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→Locating Church Records of England
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{{main|Locating Church Records of England}} | {{main|Locating Church Records of England}} | ||
To find an ancestor in church records, you should know their religion and the parish where they lived. | To find an ancestor in church records, you should know their religion and the parish where they lived. The Place Search on the FamilySearch Catalog usually uses the parish names as given in ''The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales.'' See [[England Gazetteers | England Gazetteers]] for this source and other help in finding a parish. Also see the [http://maps.familysearch.org/ England & Wales Jurisdictions 1851] map to locate the parish. Be aware that local residents sometimes referred to their parish by the name of the parish patron saint, rather than by the location of the parish. In cities where there is more than one parish, the FamilySearch Catalog uses the patron saint's name with the name of the city to identify records of different parishes. | ||
Copies of parish registers may be available in manuscript or published form. Transcriptions or abstracts may have errors, so always compare the transcript to the original parish register if available. | |||
Individuals and societies collect and compiles copies of parish registers. The Society of Genealogists in London has an extensive collection of transcribed registers (from both parish registers and bishop's transcripts). The Family History Library has an extensive collection of microfilmed and digitized copies of original parish registers and bishop's transcripts. | |||
Some sources that describe the location or survival of most church records are: | |||
*''Lists of Non-parochial Registers and Records in the Custody of the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages''. London, England: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1859. (FHL film {{FHL|281054|title-id|disp=355544}}.) This volume from the Public Record Office series, Lists and Indexes, series tells which pre-1837 nonconformist parish registers are in the Public Record Office. See the [[England Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]] article in the Wiki for the address. | |||
*Humphery-Smith, Cecil R., ''The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers''. Second Edition. Chichester, Sussex, England: Phillimore & Co., 1995. (FHL book {{FHL|752598|title-id|disp=942 E7pa 1995}}.) This gives the location and repository address for each parish register. | |||
*''Parish Register Abstract''. England: House of Commons, 1833. (FHL book {{FHL|428054|title-id|disp=Q 942 X2gbc}}; film {{FHL|428054|title-id|disp=599640 items 1–2}}.) This book shows which pre-1813 parish registers existed in 1831. | |||
*Steel, Donald J., et al. ''National Index of Parish Registers.'' 13 Volumes. Chichester, England: Phillimore & Company, Limited, 1968–. (FHL book {{FHL|385700|title-id|disp=942 V26ste}}.) This index helps identify church records and congregations. Not all counties are published yet. | |||
*Youngs, Frederic A., Jr. ''Guide to the Local Administrative Units''. London, England: Royal Historical Society, 1979, 1991. (FHL {{FHL|158240|title-id|disp=942 C4rg no. 10, 17}}.) This guide helps identify Church of England ecclesiastical jurisdictions and gives an outline history of changes to the parishes. | |||
=== Search Strategies === | |||
As you search church records, use the following strategies: | |||
*Search indexes first (where available) | |||
*Search parish registers, bishops’ transcripts, and all other available records for the time period. | |||
*Note all entries, including burials, in the parish registers for the surname unless the name is very common. | |||
*Note gaps or missing pages in the record. This may suggest that you should search alternative records for that time period. | |||
*If the church records do not contain enough information, search for hints (residence, occupation, and so on) that suggest other records to search. | |||
*If you find little or no mention of your family in Church of England parish records, search neighboring parishes and nonconformist records. | |||
*Search both Church of England parish registers and bishops’ transcripts, as either may contain entries missing from the other. | |||
Some church records have been destroyed by fire, lost, stolen, defaced, or damaged by dampness or aging. To protect their records, most parishes have deposited their early registers in county record offices. Addresses of the county record offices are given in: Humphery-Smith, Cecil R., ''The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers''. Second Edition. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Company, 1995. (FHL book {{FHL|752598|title-id|disp=942 E7pa 1995}}.) | |||
Parish maps can help you determine which parish to search. Maps will reveal neighbouring parishes to search if your ancestor is not listed in the parish where you expected him or her to be. See [[England Maps|England Maps]] for more information. <br> | |||
== Research Guidance == | == Research Guidance == | ||