Gloucestershire Church Records: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 13:32, 19 August 2025

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Church Records

Findmypast Baptisms (scroll down the left sidebar to find Gloucestershire)

Parish Registers[edit | edit source]

The following websites provide data rich entries for baptisms, marriages and burials from early to the 1900's:

1. Ancestry.co.uk (£) has published millions of entries for the county of Gloucestershire. They have digitised and indexed both parish registers and bishop's transcripts:

1538-1813 Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1813 11,693,589 entries.
1754-1938 Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 1,489,053 entries.
1813-1913 Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1913 3,162,197 entries.
1813-1988 Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1988 821,508 entries.
1834-1913 Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Confirmations, 1834-1913 14,295 entries.

2. FamilySearch has the following records:

1538-1975 England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images includes 2,054,974 Gloucestershire baptisms.
1538-1973 England Marriages, 1538-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images includes 1,108,519 Gloucestershire entries.
1538-1991 England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images includes 523,006 Gloucestershire burials.

1777-1936 England, Bristol, Non-Conformist Church Records, 1777-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Formerly known as the International Genealogical Index. These databases are free on FamilySearch.

Coverage.

3. Findmypast.co.uk published about the same time, a Bristol City database index to baptisms, marriages and burials as well.

Baptisms

189,039 Gloucestershire entries are included in England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906 at Ancestry (£). Formerly known as British Isles Vital Records Index - 2nd Ed. Coverage.^[1]

Marriages

Gloucestershire Marriage Index 1800-1837 is available online at Family History Societies Online (£).

222 Gloucestershire parishes are indexed in Boyd's Marriage Index (£). Coverage. Bristol was a popular place to marry.^[2]

There are 147 Gloucestershire parishes which are indexed in Joiner's Marriage Index (£). Coverage.^[3]

There are 93,780 Gloucestershire entries included in England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1940 at Ancestry (£). Formerly known as British Isles Vital Records Index - 2nd Ed. Coverage.^[4]

FamilySearch and Ancestry have all published extensive online data for marriages for Gloucestershire as of February, 2015.

Findmypast has published online data for the City of Bristol from 1538 to 1939.

Burials

Burials from 310 Gloucestershire places (167,500 entries) are included in the National Burial Index (£). Coverage.^[5]

See Findmypast, Ancestry and Familysearch which also provide published data for burials for the county.

Marriage Licences[edit | edit source]

Marriage licences could be obtained from the Bishop of Gloucester, as well as from the Bishop of Bristol.

1115-1906 Britain, Marriage Licences at Findmypast - index & images ($)
1636-1777 Boyd's Marriage Index (£) includes 30,312 entries from Bristol Diocese marriage licences (1637-1777). There are also 2756 entries from Gloucester Diocese marriage licences (1636-1742).^[6]

Bishop of Gloucester

1637-1837 Gloucestershire Marriage Licence Allegations 1637-1837 and Marriage Bonds 1730-1823 at Forest of Dean Family History Trust website - free. 44,000+ entries.

1637-1680 - Gloucestershire Marriage Allegations 1637-1680. Digitised by FamilySearch Digital Library.

Bishop of Bristol

1637-1700 - Marriage Bonds for the Diocese of Bristol 1637-1700. Digitised by FamilySearch Digital Library; some restrictions may apply.

1701-1710 Bristol Marriage Licence Bonds 1701-1710, by Roger Price, 2014, at Bristol and Avon Family History Society website - free.

1750-1752, 1762-1789 - Bristol Marriage Licences, 1750-1789; images (no index) are online at FamilySearch - free; some restrictions may apply.
- 1750-1752
- 1762-1767
- 1767-1775
- 1775-1781
- 1781-1789

Bristol County (comprising parts of Gloucester and Somerset)[edit | edit source]

The Bristol County collections which encompass Bristol, Gloucester and Somerset. Bristol County was not established until 1974.

1538-1813 Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
1538-1900 England, Bristol Parish Registers, 1538-1900 at MyHeritage — index ($)
1813-1918 Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1918 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
1754-1935 Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
1813-1994 Bristol, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1994 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Non-conformist

1538-1813 Bristol, England, Non-Conformist Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1644-1981 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Forest of Dean[edit | edit source]

A very helpful resource for parishes in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire is an online database of indexed parish registers found at www.forest-of-dean.net. It includes index baptism, marriage, and burial records from the following parishes.

Abenhall
Adsett
Alvington
Arlingham
Ashleworth
Aston Ingham
Awre
Beachley
Bishopswood
Blaisdon
Blakeney
Brearn
Bromsberrow
Bulley
Chapel Hill
Chepstow
Christchurch
Churcham
Cinderford
Clearwell
Coleford
Corse
Courtfield
Deerhurst
Dixton
Drybrook
Dymock
English Bicknor
Falfield
Flaxley

Goodrich
Hartpury
Hasfield
Hewelsfield
Hope Mansell
Huntley
Kempley
Lassington
Lea
Ledbury
Linton
Littledean
Little Marcle
Llandogo
Longdon
Longhope
Longney
Lydbrook
Lydney
Maisemore
Marstow
Minsterworth
Mitcheldean
Monmouth
Much Marcle
Newent
Newland
Norton
Oxenhall
Parkend

Pauntley
Penallt
Pillowell
Preston by Ledbury
Redmarley
Rodley
Ross on Wye
Ruardean
Rudford
St Arvans
St Briavels
Staunton
Staunton near Newent
Taynton
The Leigh
Tibberton
Tintern
Tirley
Tutshill
Upleadon
Upton Bishop
Viney Hill
Walford
Welsh Bicknor
Westbury on Severn
Weston under Penyard
Whitchurch
Woolaston
Wotton under Edge

Archives[edit | edit source]

Gloucestershire Archives
Clarence Row
Alvin Street
Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL1 3DW UK
Telephone: 01452 425 295
Email: archives@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Bristol Archives
'B' Bond Warehouse (via Create Centre)
Smeaton Road
Bristol, Gloucestershire BS1 6XN UK

Telephone: 0117 922 4224
Email: bro@bristol.gov.uk

Bristol Record Office was established in 1924. It looks after the official archives of the City of Bristol, besides collecting and preserving many other records relating to the city and surrounding area. The office acts as a Diocesan Record Office for Bristol diocese.

Church Records include:

*Records of the Diocese of Bristol: including wills, Bishop’s transcripts, faculty papers, records of ordination, estate records and tithe maps.

*Parish registers and records: these include registers of baptisms, marriages and burials for the Archdeaconry of Bristol, records of the Overseers of the Poor and churchwarden’s accounts.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ 'Genoot Library - British Isles Vital Record Index Breakdown,' Genoot, accessed 1 September 2013.
↑ 'Boyd's Marriage Index - Parish details by county,' British Origins, (Wayback Machine) accessed 31 August 2013.
↑ 'Coverage of the Joiner Marriage Index', The Joiner Marriage Index, accessed 1 September 2013.
↑ 'Genoot Library - British Isles Vital Record Index Breakdown,' Genoot, accessed 1 September 2013.
↑ 'Parish Records - National Burial Index Records 1538 - 2005 Coverage', Findmypast, accessed 1 September 2013.
↑ 'Boyd's Marriage Index - Parish details by county,' Origins.net, accessed 1 December 2012.

[1] 'Genoot Library - British Isles Vital Record Index Breakdown,' Genoot, accessed 1 September 2013.

[2] 'Boyd's Marriage Index - Parish details by county,' British Origins, (Wayback Machine) accessed 31 August 2013.

[3] 'Coverage of the Joiner Marriage Index', The Joiner Marriage Index, accessed 1 September 2013.

[4] 'Genoot Library - British Isles Vital Record Index Breakdown,' Genoot, accessed 1 September 2013.

[5] 'Parish Records - National Burial Index Records 1538 - 2005 Coverage', Findmypast, accessed 1 September 2013.

[6] 'Boyd's Marriage Index - Parish details by county,' Origins.net, accessed 1 December 2012.

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@@ Line 211: / Line 211: @@
 *[https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-archives/ Website]
 *[https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-archives/whats-at/bristol-collections/ Online catalogue]
-::Bristol Record Office was established in 1924. It looks after the official archives of the City of Bristol, besides collecting and preserving many other records relating to the city and surrounding area. The office acts as a '''Diocesan Record Office for Bristol diocese.'''
+{{Block indent|Bristol Record Office was established in 1924. It looks after the official archives of the City of Bristol, besides collecting and preserving many other records relating to the city and surrounding area. The office acts as a '''Diocesan Record Office for Bristol diocese.'''|2}}
-::'''Church Records include:'''
+{{Block indent|'''Church Records include:'''|2}}
-::*Records of the Diocese of Bristol: including wills, Bishop’s transcripts, faculty papers, records of ordination, estate records and tithe maps.
+{{Block indent|*Records of the Diocese of Bristol: including wills, Bishop’s transcripts, faculty papers, records of ordination, estate records and tithe maps.|2}}
-::*Parish registers and records: these include registers of baptisms, marriages and burials for the Archdeaconry of Bristol, records of the Overseers of the Poor and churchwarden’s accounts.
+{{Block indent|*Parish registers and records: these include registers of baptisms, marriages and burials for the Archdeaconry of Bristol, records of the Overseers of the Poor and churchwarden’s accounts.|2}}
 == References ==