Editing Mormon (word) (section)

== Scholarly usage ==
[[J. Gordon Melton]], in his ''Encyclopedia of American Religions'', subdivides the Mormons into ''Utah Mormons'', ''Missouri Mormons'', ''Polygamy-Practicing Mormons'', and ''Other Mormons''.<ref>[[J. Gordon Melton]] (1996, 5th ed.). ''Encyclopedia of American Religions''. (Detroit: Gale, {{ISBN|0-8103-7714-4}}) pp. 561–585.</ref> In this scheme, the "Utah Mormon" group includes the non-polygamous organizations descending from those Mormons who followed [[Brigham Young]] to what is now [[Utah]]. The LDS Church is by far the largest of these groups, with a December 2022 membership count totaling 17,002,461<ref name=2022statistics>{{cite web|title=2022 Statistical Report for the April 2023 Conference|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2022-statistical-report-april-2023-conference|website=Church Newsroom|date=1 April 2023|access-date=18 March 2024|archive-date=8 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240408060358/https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2022-statistical-report-april-2023-conference|url-status=live}}</ref> worldwide and the only group to initially reside in Utah.

The "Missouri Mormon" groups include those non-polygamous groups that chose not to travel to Utah and are currently headquartered in Missouri, which Joseph Smith designated as the future site of the [[New Jerusalem]]. These organizations include [[Community of Christ]], [[Church of Christ (Temple Lot)]], [[Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints]], and others.

"Polygamy-Practicing Mormon" groups are those that currently practice polygamy, regardless of location. Most notably, this category includes the [[Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] (FLDS Church) and the [[Apostolic United Brethren]] (AUB).

"Other Mormon" groups include those that are not headquartered in Utah or Missouri and do not practice polygamy, such as [[The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)]] and the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)]].

The terms ''Utah Mormon'' and ''Missouri Mormon'' cannot be interpreted to mean more than the location of the various groups' headquarters, as the majority of members of "Utah Mormon" groups and "Missouri Mormon" groups no longer live in either of these US states. Although a majority of Utahns are members of the LDS Church, it has a worldwide membership with the majority of its members outside the [[United States]]; and most "Missouri Mormons" do not live in Missouri.{{Cn|date=March 2023}}