Parish registers
Church of England parish registers record baptisms, marriages and burials and are extremely valuable to family historians.
The earliest registers generally date from 1538 when parish churches were obliged to keep such registers. However, most surviving registers start from later in the 16th century or into the 17th century.
Parish registers were originally just books of blank pages to be filled in as the local vicar saw fit. Some kept baptisms, marriages and burials listed separately, whilst others recorded them together in one list. The level of detail provided can also vary.
In 1812 parish registers changed so that all baptisms, marriages and burials were to be listed within books on specially produced forms. After this date registers contain slightly more detail and are easier to read.
The following libraries hold microform copies or printed editions of parish registers for their local area.
-
Audley
-
Barton-under-Needwood
-
Biddulph
-
Brewood
-
Burntwood
-
Burton
-
Cannock
-
Cheadle
-
Eccleshall
-
Kidsgrove
-
Kinver
|
-
Leek
-
Lichfield
-
Newcastle
-
Penkridge
-
Perton
-
Rugeley
-
Stafford
-
Tamworth
-
Uttoxeter
-
Werrington
-
Wolstanton
-
Wombourne
|
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service holds original registers for the majority of parish churches in the county. These are available on microfiche.
Bishop's transcripts are the diocesan copies of parish registers which were produced from about 1600. These can be useful where gaps occur in the series of original registers. Bishop's transcripts are held at Lichfield Record Office.
Nonconformist and Roman Catholic records may also be available but holdings are less complete. Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service holds some of these records.
-
-
-
-