddle (1812–1883), from England to New Zealand
Joeli Bulu (c. 1810–1877), from Tonga to Fiji
John Burden (1862–1942), from the United States to Australia
John Gare Butler (1781–1841), from England to New Zealand
Edwin Butz (1864-1956), from the United States to Pitcairn Island, Tonga, and Australia
Aaron Buzacott (1800–1864), from England to Rarotonga^[7]
James Calvert (1813–1892), from England to Fiji
Gething Caulton (1895–1976), from England to New Zealand
James Chalmers (1841–1901), from Scotland to New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and New Guinea
Anne Chapman (1791–1855), from England to New Zealand
Percy Chatterton (1898–1984), from England to Papua New Guinean
George Clarke (1798–1875), from England to New Zealand
Robert Henry Codrington (1830–1922), from England to Norfolk Island
Elizabeth Fairburn Colenso (1821–1904), from England to New Zealand
William Colenso (1811–1899), from England to New Zealand
E. E. V. Collocott (1886–1970), from the United States to Tonga
Richard Blundell Comins (1848–1919), from England to Emae (Vanuatu), San Cristobal (Solomon Islands), and Siota (Solomon Islands)
Elizabeth Colenso (1821–1904), from and to New Zealand
William Cooper (1835–1909), from Ireland to Australia and New Zealand
Joseph Copeland (1866–1876), from Scotland to Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna (Vanuatu)
James Cosh (1838–1900), from Scotland to Vanuatu
William Cotton (1813–1879), from England to New Zealand
William Pascoe Crook (1775–1846), from England to Australia, the Marquesas Islands, and Tahiti
Thomas Cullwick (1862–1948), from England to Banks Island (Vanuatu), Norfolk Island, and New Zealand
Harry Moore Dauncey (1863–1932), from England to Papua New Guinea
John Davies (1772–1855), from England to Tahiti
Ralph De Voil (1903–1977), from England to Melanesia and Australia
John Northcote Deck (1875–1957), from Australia to the Solomon Islands
Norman Cathcart Deck (1882 – 1980), from Australia to the Solomon Islands
Philip Delaporte (c. 1868–1928), from the United States to Nauru
Edward Doane (1820–1890), from the United States to Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia) and Ebon Atoll (Marshall Islands)
Alexander Don (1857–1934), from Australia to New Zealand
William Ewart Donnelly (1900–1975), from New Zealand to Fiji
Wilfrid Douglas (1917–2004), from and to Australia
Hannah Dudley (1862–1931), from Australia to Fiji
James Duncan (1813–1907), from Scotland to New Zealand
John Samuel Edmonds (1799–1865), from England to New Zealand
Christopher Eipper (1813–1894), from Germany to Australia
James Elder (1772–1836), from England to Tahiti
Elekana, from Manihiki to Tuvalu
William Ellis (1794–1872), from England to Tahiti and Madagascar
William Thomas Fairburn (1795–1859), from England to New Zealand
Constance Fairhall (1906–1993), from England to Papua New Guinea
Henry Fletcher (1868–1933), from England to New Zealand
Johann Flierl (1858–1947), from Kingdom of Bavaria to New Guinea
Charles Fox (1878–1977), from England to the Solomon Islands
Laura Francis (1865–1946), from and to Australia
John Gale (1831–1929), from England to Australia
John Geddie (1815–1872), from Canada to Vanuatu
William Wyatt Gill (1828–1896), from England to Australia, and Rarotongaco and Mangaia (Cook Islands)
Louis Giustiniani, from England to Australia
Richard Godfrey, from New Zealand to Pentecost (Vanuatu) and the Solomon Islands
John Francis Goldie (1870–1955), from Australia to the New Georgia Islands (Solomon Islands)
George N. Gordon (1822–1861), from Canada to New Hebrides (now Vanuatu)
James Gordon (1832–1872), from Canada to New Hebrides (now Vanuatu)
Thomas Grace (1815–1879), from England to New Zealand
Ernest Gribble (1868–1957), from and to Australia
Harry Griffiths (1895–1987), from England to Australia
Luther Halsey Gulick Sr. (1828–1891), from the United States to Ebon Atoll (Marshall Islands)
Octavius Hadfield (1814–1904), from England to New Zealand
Friedrich Hagenauer (1829–1909), from the Kingdom of Saxony to Australia
William Hall (1778–1844), from England to New Zealand
David Hand (1918–2006), from England to Papua New Guinea
Johann Christian Simon Handt (1794–1863), from Germany to New Zealand
Stephen N. Haskell (1833–1922), from the United States to Australia
Carl Heine (1870–1944), from Australia to the Marshall Islands
Annie Henry (1879–1971), from and to New Zealand
William Henry (1770–1859), from England to Tahiti
Hermann Herlitz (1834–1920), from Prussia to Australia
Edward Hilliard (1851–1936), from the United States to Australia and Tonga
John Hobbs (1800–1883), from England to New Zealand
Arthur Hopkins (1869–1943), from England to Malaita (Solomon Islands)
Matthew Hunkin (1815–1888), from England to Samoa and Niue
John Hunt (1812–1848), from England to Fiji
John Inglis (1808–1891), from Scotland to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
Samuel Ironside (1814–1897), from England to New Zealand
John Jefferson (1760–1807), from England to Tahiti
Neville Johnson (died 2019), from England to Australia
Sarah Jolliffe, from England to Tuvalu
Edmund Kalau (1928–2014), from Germany to Guam
Rēnata Kawepō (died 1888), from and to New Zealand
James Kekela (1824–1904), from Hawaiian Kingdom to Marquesas Islands
Merritt Kellogg (1832–1921), from the United States to Tahiti, Huahine, and Raʻiātea (Society Islands)
Charlotte Kemp (1790–1860), from England to New Zealand
Hermann Kempe (1844–1928), from Germany to Australia
James Kemp (1797–1872), from England to New Zealand
Thomas Kendall (1778–1832), from England to New Zealand
Christian Keyser (1877–1961), from the Kingdom of Bavaria to New Guinea
John King (1787–1854), from England to New Zealand
Margaret Kissling (1808–1891), from England to New Zealand
Ini Kopuria (died 1945), from and to Solomon Islands
Daniel H. Kress (1862–1956), from Canada to Australia
Lauretta Eby Kress (1863–1955), from the United States to Australia
Lazarus Lamilami (c. 1908–1977), from and to Australia
A. K. Langridge (1857–1938), from the United States to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
John Laughton (1891–1965), from Scotland to New Zealand
William George Lawes (1839–1907), from England to Papua New Guinea
Mary Cover Lawry (1799–1825), from Australia to Tonga
Annie Lock (1876–1943), from and to Australia
Daniel Macdonald (1846–1927), from Scotland to Australia
Walter MacDougall (1907–1976), from and to Australia
John W. Mackenzie (1845–1914), from Canada to New Hebrides (Vanuatu).
William MacKenzie (1897–1972), from New Hebrides (Vanuatu) to Australia
Joel Hulu Mahoe (1831–1891), from Hawaiin Kingdom to Gilbert Islands (Kiribati)
John Manton (1807–1864), from England to Australia
Samuel Marsden (1765–1838), from England to Australia
Josua Mateinaniu, to and from Fiji
James Mathers (1854–1911), from Ireland to Australia
Robert Maunsell (1810–1894) from Ireland to New Zealand
Oscar Michelsen (1844–1936), from Norway to Vanuatu
J. Graham Miller (1913–2008), from New Zealand and Australia to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
Peter Milne (1834–1924), from Scotland to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
William Mitchell (1803–1870), from Ireland to Australia
John Morgan (1812–1865), from England to New Zealand
Donald Morrison (1828–1869), from Canada to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
Rupert Mounsey (1867–1952), from England to New Guinea
Sioeli Nau (1825–1895) from Tonga to Fiji
Sailasa Naucukidi, from Fiji to Papua New Guinea
Mehetabel Newman (1822–1908), from England to New Zealand
George Hunn Nobbs (1799–1884), from England to Pitcairn Island and Norfolk Island (Australia)
James Noble (died 1941), from and to Australia
Henry Nott (1774–1844), from England to Tahiti and Moorea (French Polynesia)
Hugh Otter-Barry (1887–1971), from England to Australia
Rodger Page (1878–1965), from Australia to Tonga
John Palmer (1837–1902), from England to New Zealand
Papeiha (died 1967), from Bora Bora to Aitutaki and Rarotonga (Cook Islands)
Hone Tana Papahia (1856–1912), from and to New Zealand
Frank H. L. Paton (1870–1938), from Aniwa (Vanuatu) to Australia
John Gibson Paton (1824–1907), from Scotland to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
Margaret Paton (1841–1905), from England to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
John Patteson (1827–1871), from England to New Zealand
Nukai Peniamina, from and to Niue
Nathaniel Pidgeon (1803–1879), from Ireland to Australia
George Platt (1789–1865), from England to French Polynesia (Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea) and Samoa
James Pollitt (1813–1881), from England to Australia
Te Manihera Poutama (died 1847), from and to New Zealand
Thomas Powell (1809–1887), from England to Samoa
George Pratt (1817–1894), from England to Samoa
George Pritchard (1796–1883), from England to the Society Islands
William Gilbert Puckey (1805–1878), from England to New Zealand
Arthur Purchas (1821–1906), from Wales to New Zealand
Evelyn Ramsey (1923–1989), from the United States to Papua New Guinea
Minarapa Rangihatuake (died 1893), from and to New Zealand
Susannah Jane Rankin (1897–1989), from Wales to Papua New Guinea
Don Richardson (1935–2018), from Canada to Netherlands New Guinea
William Ridley (1819–1878), from England to Australia
Darlene Rose (died 2004), from the United States to New Guinea
Ruatoka (1846–1903), from the Cook Islands to British New Guinea
Mary Anne Rymill (1817–1897), from England to New Zealand
Edward Sayers (1902–1985), from New Zeland to the Solomon Islands
Isobel Schenk (1898–1980), from and to Australia
Rodolphe Samuel Schenk (1888–1969), from and to Australia
Carl Wilhelm Schmidt (died 1864), from Germany to Australia and Samoa
Clamor Wilhelm Schürmann (1815–1893), from Germany to Australia
George Selwyn (1809–1878), from England to New Zealand
Sarah Selwyn (1809–1907), from England to New Zealand
James Shepherd (1796–1882), from Australia to New Zealand
Elsie Smith (1881–1968), from England to New Zealand
John Smithies (1802–1872), from England to Australia
Alexander Neil Somerville (1813–1889), from Scotland to Australia and New Zealand
Seymour Mills Spencer (1812–1898), from the United States to New Zealand
James Stack (1801–1883), from England to New Zealand
James West Stack (1835–1919), from and to New Zealand
Carl Strehlow (1871–1922), from Germany to Australia
Hilmer Swanson (1932–2005), from the United States to Palau
Rawiri Taiwhanga (1818–1874), from and to New Zealand
George Taplin (1831–1879), from England to Australia
Henare Wiremu Taratoa (1830–1864), from and to New Zealand
John Tay (1832–1892), from the United States to Pitcairn Island (British Overseas Territories)
Richard Taylor (1805–1873), from England to New Zealand
Hēnare Mātene Te Whiwhi (died 1881), from and to New Zealand
Alfred Teall, from England to Ambae (Vanuatu) and Banks Island (Vanuatu)
Christian Gottlieb Teichelmann (1807–1888), from Kingdom of Prussia to Australia
Lancelot Edward Threlkeld (1788–1859), from England to Tahiti and Australia
Alan Tippett (1911–1988), from Australia to Fiji
Oliver Fellows Tomkins (1873–1901), from England to Papua New Guinea
George Turner (1818–1891), from England to Samoa
Nathaniel Turner (1793–1864), from England to New Zealand, Australia, and Tonga
David Unaipon (1872–1967), from and to Australia
Ilaijia Varani, from and to Fiji
Carl Sylvius Völkner (c. 1819–1865), from Germany to New Zealand
Daniel Vrooman (1818–1895), from the United States to Australia
Douglas Walkden-Brown (1921–2013), from Australia to Fiji
George Washington Walker (1800–1859), from England to Australia
James Wallis ( 1809–1895), from England to New Zealand
Mary Wallis (1802– 1893), from England to New Zealand
Gregory Warner (born c.1780), from England to Tahiti
Joseph Waterhouse (1828–1881), from England to Fiji
William Watt (1843–1926), from Scotland to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
Daniel Wheeler (1771–1840), from England to Australia, Tahiti, the Sandwich Islands
William White (1794–1875), from England to New Zealand
John Whiteley (1806–1869), from England to New Zealand
Henry Williams (1792–1867), from England to New Zealand
Jane Williams (1801–1896), from England to New Zealand
Marianne Williams (1793–1879) from England to New Zealand
Samuel Williams (1822–1907), from England to New Zealand
Thomas Williams (1815–1891), from Australia to Fiji
William Williams (1800–1878), from England to New Zealand
Charles Wilson (1770–1857), from England to Tahiti
John Alexander Wilson (1809–1887), from England to New Zealand
Eliza Wohlers, (1812–1891), from England to New Zealand
Johan Wohlers (1811–1885), from Germany to New Zealand
William Yate (1802–1877), from England to New Zealand
John Youl (1773–1827), from England to Tahiti and Tasmania (Australia)
Florence Young (1856–1940), from New Zealand to the Solomon Islands
Johann Leopold Zillmann (1813–1892), from Germany to Australia

Restorationist

Carl Christian Amussen (1825–1902), from the United States to New Zealand
William Barratt (1823–1889), from England to Australia
Milton Bennion (1870–1953), from the United States to New Zealand

Shawn Bradley (born 1972), from the United States to Australia
H. David Burton (born 1938), from the United States to Australia
William Henry Chamberlin (1870–1921), from the United States to the Society Islands
Brady Christensen (born 1996), from the United States to New Zealand

Matthew Cowley (1897–1953), from the United States to New Zealand^[8]
Paul Alan Cox (born 1953), from the United States to Samoa
Greg Curtis (born 1960), from the United States to New Zealand
Loren C. Dunn (1930–2001), from the United States to Australia
Augustus Farnham (1805–1865), from the United States to Australia and New Zealand
Burton K. Farnsworth (1890–1945), from the United States to Samoa
Mark Hill Forscutt (1834–1903), from the United States to Samoa
Jack N. Gerard (born 1957), from the United States to Australia
Greg Grant (born 1960), from the United States to Australia
Doyle L. Green (1915–1975), from the United States to Tahiti
John H. Groberg (born 1934), from the United States to Tonga
Benjamin Franklin Grouard (1819–1894), from the United States to the Society Islands^[8]
O. Vincent Haleck (born 1949), from the United States to Samoa
Rufus K. Hardy (1879–1945), from the United States to New Zealand
Taysom Hill (born 1990), from the United States to Australia
Paula Houston (born 1960), from the United States to New Zealand
James Judd (1884–1961), from the United States to Australia
Bronson Kaufusi (born 1991), from the United States to New Zealand
Francis W. Kirkham (1877–1972), from the United States to New Zealand^[9]
John R. Lasater (1931–2017), from the United States to New Zealand
Daniel H. Ludlow (1924–2009), from the United States to Australia
Millard F. Malin (1891–1974), from the United States to New Zealand
Robert Manookin (1918–1997), from the United States to New Zealand
Hyrum Manwaring (1877–1956), from the United States to Tasmania (Australia)
Rex Maughan (born 1936), from the United States to Samoa
Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985), from the United States to Australia
David O. McKay (1873–1970), from the United States to Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand^[8]
Stuart Meha (1878–1963), from and in New Zealand
Wendell B. Mendenhall (1907–1978), from the United States to New Zealand
Louis C. Midgley (born 1931), from the United States to New Zealand
John Murdock (1792–1871), from the United States to Australia
Howard C. Nielson (1924–2020), from the United States to Australia
Russell T. Osguthorpe (born 1946), from the United States to Tahiti
Glenn L. Pace (1940–2017), from the United States to Australia
Arnold Potter (1804–1872), from the United States to Australia
Addison Pratt (1802–1872), from the United States to Tahiti^[8]
Louisa Barnes Pratt (1802–1880), from the United States to Tahiti^[8]
V. Lane Rawlins (born 1937), from the United States to Australia
Marion G. Romney (1897–1988), from the United States to Australia
Glen L. Rudd (1918–2016), from the United States to New Zealand
Robert E. Sackley (1922–1993), from Canada to Australia
Eric B. Shumway (born 1939), from the United States to Tonga
Robert L. Simpson (1915–2003), from the United States to New Zealand
Gordon H. Smith (born 1952), from the United States to New Zealand
Brigham Smoot (1869–1946), from the United States to Tonga
Zerubbabel Snow (1809–1888), from the United States to Australia
Usaia Sotutu (born 1947), from and to Fiji
Simon Southerton, from and to Australia
Trent Staggs (born 1974), from the United States and to Tahiti
Richard H. Stallings (1940–2025), from the United States to New Zealand
Thomas C. Stanford (1865–1946), from the United States to New Zealand
Jim Usevitch (born 1964), from the United States to New Zealand
Talite Vaioleti (born 1980), from Tonga to Australia
Devaughn Vele (born 1997), from the United States to Samoa
Peter Vidmar (born 1961), from the United States to Australia
Osborne J. P. Widtsoe (1877–1920), from the United States to Rarotonga (Cook Islands)
John Williams (1796–1839), from England to Tahiti and Samoa^[7]^[10]
Edward J. Wood (1866–1956), from Canada to Samoa
Robert D. Young (1867–1962), from the United States to Australia

Roman Catholic

Suzanne Aubert (1835– 1926), from France to New Zealand
Ottavio Barsanti (1825–1884), from Italy to New Zealand
Joseph Dalton (1817–1905), from Ireland to New Zealand and Australia
Joseph Marie Garavel (1824–1885), from France to New Zealand
Antoine Garin (1810–1889), from France to New Zealand
Jean Lampila (1808–1897), from France to New Zealand
Adrian Langerwerf (1876–1935), from The Netherlands to New Zealand
James McDonald (1824–1890), from Ireland to New Zealand
Jean Étienne Pezant (1811–1880), from France to New Zealand
Jean-Baptiste Pompallier (1801–1871), from France to New Zealand
John Rodgers (1915–1997), from and to New Zealand

Emmanuel Rougier (1864–1932), from France to Fiji
Louis Catherin Servant (1808–1860), from France to New Zealand

List of missionaries to the South Pacific

Protestant

Restorationist

Roman Catholic

See also

References

Further reading

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