Hemnes municipality / parish has not always covered the same area as today. The division has varied greatly, perhaps more in political than in religious administration. Hemnes belonged to the Helgeland bailiff (a geographic tax area) of Nordland (county) Nesna chapel (until 1738): Covered Nesna, Hemnes, Rana and parts of Dønna. In 1589, Hemnes was a parish in Alstahaug parish. On the death of vicar Anders Dass in 1736, Alstahaug was divided by the Rana district being separated to form two new parishes, Nesna or "Outer Ranen" and Hemnes or "Indre Ranen". The division seems to have been determined by open letter 30.3.1731, confirmed 12.12.1738. Hemne's parish was to have a vicar and a resident chaplain. A cemetery was established at Storforshei around 1820. This cemetery was in use until 1892, when a chapel was built at Nordre Nevernes. By reg. res. On 19 April 1843, the parish, which was then called Rana, was split in two, so that Hemnes parish formed one and Mo parish the other parish.