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: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Marriage Index for England (Pallot's) |
| Link: | Pallot's Marriage Index for England: 1780 - 1837 |
| Description: | Ancestry's Pallot's Marriage Index for England: 1780 - 1837 |
| Extra Info: | Pallot's Index to Marriages is essential for researchers with London ancestry, as it covers all but two of the 103 parishes in the old City of London. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | A Romany Gypsy & Traveller Heritage Project |
| Link: | https://www.romaheritage.co.uk/ |
| Description: | Romani Parish and Census records |
| 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: | Births, Burials / Cremations, Census, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Chris Newhall's Family History |
| Link: | http://www.wildot.co.uk/famhist.htm |
| Description: | Chris Newhall's Family History |
| Extra Info: | Includes NEWHALL, BAILEY, BEECH, CATLEY and many other surnames. |
| 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: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Family History Books via Family Search |
| Link: |  |
| Description: | Family History Books via Family Search |
| Extra Info: | More than 40,000 digitized genealogy and family history publications from the archives of some of the most important family history libraries in the world. Read online for free. Includes some parish register transcripts. |
| 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, 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: | Banns, Baptisms, Births, Burials / Cremations, Deaths, Marriages, Parish Records, Pedigrees, Visitations, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | London Data from Ancestry |
| Link: | London Data from Ancestry |
| Description: | London Data Collection from Ancestry |
| Extra Info: | Includes numerous baptism, banns, marriages, burials and deaths from parish registers; American Wills Proved in London, 1611-1775; Visitation of London, 1633-1635 |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | London Lives 1690 to 1800 - Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis |
| Link: | https://www.londonlives.org/ |
| Description: | A fully searchable edition of 240,000 manuscripts from eight archives and fifteen datasets, giving access to 3.35 million names. |
| Extra Info: | See the Additional Datasets for Wills and Parish registers. |
| 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: | Non-conformist Registers, London |
| Link: | Non-conformist Registers, London 1694-1931 |
| Description: | Non-conformist Registers, London 1694-1931 |
| 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, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records, Wills / Probate |
| Title: | Open Library |
| Link: | http://openlibrary.org/ |
| Description: | Open Library - Scanned Books Online |
| Extra Info: | Includes full images of many books of transcribed parish registers. Use the search facility and select e books only. Can also search within book text easily. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish of St Giles Without Cripplegate, London - An Account of the Parish |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/accountofchurchp00badd |
| Description: | Parish of St Giles Without Cripplegate, London - Extracts of Registers |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Includes some memorial inscriptions and selected extracts from the registers 1577-1700. |
| Classification: | Banns, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish of the Dutch Reformed Church, Austin Friars, London -Records |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/archivesoflondon00lond |
| Description: | Parish of the Dutch Reformed Church, Austin Friars, London -Records |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Includes certificates of marriage, banns and betrothals. |
| 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, Census, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Register and Census Transcripts - A Selection |
| Link: | http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~juliet22/genealogy/... |
| Description: | Parish Register and Census Transcripts - A Selection |
| Extra Info: | May not display correctly in all browsers. Transcripts from Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, Northumberland for a selction of names. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of All Hallows, Bread Street, and St John the Evangelist, Friday Street, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofallha00allh |
| Description: | Parish Registers of All Hallows, Bread Street, and St John the Evangelist, Friday Street, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers baptisms 1538-1892, marriages 1539-187637 and burials 1538-1851 for All Hallows. For St John (page 648) covers baptisms 1653-1821, marriages 1653-1666, burials 1653-1822. |
| Classification: | Burials / Cremations, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Botolph, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersstboto00hallgo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Botolph, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Burials 1628-1752. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Botolph, London |
| Link: | St Botolph, Bishopsgate, Parish Registers |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Botolph, London (Ancestry) |
| Extra Info: | Baptisms 1628-1690. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Helen, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofsthel31sthe |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Bishopsgate - St Helen, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers 1575-1837. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Cornhill, St Michael, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/parishregisterso07stmi |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Cornhill, St Michael, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms, marriages and burials from 1546 to 1754. Published 1882. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of London - Phillimore (2) |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/londonparishregi02phil |
| Description: | Parish Registers of London - Phillimore - Marriages Vol 2 |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Marriages. St. James's Duke's Place 1684-1690. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of London - Phillimore (3) |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/londonparishregi03phil |
| Description: | Parish Registers of London - Phillimore - Marriages Vol 3 |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Marriages. St. James's Duke's Place 1691-1700. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of London - St Thomas the Apostle |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/parishregisterso06stth |
| Description: | Parish Registers of London - St Thomas the Apostle |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Contains marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1558 to 1754. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of London, St Mary Aldermary |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/parishregisterso00stma |
| Description: | Parish Registers of London, St Mary Aldermary |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Published 1880. The parish registers of St. Mary Aldermary, London, containing the marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1558 to 1754 |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Outwich - St Martin, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstmar32stma |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Outwich - St Martin, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers 1670-1873. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Saint Peeters upon Cornhill, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registerofallchr01lond |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Saint Peeters upon Cornhill, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Registers 1538-1666. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Saynte De'nis, Backchurch Parish London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/reiesterbookesa00socigo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Saynte De'nis, Backchurch Parish London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Contains marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1538 to 1754. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Antholin, Budge Row, and St John Baptist on Wallbrook, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/parishregisters02pargoo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Antholin, Budge Row, and St John Baptist on Wallbrook, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Containing marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1538 to 1754 for St. Antholin and marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1682-1754 for St. John Baptist. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstben03lond |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book.Marriages for St Bene't 1731-1837 and St Peter 1607-1834. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstben39stbe |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book.Marriages for St Bene't 1619-1730. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstben38stbe |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book.Baptisms for St Bene't 1619-1837 and St Peter 1607-1837. |
| Classification: | Burials / Cremations, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstben41stbe |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Bene't and St Peter, Paul's Wharf, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book.Burials for St Bene't 1619-1837 and St Peter 1607-1837. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Christopher le Stocks, London |
| Link: | https://archive.org/details/registerbookofpa00lond |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Christopher le Stocks, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Registers 1558-1654. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Mary le Bowe, Cheapside, All Hallows, Honey lane, and St Pancras, Soper lane, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstmar45stma |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Mary le Bowe, Cheapside, All Hallows, Honey lane, and St Pancras, Soper lane, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. St. Mary le Bowe marriages 1538-1837, All Hallows marriages 1546-1837, St Pancras marriages 1538-1836. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Mary le Bowe, Cheapside, All Hallows, Honey lane, and St Pancras, Soper lane, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstmar44stma |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Mary le Bowe, Cheapside, All Hallows, Honey lane, and St Pancras, Soper lane, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers baptisms and burials for 1538-1837. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Mary Woolnoth and St Mary Woolchurch Haw, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/cu31924029785478 |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Mary Woolnoth and St Mary Woolchurch Haw, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers 1538-1760. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Mildred, Bread Street and St Margaret Moses, Friday Street, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/TheRegistersOfSt.Mildre... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Mildred, Bread Street and St Margaret Moses, Friday Street, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers baptisms 1658-1837, marriages 1670-1837 and burials 1670-1853 for St MIldred. For St Margaret (page 138) covers baptisms 1559-1836, marriages 1558-1839, burials 1558-1850. A few banns for each church. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Nichols Acons Parish, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registerbookpar00pargoo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Nichols Acons Parish, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Registers 1539-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burial Plots, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Paul's Cathedral, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/publicationshar12socigo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Paul's Cathedral, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms 1708-1715 then 1875 onwards, marriages 1697 onwards and burials 1766 onwards. Published 1899. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Stephen's, Walbrook, and St Benet, Sherehog, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstste50stst |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Stephen's, Walbrook, and St. Benet, Sherehog, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Burials 1716-1860, marriages 1754-1860 and baptisms 1790-1860 |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Stephen's, Walbrook, and St Benet, Sherehog, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstste49stst |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Stephen's, Walbrook, and St Benet, Sherehog, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Burials 1557-1716, marriages 1557-1753 and baptisms 1557-1789.. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Vedast, Foster Lane, and of St Michael le Quern, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstved01lond |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Vedast, Foster Lane, and of St Michael le Quern, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. St Vedast - Christenings 1558-1836, St Michael le Quern - Christenings 1685-1836. Published 1902. |
| Classification: | Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of St Vedast, Foster Lane, and of St Michael le Quern, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstved30stve |
| Description: | Parish Registers of St Vedast, Foster Lane, and of St Michael le Quern, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. St Vedast - marriages 1559-1837, burials 1558-1837. St Michael le Quern - marriages 1686-1837, burials 1685-.1837. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Staining - All Hallows and St Olave, Hart Street, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/cu31924028066797 |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Staining - All Hallows and St Olave, Hart Street, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Some extracts of baptisms, marriages and burials, with monumental inscriptions. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Monumental Inscriptions, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of the Dutch Reformed Church, Austin Friars, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/marriagebaptisma00lond |
| Description: | Parish Registers of the Dutch Reformed Church, Austin Friars, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Covers the period 1571-1874. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers St Olave, Hart Street, London |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofstola46stol |
| Description: | Parish Registers St Olave, Hart Street, London |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms for 1563-1700. |
| 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: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Romany Genes 2 Website |
| Link: | https://web.archive.org/web/20210423045021/http://... |
| Description: | Romany Genes 2 Website |
| Extra Info: | An archived copy of a site that is no longer active. Most information is still available to view. Maybe slow to load. |
| 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. |
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