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, 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: | 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: | 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, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Northumberland Communities |
| Link: | https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/ |
| Description: | Northumberland Communities |
| Extra Info: | Lots of old manuscripts and documents. Search facility is very useful. |
| 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: | 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 Register Marriage Search |
| Link: | https://ukga.org/browse.php |
| Description: | Marriage Search of Parish Registers for Various Counties |
| Extra Info: | Scroll down for a scan of some Phillimore marriage transcriptions, scroll further down for searchable parish registers. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Alnham, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersalnham00nortgo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Alnham, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Contains baptisms 1688-1812, marriages 1705-1812 and burials 1727-1812. Published 1907. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Beadnell, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/theregistersofbe00bead |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Beadnell, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online Book. Covers baptisms and burials 1766-1812, and marriages 1767-1812. |
| Classification: | Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/publicationsdur01unkngo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Marriage registers 1572-1700. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofberwi01berw |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptism registers 1574-1700. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Bothal with Hebburn, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/publicationsdur00unkngo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Bothal with Hebburn, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms 1680-1812, marriages 1678-1812 and burials 1678-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Chatton, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/theregistersofch00chat |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Chatton, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online Book. Covers baptisms, marriages and burials 1712-1812. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Corbridge, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofcorbr00corb |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Corbridge, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Published 1911. Baptisms 1654-1812, marriages 1657-1812 and burials 1657-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Edlingham, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersedling00pargoo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Edlingham, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Published 1903. Baptisms 1658-1812 marriages 1658-1812 and burials 1658-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Eglingham, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersegling00martgo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Eglingham, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online Book. Covers baptisms and burials 1662-1812 and marriages 1663-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Elsdon, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersbaptis00goog |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Elsdon, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials 1672-1812. |
| Classification: | Banns, Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Ingram, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registersofingra00ingr |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Ingram, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Published 1903. Baptisms 1696-1812, marriages 1684-1812 and burials 1682-1812. |
| Classification: | Baptisms, Burials / Cremations, Marriages, Parish Records |
| Title: | Parish Registers of Lesbury, Northumberland |
| Link: | http://archive.org/details/registerslesbur00pecogo... |
| Description: | Parish Registers of Lesbury, Northumberland |
| Extra Info: | Online book. Baptisms 1690-1812, marriages 1689-1812, burials 1690-1812. Published 1907. |
| 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, 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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