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England Nonconformist Church Records: Difference between revisions

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A nonconformist denomination in England is any denomination not conforming to the Church of England, including Roman Catholics, Jews, and Quakers. The registers of these religions sometimes contain more information than those of the Church of England, often including a person’s birth date, baptism date, father’s name and residence, and mother’s name (including maiden name).  
A nonconformist denomination in England is any denomination not conforming to the Church of England, including Roman Catholics, Jews, and Quakers. The registers of these religions sometimes contain more information than those of the Church of England, often including a person’s birth date, baptism date, father’s name and residence, and mother’s name (including maiden name).  


Lord Hardwicke’s Act, passed in 1754, required that couples had to be married in the Church of England for their marriage to be legal, regardless of what religion one belonged to.  An exception was made for Jews and Quakers.  The law lasted until 1837 when civil registration began.
Lord Hardwicke’s Act, passed in 1754, required that couples had to be married in the Church of England for their marriage to be legal, regardless of what religion one belonged to.  An exception was made for Jews and Quakers.  The law lasted until 1837 when civil registration began.  


Nonconformist registers contain some burial entries, though nonconformists were usually buried in parish churchyards until the chapel obtained its own burial grounds or until civil cemeteries opened.  
Nonconformist registers contain some burial entries, though nonconformists were usually buried in parish churchyards until the chapel obtained its own burial grounds or until civil cemeteries opened.  
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It is not uncommon to find an ancestor affiliated with more than one religion during his or her lifetime. Search all religions and all chapels of a particular religion if an ancestor might be a nonconformist because some people changed religions and travelled long distances to attend their meetings. Ministers often travelled large circuits keeping the vital statistics of several places in the register they carried with them.  
It is not uncommon to find an ancestor affiliated with more than one religion during his or her lifetime. Search all religions and all chapels of a particular religion if an ancestor might be a nonconformist because some people changed religions and travelled long distances to attend their meetings. Ministers often travelled large circuits keeping the vital statistics of several places in the register they carried with them.  


A law passed in 1836 required many nonconformist groups to send their registers into the Public Record Office. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of those that were deposited. Many of these records have been extracted, and the names appear in the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true International Genealogical Index].  
A law passed in 1836 required many nonconformist groups to send their registers into the Public Record Office. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of those that were deposited. Many of these records have been extracted, and the names appear on [http://www.familysearch.org www.familysearch.org] under 'Historical Records.'


T[http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk/index.php he Official Non-Parochial BMDs Service] is a database to search for records of birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial taken from non parish sources. Currently, the site indexes The National Archives records for [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12173&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=True RG4] and [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12174&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+5 RG5]. The projects continues by indexing [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12175&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=False RG 6], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12176&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=True RG 7], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12177&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+8 RG 8], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12201&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+32 RG 32], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12202&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+33 RG 33], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12203&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+34 RG 34], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12204&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+35 RG 35], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12205&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+36 RG 36] and [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1629&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+158 BT 158], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1630&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+159 BT 159], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1631&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+160 BT 160]. <br>
T[http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk/index.php he Official Non-Parochial BMDs Service] is a database to search for records of birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial taken from non parish sources. Currently, the site indexes The National Archives records for [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12173&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=True RG4] and [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12174&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+5 RG5]. The projects continues by indexing [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12175&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=False RG 6], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=12176&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=True RG 7], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12177&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+8 RG 8], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12201&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+32 RG 32], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12202&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+33 RG 33], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12203&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+34 RG 34], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12204&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+35 RG 35], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=12205&SearchInit=4&CATREF=RG+36 RG 36] and [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1629&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+158 BT 158], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1630&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+159 BT 159], [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=1631&SearchInit=4&CATREF=bt+160 BT 160]. <br>
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