Parish Registers were instigated by Thomas Cromwell from 1538 in the reign of Henry VIII, recording every wedding, baptism and burial. There are gaps in the records for a variety of reasons, such as the civil war, but these records are a prime source for building family trees. From 1597 a copy of the records had to be made and sent to the Bishop. Sometimes the Bishops' Transcript may contain more information than the original, so it can often be worthwhile tracking down both. For more information on Parish Registers there is a brief history on the Wikipedia Parish Register page.
After 1837 Civil Registration was introduced and the Local BMD and GRO BMD records become the primary source.
| Classification: | GRO BMD, Births, Deaths, Marriages, National, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates - BMD Index |
| Link: |  |
| Description: | Complete GRO indexes online & Non-Parochial BMDs service. Includes overseas BMD's for armed forces. |
| Extra Info: | Includes Pre-1837 Non-Conformist BMDs |
| Classification: | GRO BMD, Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Deaths, Marriages, National, Parish Records, War Memorials & Other Memorials |
| Title: | Find My Past - BMD's, Parish Records and More |
| Link: | |
| Description: | Find My Past - BMD's, Parish Records and More |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | ADDYMAN One Name Study |
| Link: | https://ons.addyman.homeip.net/ |
| Description: | ADDYMAN One Name Study |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Baptisms - England and Wales Christening Records |
| Link: | England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1980 |
| Description: | England and Wales Christening Records, 1530-1980 |
| Extra Info: | Not complete. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Census, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | BATSTONE One Name Study |
| Link: | http://www.thebatstones.org.uk/OneNameStudy/index.... |
| Description: | BATSTONE One Name Study |
| Classification: | Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | BLISS Family History Society and One Name Study |
| Link: | https://blissfhs.com/ |
| Description: | BLISS Family History Society and One Name Study |
| Classification: | Burials / Cremations, Deaths, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | BOLSTRIDGE One Name Study |
| Link: | http://www.bolstridge.co.uk/genealogy/index.php |
| Description: | BOLSTRIDGE One Name Study |
| Extra Info: | Use sources to search for types of information such as burials. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | BOYD Family and Information Centre |
| Link: | http://web.archive.org/web/20120716201636/http://c... |
| Description: | BOYD Family and Information Centre |
| Extra Info: | This is an archived copy of the website. Most features appear to work. There may be some delay in loading. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Deaths, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | CLUETT / CLEWETT Records and One Name Study |
| Link: | http://www.cluett.org.uk/ |
| Description: | CLUETT / CLEWETT Records and One Name Study |
| Extra Info: | Part way down the home page is the Search link. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Cumbria Genealogy Search |
| Link: | https://web.archive.org/web/20140216110425/http://... |
| Description: | Selected Transcriptions |
| Extra Info: | An archived copy of site that is no longer active. Most information is available to view. Click at the dot at the start of each description for transcription. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | DALTON Data Bank and One Name Study |
| Link: | http://www.daltondatabank.org/ |
| Description: | DALTON Data Bank and One Name Study |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | DEBENHAM Family History |
| Link: | https://debenham.org.uk/Personal/ |
| Description: | DEBENHAM Family History |
| Extra Info: | DEBENHAM and DEBNAM family history. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Eden Valley Genealogy |
| Link: | https://web.archive.org/web/20190828175450/http://... |
| Description: | Eden Valley Genealogy, including Constables Census of 1787 |
| Extra Info: | This is an archived copy of a site that is no longer being updated. Most information is still availbale, although it may be slow to load. |
| Classification: | GRO BMD, Census, Parish Records, Pedigrees, Visitations |
| Title: | England Data from Ancestry |
| Link: | England Data from Ancestry |
| Description: | England Data Collection from Ancestry |
| Extra Info: | Includes 1861-1901 Censuses; 1837-2005 GRO BMD; visitations and other records. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | English Clandestine Marriages |
| Link: | https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/england-clandestine-marriages |
| Description: | English Clandestine Marriages from 1667 to 1775. |
| Classification: | Parish Records |
| Title: | Family Search - Maps |
| Link: |  |
| Description: | Family Search - Maps |
| Extra Info: | Maps showing where parish boundaries are, when registers were first started. Not complete coverage. Click on map in the map screen to view road names. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Bishops Transcripts, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Family Search Records Collection - England |
| Link: | |
| Description: | Family Search Records Collection - England |
| Extra Info: | An increasing number of records, including census and parish records. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Family Search Records Collection - Worldwide |
| Link: | |
| Description: | Family Search Records Collection - Worldwide |
| Extra Info: | Includes the England and Wales 1841 & 1861 Census, and foreign records, such as the American census that contains Britons who were aboard. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, National, Parish Records |
| Title: | FreeReg Project |
| Link: |  |
| Description: | Transcriptions for Parish Registers |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Census, Deaths, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Obituaries, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | HOGARTH Family Website |
| Link: | http://www.hogarth.org.uk/ |
| Description: | HOGARTH Family Website |
| Extra Info: | Click on reference section for records. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | HOLLINGWORTH One Name Study |
| Link: | http://web.archive.org/web/20110611071735/http://h... |
| Description: | HOLLINGWORTH One Name Study |
| Extra Info: | An archived copy of the site -most information still seems to be available. HOLLINGWORTH and variations. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records |
| Title: | Internet Archive |
| Link: | http://archive.org/ |
| Description: | Internet Archive |
| Extra Info: | Has many scanned books, including some parish registers. Click on texts and then search the archive. Note baptism and baptisms give different results. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Deaths, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | MALLINSON Family Project |
| Link: | http://www.mallproj-home.co.uk/ |
| Description: | MALLINSON Family Project |
| Extra Info: | Also variants. Many concentrated around Huddersfield. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Marriage Index - The Joiner Marriage Index |
| Link: | http://joinermarriageindex.co.uk/ |
| Description: | Marriage Database for Northern England |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Marriages - England and Wales |
| Link: | England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1988 |
| Description: | England and Wales Marriages, 1538-1988 |
| Extra Info: | Not complete. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Deaths, Marriages, National, Parish Records |
| Title: | Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial BMDs |
| Link: | https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/affiliate/?affid=... |
| Description: | Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial BMDs from the National Archive, hosted by The Genealogist |
| Extra Info: | They include the birth records at Dr Williams' Library in London, hospital records of maternity, overseas registrations for British citizens and those on board ships. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Nonconformist Register - Northowram of Coley Register |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/nonconformistreg00byuhe... |
| Description: | Nonconformist Register - Northowram or Coley Register 1644-1752 |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Parish Registers 1584-1620. Index of surnames and place names at end of book. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Births, Deaths, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | OLLINGTON Family One Name Study |
| Link: | http://www.mikehfamily.me.uk/ollington/ |
| Description: | OLLINGTON Family One Name Study |
| Extra Info: | Also includes Hollington and Allington. |
| Classification: | Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Register - William Bradock's Guide 1910 |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/parishregister00braduof... |
| Description: | Parish Register - William Bradock's Guide 1910 |
| Extra Info: | Online book. It explains that start of parish registers and other associated items, such as Phillimore marriages, Hardwicke's marriage act, banns, explanation of register entries, foundlings, as well as some interesting register extracts. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Askham, Westmorland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofparis00askhu... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Askham, Westmorland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Registers 1566-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Barton Parish Church, Westmorland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofparis00bart |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Barton Parish Church, Westmorland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms and marriages 1666-1812 and burials 1666-1830. Published 1917. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Place Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Kirkby Stephen and More |
| Link: | http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~enzedders/misc/ |
| Description: | Kirkby Stephen Parish Register Transcriptions |
| Extra Info: | A one place study of Kirkby Stephen a site for family historians. Some Monumental Inscriptions for Orton and Warcop. |
| Classification: | Parish Records |
| Title: | Parishmouse Family History Guides |
| Link: | https://www.parishmouse.co.uk/ |
| Description: | Parish Registers, Parish Records and Historical Directories. |
| Extra Info: | Each parish page provides a list of adjacent parishes, historical descriptions of the parish, links to free parish registers and records. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, One Place Study, Parish Records, War Memorials & Other Memorials |
| Title: | Patterdale Today |
| Link: | https://www.patterdaletoday.co.uk/ |
| Description: | Patterdale Today |
| Extra Info: | Follow the Local History link |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | PORRITT / PRISSICK / PETTY / HOULT / HAMILTON Families |
| Link: | http://www.davekinggenealogy.co.uk/ |
| Description: | PORRITT / PRISSICK / PETTY / HOULT / HAMILTON Families |
| Extra Info: | Mainly in and around Yorkshire and the North East. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Census, Deaths, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | POULTON Web - Also MELLOR, WHITE, TWEED and Associated Families |
| Link: | http://www.thanksfrank.co.uk/ |
| Description: | POULTON Web - Also MELLOR, WHITE, TWEED and Associated Families |
| Extra Info: | Many names and places included on this site. The name index also indicates records for that name. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Census, Deaths, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records |
| Title: | POWIS Surname and variants One-name Study |
| Link: | http://www.4trudy.co.uk/ |
| Description: | POWIS Surname and variants One-name Study |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Romany References and Records |
| Link: | http://web.archive.org/web/20091026134802/http://g... |
| Description: | Romany References and Records |
| Extra Info: | This is an archived copy of a site that is no longer active, although most information still seems to be available. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, One Name Study, Parish Records, War Memorials & Other Memorials, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | STRANGE, STRAINGE and Variants One Name Study |
| Link: | https://yourtotalevent.com/people/Strange/idxpepl.... |
| Description: | STRANGE and STRAINGE Family History |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Various English Parish Records |
| Link: | https://www.obliquity.com/family/parish/ |
| Description: | Various English Parish Records |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Westmorland County Data from Ancestry |
| Link: | Westmorland County Data from Ancestry |
| Description: | Westmorland County Data Collection from Ancestry |
| Extra Info: | Includes parish register extracts. |
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