England & Wales Parish Registers

In addition to aiding in tracing family history back before census records, parish records can provide detailed supporting evidence for research after Civil Registration records began in 1837.

In September 1538 a nationwide order was given that each parish was required to keep a register of baptisms, marriages and burial; however, many parishes did not start to keep registers until sometime later. Since 1598, copies of entries from numerous parishes have been copied and given to the bishop for the diocese of that region on an annual basis. These copies are referred to as Bishop’s Transcripts.

The information recorded in parish registers varies greatly, but typically includes:

Baptisms

Baptisms were usually recorded with burials and marriages until 1754. From 1754-1812 they were recorded in the same register with burials. From 1813, they had their own dedicated register.

All baptism entries include the date of baptism and the name of the person being baptised. Additional information such as the parents’ names and the date of birth of the person being baptised were largely optional until 1813. From 1813, baptism registers usually included:

Baptism date
Child’s given name
Residence or Abode
Father’s given name
Father’s occupation
Mother’s name (if a child was illegitimate only the mother’s name was recorded)
Name of Minister

Marriages

Marriages were recorded with baptisms and burials until 1754. They were recorded in a separate register from 1754. Marriage records recorded:

Marriages prior to 1753:

Marriages from 1754 include the above and:

Parish/residence of the bride and groom
Marital status of bride and groom
Whether the marriage was by banns or license
Signatures of the married coupled
Names of witnesses
The Minister’s name

Marriages after 30 June 1837 include the above and:

Burials

Burials were usually recorded with baptisms and marriages until 1754. From 1754-1812 they were recorded in the same register with baptisms. From 1813, they had their own dedicated register.

Burials before 1813:

Burials after 1813 include the above and:

Bishop’s Transcripts

From 1598, ministers were expected to transmit copies of their records to the diocesan bishop on a yearly basis. These copies are commonly known as Bishops’ Transcripts. As a result, many parish registers from 1598 until the mid-1800s include two versions. Some Bishop’s Transcripts still survive and serve as a useful substitute if the Parish Register no longer exists.