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Fields Used in Searches

Baptism Banns Burial Marriage Witness
Forename X X X X X
Surname X X X X X
Soundex X X X X
Sex X X X
Father Forename X P
Mother Forename X
Spouse Forename X X
Spouse Surname X X
Start Year X X X X X
End Year X X X X X
Event X X X X X
Parish X X X X X

X = Used
P = Used only with post 1837 Marriages

Historical Parish Register Entry Formats

Parish registers are hand written records kept by the parish to record religious events, including marriages, baptisms, burials, confirmations, banns declarations, etc. In 1837, secular records became to be kept of births, deaths, and marriages. Parish registers began in 1538 when Henry VIII split from the the Roman Catholic church forming the Church of England. In 1754, printed registers were supplied to record marriages and in 1812, printed registers were supplied for baptisms and burials.

The format and the amount of information associated with parish register entries varied through time. The following is an overview of how these register entries have changed. The record keeping of non-conformist denominations also varied.