England, Devon Bishop's Transcripts - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Devon

This collection consists of bishop's transcripts from the county of Devon for the years 1558-1887.

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Bishop’s transcripts contain more or less the same information as parish registers, so they are an invaluable resource when a parish register has been damaged, destroyed, or otherwise lost. Bishop's transcripts are often of value even when parish registers exist, as priests often recorded either additional or different information in their transcripts than they did in the original registers.

To learn more about the content and importance of bishop's transcripts, see the England Bishop's Transcripts page.

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index to and images of baptismal, marriage, and burial records. Availability of records may vary by year and locality.

Coverage Table
There is a coverage table for this collection which lists the locations, dates, and types of available records within this collection. The table also lists film numbers for reference when looking for record images.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images of digitized records available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on this website are granted by the record custodians. Due to their restrictions, the images in this collection are not available for general viewing, but can be accessed by registered FamilySearch Patrons. Registration for a free FamilySearch account can be done here.

For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can find records either by searching the index or viewing the record images. Before using either search method, it is best to know the following information: As you search, compare your results with this information to find a match.
 * Name of the person
 * Date range for the record

Search the Index

 * 1) Go to the collection page.
 * 2) Enter the requested information into the search box.
 * 3) Click Search to return a list of possible matches.

View the Images

 * 1) Look at the coverage table to find the film number for the images you want to see.
 * 2) Go to the browse page.
 * 3) Select the Film Number to go to the image viewer.
 * 4) Use the onscreen controls to move between images as you look for a match.

I Found the Person I Was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy down all the information from the index entry.
 * Make sure to look at an image of the original record. The index entry contains only the most basic information necessary to identify a person; the original record often contains more information than is contained in the index. Save or print a copy of the image, if possible.
 * Cite the record or image; see below for help citing this collection.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined.
 * If in the appropriate period, use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in civil records. Particularly useful for research in nineteenth-century England are the England Census and the England Civil Registration records.
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Remember that family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking for, What Now?
For additional help searching online collections see FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.
 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names; as with any index, transcription errors could occur. Also remember that it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name in any given record. See Abbreviations Found in Genealogy Records for examples of common abbreviations. Note that some women reverted to their maiden name when their husband died, and therefore could be buried under their maiden name.
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches. Alternatively, try expanding the date range; this is especially useful in searching baptismal records, as it was not unusual for a child to be baptized weeks or even months after birth.
 * Search the records of nearby parishes. While it was uncommon for an individual in this period to move more than about 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller relocations were not uncommon. For this particular collection, this step may require finding records in the bordering English counties of Cornwall to the west or Somerset and Dorset to the east. Note that marriages usually took place in the parish where the bride resided.
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible.
 * The individual in question may not have records in the Church of England at all, but rather might have belonged to a nonconformist denomination. See England Nonconformist Church Records for more information on nonconformist records.

Citing this Collection
Citing sources correctly makes it easier to refer to information which has already been found, so proper citations are key to keeping track of research. Correct citations also allow others to check completed research by helping them find and examine records for themselves.

Below are the proper citations to use for this collection as well as for individual records and images within the collection:

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: