England, Warwickshire, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1538 to 1900.

Baptisms (christenings), marriages, and burials were recorded on blank pages in a bound book called a register. The events of baptism, marriage, and burial were all recorded in one volume until 1754, when a law required that marriages be recorded in a separate book. Banns, or proclamations of “an intent” to marry, were recorded in yet another book. Starting in 1812, preprinted registers were introduced, and then separate registers were kept for baptisms, marriages, and burials. Before 1812, bishops’ transcripts were usually recorded on loose pieces of paper. Following that year, the transcripts were recorded on the same preprinted forms as parish registers.

In 1537, the Church of England mandated that parishes begin keeping church registers by the next year (1538). These church registers continue to the present. Bishops’ transcripts, or copies of parish registers, were required beginning in 1598 and continued to the mid-1800s.

The vast majority of the English population belonged to the Church of England. Only since the mid-19th century have other religious groups made headway.

In 1530, King Henry VIII established the Church in England, also known as the Anglican Church, the State Church, or the Episcopal Church. A law passed in 1537 required ministers to record the baptisms, marriages, and burials that took place in their parishes. Priests recorded these events in registers and kept them at the parish level, which is the lowest level of authority in the Church of England. Within some parishes, chapelries were created to provide for the worship needs of the parishioner when the parish church was not easily accessible. Chapelries sometimes had the authority to perform baptisms, marriages, and burials, so they kept their own registers. Several parishes formed a deanery (presided over by a dean), several deaneries formed an archdeaconry (presided over by an archdeacon), and several archdeaconries formed a diocese (presided over by a bishop).

Beginning in 1598, ministers were required to send copies of their registers to an archdeacon or bishop annually. These copies are referred to as bishops’ transcripts, or sometimes archdeacon transcripts. As a result, two copies of many parish registers exist from 1598 to about the mid-1800s. After civil registration began in 1837, the value of keeping bishops’ transcripts diminished, so by 1870 most parishes had stopped making them.

Banns are proclamations of an intent to marry. After 1754, these banns were required to be read for three consecutive Sundays before a marriage so that anyone with reasons against the marriage could oppose it. Banns were read in both the bride’s parish and the groom’s parish.

Most bishops’ transcripts of Church of England parish registers have been preserved. Many have also been copied to microfilm or microfiche. The condition of the records is relatively good considering their age and their storage conditions over the centuries. In 1598, ministers were required to copy their registers onto parchment. If the minister failed to make such a copy, the register for that parish and its records did not survive. During the Commonwealth period, 1649–1660, many parish registers disappeared, and many transcripts were not kept because ministers were deposed from their parishes.

Parish registers are one of the best sources for identifying individuals and connecting them to parents, spouses, and other generations. In July 1837, the government instituted the civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths. However, parish registers continue to play an important role because they are often more readily available than civil registers. Bishops’ transcripts are a backup source for parish registers that are missing or illegible.

Parishes With Records Available
Abbot's Salford

Abbots Morton

Acock's Green

Admington

Alcester

Alderman's Green

Alderminster

Alkerton

Allesley

Alne End

Alvecote

Alveston Hill

Alveston

Amington

Ansley

Ansty (Anstey)

Ardens Grafton

Arlescote

Armscote

Arrow

Ascott

Ashorne

Ashow

Aspley Heath

Astley

Aston Cantlow

Aston

Astwood Bank

Atch Lench

Atherstone On Stour

Atherstone

Attleborough

Austrey

Avon Dassett

Baddesley Clinton

Baddesley Ensor

Baginton

Balsall Common

Balsall Heath

Balsall Street

Balsall

Balscote

Barby

Barcheston

Barford

Barnacle

Barston

Barton-on-the-heath

Barton

Bascote

Baxterley

Bearley

Bearwood

Beaudesert

Beausale

Bedworth Heath

Bedworth

Belgrave

Bell Green

Bentley Heath

Bentley

Beoley

Berkswell

Bermuda

Bickenhill

Bidford-on-avon

Billesley

Bilton

Binley

Binton

Birchfield

Birchley Heath

Birchmoor

Birdingbury

Birmingham

Bishop's Itchington

Bishop's Tachbrook

Bishopton

Bitteswell

Blackwell

Blyth End

Bodymoor Heath

Boldmere

Bordesley

Borough Park (Much Park)

Bournbrook

Bourton On Dunsmore

Bradley Green

Bramcote

Brandon

Braunston

Bretford

Bridge End

Bridge Town

Brinklow

Broad Marston

Broadwell

Brockhurst

Broom

Brownshill Green

Brownsover

Bubbenhall

Buckland End

Budbrooke

Bulkington

Burbage

Burmington

Burton Dassett

Burton Hastings

Butlers Marston

Caldecote

Camp Hill

Canley

Castle Bromwich

Cathiron

Catthorpe

Cawston

Chadshunt

Chadwick End

Chapel End

Chapel Fields

Charingworth

Charlecote

Charwelton

Chastleton

Cherington

Chesterton Green

Chesterton

Cheylesmore

Chilcote

Chilvers Coton

Church End

Church Hill

Church Lawford

Church Lench

Churchfield

Churchover

Claverdon

Claybrooke Magna

Cleeve Prior

Cliff

Clifford Chambers

Clifton Campville

Clifton Upon Dunsmore

Cole End

Coleshill

Collycroft

Combrook

Cookhill

Copt Green

Copt Heath

Corley Ash

Corley Moor

Corley

Cosford

Cotesbach

Coughton

Coundon

Court House Green

Coventry

Crabbs Cross

Crick

Crimscote

Cubbington

Curdworth

Danzey Green

Darlingscott

Digbeth

Doe Bank

Dordon

Dorridge

Dorsington

Dosthill

Draycote

Drayton Bassett

Drayton

Dunchurch

Dunnington

Dunsmore

Earlsdon

Earlswood

Easenhall

Eastcote

Eathorpe

Ebrington

Edgbaston

Edge Hill

Edgwick

Edstone

Elmdon Heath

Elmdon

Emscote

Enfield

Epwell

Erdington

Ettington

Evenlode

Exhall

Farnborough

Fen End

Fenny Compton

Fillongley

Finham

Five Ways

Flecknoe

Foleshill

Fordbridge

Forshaw Heath

Foul End

Four Oaks Park

Four Oaks

Foxford

Frankley

Frankton

Freasley

Fulready

Furnace End

Galley Common

Gaydon

Glascote

Gosford Green

Grandborough

Gravelly Hill

Great Alne

Great Barr

Great Heath

Great Rollright

Green Lane

Grendon Common

Grendon

Griff

Grove End

Guy's Cliffe

Halford

Hall End

Hall Green

Hampton In Arden

Hampton Lucy

Hampton On The Hill

Hamstead

Handsworth

Hanwell

Harborne

Harborough Magna

Harbury

Hardwick

Hartshill

Harvington

Haseley

Haselor

Hatton

Hawkesbury

Hay Mills

Headless Cross

Heath End

Heathcote

Hellidon

Henley Green

Henley-in-arden

Higham On The Hill

Highgate

Hill Top

Hill Wootton

Hill

Hillfield

Hillfields

Hillmorton

Hinckley

Hints

Hockley Heath

Hockley

Holbrooks

Holt End (Napton Holt)

Holywell

Honeybourne

Honiley

Honington

Hook Norton

Hopsford

Horley

Hornton

Hunningham

Hurley Common

Hurley

Hurst Green

Idlicote

Ilmington

Ingon

Ipsley

Iron Cross

Kemps Green

Kenilworth (Kennelworth)

Keresley

Kettlebrook

Kilsby

Kineton

King's Heath

King's Newnham

King's Norton

Kingsbury

Kingshurst

Kingswood

Kinwalsey

Kirby Corner

Kites Hardwick

Knightcote

Knighton

Knowle

Ladbroke

Ladywood

Langley Green

Langley

Lapworth

Lea Marston

Leamington Hastings

Leek Wootton

Lenchwick

Lickey

Lighthorne

Lilbourne

Lillington

Little Alne

Little Aston

Little Compton

Little Heath

Little Kineton

Little Lawford

Little Packington

Little Rollright

Little Warton

Littlewood Green

Long Compton

Long Itchington

Long Lawford

Long Marston

Longbridge

Longford

Lower Boddington

Lower Brailes

Lower Norton

Lower Quinton

Lower Shuckburgh

Lower Tysoe

Lowsonford

Loxley

Lozells

Luddington

Lutterworth

Lyndon Green

Mancetter

Maney

Manor House

Mappleborough Green

Marston Green

Marston

Marton

Maxstoke

Meer End

Meriden

Mickleton

Middle Bickenhill

Middle Littleton

Middle Tysoe

Middleton (Middletown)

Milverton

Minworth

Mollington

Monks Kirby

Moor Hall

Moreton Morrell

Morton Bagot

Moseley

Mousley End

Myton

Napton Holt

Napton On The Hill

Nechells

Nether Whitacre

Nethercote

New Bilton

New End

New Oscott

New Town

Newbold On Avon

Newbold Pacey

Newbold-on-stour

Newhall Green

Newnham

Newton Regis

Newton

Newtown

No Man's Heath

North Littleton

Northend

Northfield

Norton Lindsey

Norton-juxta-twycross

Norton

Nuneaton

Nuthurst

Offchurch

Old Milverton

Oldberrow

Oldbury

Olton

Orton-on-the-hill

Outhill

Over Norton

Over Whitacre

Oversley Green

Oxhill

Packmores

Packwood

Pailton

Pathlow

Pebworth

Perry Barr

Piccadilly

Pillerton Hersey

Pillerton Priors

Pinley Green

Pinley

Polesworth

Portway

Preston Bagot

Preston Fields

Preston On Stour

Princethorpe

Priors Hardwick

Priors Marston

Quarry Hill

Quinton

Radford Semele

Radford

Radway

Ratcliffe Culey

Ratley

Reddicap Heath

Redditch

Ridge Lane

Rowington Green

Rowington

Rowley's Green

Royal Leamington Spa

Rugby

Ruscote

Ryton-on-dunsmore

Ryton

Salford Priors

Salford

Salter Street

Saltley

Sambourne

Sawbridge

Scotland End

Seckington

Selly Oak

Sharnford

Shawell

Sheepy Magna

Sheepy Parva

Sheldon

Shelfield

Shenington

Sherbourne

Shilton

Shipston-on-stour

Shirley Heath

Shirley

Shottery

Shotteswell

Shrewley

Shustoke

Shuttington

Sibford Gower

Silver Street

Small Heath

Smallwood

Smethwick

Smockington

Snitterfield

Soho

Solihull Lodge

Solihull

South Littleton

South Yardley

Southam

Sparkbrook

Sparkhill

Spernall

Spon End

Springfield

St Johns

Stanford On Avon

Stareton

Staverton

Stechford

Stivichall

Stockingford

Stockton

Stoke End

Stoke

Stonebridge

Stoneleigh

Stoneton

Stourton

Stratford Upon-avon

Street Ashton

Stretton Under Fosse

Stretton-on-dunsmore

Stretton-on-fosse

Studley

Sutton Coldfield

Sutton-under-brailes

Swinford

Tachbrook Mallory

Tamworth

Tanworth-in-arden

Temple Balsall

Temple Grafton

The Cape

The Spring

Thorpe Constantine

Thurlaston

Tiddington

Tidmington

Tile Cross

Tile Hill

Tilehouse Green

Todenham

Toft

Tomlow

Tredington

Trueman's Heath

Tudor Hill

Two Gates

Twycross

Tyburn

Ufton

Ullenhall

Ullington

Upper Boddington

Upper Brailes

Upper Quinton

Upper Tysoe

Upton

Vauxhall

Walcote

Walmley

Walsal End

Walsgrave On Sowe

Walton

Wappenbury

Ward End

Warmington

Warton

Warwick

Washford

Washwood Heath

Wasperton

Water Orton

Weddington

Weeford

Weethley

Welford-on-avon

Wellesbourne

Weston Under Wetherley

Weston-on-avon

Westwood Heath

Wharf

Whatcote

Whateley

Whichford

Whitacre Heath

Whitehouse Common

Whitemoor

Whitley

Whitnash

Whittington

Whoberley

Wibtoft

Wigston Parva

Willenhall

Willey

Willington

Willoughby

Wilmcote

Wilnecote

Wimpstone

Winderton

Winson Green

Wishaw

Witherley

Withybrook

Witton

Wixford

Wolfhampcote

Wolford

Wolston

Wolverton

Wolvey

Wood End

Woolscott

Wootton Wawen

Wormleighton

Wroxhall

Wroxton

Wyken

Wykin

Wylde Green

Wythall

Yardley Wood

Yardley

Record Content
Baptism records may contain the following information:


 * Baptism date
 * Name of the child
 * Sex of the child
 * Legitimacy of the child
 * Marital status of the parents
 * Social class of the parents
 * Name of the father and often mother’s given name
 * May list the residence of the parents, especially after 1812

Marriage records may contain the following information:


 * Marriage date
 * Name of the bride and groom
 * Age of the bride and groom
 * May list names of parents or other relatives
 * Residence of the bride and groom
 * Marital status of individuals and couples
 * May list the dates that the marriage was announced (also called “banns published”). This normally took place on three separate occasions prior to the marriage and gave anyone with a valid reason a chance to object to the marriage.
 * After 1754, the full names of witnesses
 * After 1837, the full names of the fathers
 * May note if a spouse is single or widowed at the time of the marriage

Burial records may contain the following information:


 * Burial date
 * Name of the deceased. If the deceased is a child, the father’s name might be given. If the deceased is a married woman, the husband’s name might be given.
 * Age of the person
 * Residence of the deceased
 * May give the sex of the deceased
 * Residence of the deceased

How to Use the Records
To search for a person in a Church of England parish register, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Where the person lived and the corresponding parish
 * When the person lived; if you do not know the time period, you must estimate it from what you know of more recent generations.

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Using the Information
Baptism or christening records list the parents’ names, making it possible for you to connect your ancestor to an earlier generation. You may find a birth date listed or be able to approximate a birth date. After 1812, the baptismal records list a place of residence, making it easier to identify your family by where they lived. The records also list the father’s occupation, which makes it easier to identify your ancestor's family when more than one family with the same name lived in the parish.

Marriage records sometimes state the residence for the bride and groom. You can use this information to look for their baptisms and to identify the children of this couple. Marriage records after 1754 list the names of witnesses, who were often family members. These can help you identify your ancestor’s family. Signatures in the records might be used to identify a particular individual by the handwriting style.

After 1812, and sometimes before, burial records include the age of the deceased. Use this age to approximate the person’s birth year and to find the baptismal record. If the deceased is a child, the parents’ names might be given. This information helps to extend your family another generation. The occupation of a deceased male might be given (especially after 1812) and can help identify your ancestor when there is more than one person by that name in the area. Knowing the occupation might also provide you the opportunity to find other records about your ancestor.

If possible, you may want to search both the parish registers and the bishops’ transcripts, since one is a handwritten copy of the other and might contain differences.

Banns indicate the parish of residence of the bride and groom. This information often leads to the records of another parish. You can search for the baptisms of the bride and groom in the parishes of residence since these might also be the parishes where they were born.

Related Websites

 * Warwickshire Heritage and Culture
 * Tracing Your Ancestors in Warwickshire
 * GENUKI
 * England and Wales Historic Maps
 * England and Wales History Links

Related Wiki Articles

 * Warwickshire
 * Warwickshire Parishes
 * England Church Records
 * Quick Research Links - England

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):