Parish Registers

Research Library; Prior to 1837 the primary source of genealogical data in England is Church of England parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.

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Why Are Parish Registers of Such Value?

Anyone with English ancestry would be well advised to have a parish register search undertaken. Prior to 1837 the primary source of genealogical data in England is Church of England parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials. Parish registers are a goldmine of information and it is often possible to trace the family back several generations within the same parish.

However, it must be understood that a parish church was located in most villages, with several existing in larger towns and with large numbers of churches in big cities. These records were not held centrally but were kept at the church, although most have now been deposited with the relevant county record office.

We have researchers in every English county and therefore have access to all the parish registers deposited at the record offices. If their place of birth is known, we can search the registers for the records of your ancestors. If it is not known, we may need to conduct other searches first in order to determine the place of birth. In some instances it may not be possible to determine the place of birth and we will be unable to help.

What Information Do They Contain?

As a general rule, parish registers from 1813 onwards will contain the following information:

Baptisms

Name of person (usually an infant) being baptised
Date of baptism
Name of parents (but not the maiden name of the mother)

Marriages

Name of bride and groom
Date of marriage
Signature or mark of bride and groom and witnesses.
Note: The names of the parents will not be given

Burials

Name of deceased
Date of burial
Age of deceased (not always provided)

Records prior to 1813 vary widely in the amount of information they contain. Some records will provide less information that the post-1813 registers, others much more.

I Have the Information from the IGI - Isn't That Enough?

There is no doubt that the International Genealogical Index (IGI) is a wonderful resource to the genealogist, particular where the information has been extracted from the registers.

However, it is always advisable to check the original record for two reasons:

It is always important to verify the information and
Very often additional information is provided on the original record.

Even if you have obtained information from the IGI that you are sure relates to your ancestors, you should always have the original registers checked.

What other parish records are available?

There is a vast amount of other records which may contain information on the lives of your ancestors. These include non-conformist registers, wills, poor law, quarter session, and other records.

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