Channel Islands Church Records

Europe Channel Islands

Parish Registers
Research use: Prime source for information about vital events in an individual's life. But, in most cases, does not contain enough information to provide more than a one generation pedigree link. The marriage records for the Church of England parishes on Guernsey are not recorded in civil registration until 1920, therefore this is the only source for this information.

Record type: Christening, birth, marriage, death and burial.

Time period: 1560's to present.

Contents: Christening/birth: date and place; name of child and parents; Marriage: date and place; names of couple; Death/burial: date and place; name of deceased.

Location: Church of England registers are in local custody and on Jersey a copy of the registers are on file with the Superintendent Registrar. Nonconformist: In local custody and on Guernsey a collection is held by the Royal Court.

Duplication: With other records: 60% with civil registration.

Population coverage: 85%.

Reliability: Reasonably accurate. Usually recorded at the time the events took place.

Parish Registers Jersey St Helier: The Town Church, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1596. St. Helier: Later Parishes (created when the Town Church was no longer big enough) St. Mark, St. James, St Paul, St. Jude, All Saints, St Simon, St. Andrew, St. Luke. All these parishes commenced operation after 1842 and therefore their registers are at the Superintendents Registrar's Office.

Country Parishes St. Lawrence: Baptisms and Burials from 1564 - Marriages from 1655 St. Brelade: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1560 St. Aubin (District Church for St Brelade): commenced operation after 1842 and therefore the registers are at the Superintendant Registrar's Office St Peter: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1626 St. Ouen: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1634 St Saviour: Baptisms from 1540 - Marriages and Burials from 1542 St Martin: Baptisms and Marriages from 1594 - Burials from 1593 Gouray (District Church for St Martin): Baptisms from 1875 - Marriages from 1901 - Burials from 1900. From foundation in 1835 until the dates above the records are mixed in with St. Martin's Parish Church Registers. St John: Baptisms from 1594 - Marriages from 1583 - Burilas from 1581 St Mary: Baptisms and Marriages from 1648 - Burials from 1647 Trinity: Baptisms from 1624 - Marriages and Burials from 1612 Grouville:  Baptisms from 1584 - Marriages from 1598 - Burials from 1593 St Clement -  Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1623

Guernsey St Peter Port: The Town Church: Baptisms from 1563 - Marriages from 1565 - Burials from 1566 St Peter Port: Later Parishes (created when the Town Church was no longer big enough) St Johns: Baptisms from 1840 - Marriages from 1858 St Stephens: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1865 Holy Trinity: Baptisms from 1847 - Marriages from 1858 - Burials from 1858 Other Miscellaneous Registers The Marriage Chapel at St James-the-Less: Marriages 1915-1970 Candie Cemetery: Burials 1847-1986

Country Parishes Vale: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1577 St Pierre-du-Bois: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1625 Castel: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1674 Castel: St Matthews: Baptisms from 1854 - Marriages and Burials from 1855 St Sampson: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1713 St Saviour: Baptisms and Marriages from 1582 - Burials from 1609 St Martin: Baptisms and Marriages from 1660 - Burials from 1728 Forest: Baptisms and Marriages from 1700 - Burials from 1704 St Andrews: Baptisms from 1575 - Marriages from 1573 - Burials from 1574 Torteval: Baptisms from 1684 - Marriages from 1721 - Burials from 1739

Alderney Anglican The Church of St Anne: Baptisms 1662 - 1902 with annotations copied from an earlier (missing) book commenced in 1628, 1902 to present day in Church only. Deaths from drowning and Burials 1652 to 1863. Succeeding Registers lost during the Occupation. Marriages from 1657-1886.

The Priaulx Library have photocopies of Baptisms 1822-1832, Private Baptisms 1819-1821. Burials 1809-1812, 1853-59, Marriages 1841-1886. Non-Conformists (Alderney only) Catholic Church of St Anne and St Mary Magdalene: Baptisms March 1849-Oct 1952. Deaths January 1858 to April 1940 and two entries in 1946. Marriages from February 1852 to July 1924, Methodist (English and French) and Presbyterian Church records prior to 1945 were destroyed during the Occupation.

Sark The Church of St Peter, Sark GY9 0SF: Baptisms, Burials and Marriages  from 1570  First Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths begun 19 May 1570-1602.Missing 1577-1588. Long Book begun 30 April 1605 - 1673 and continues 1703-1757. '''Missing Baptisms 1633-1638 and 1664-1674, Marriages 1644-1661. '''Third Register contains entries for 1675-1702. After 1702 entries were recorded in the Long Book. 2nd Long Book contains incomplete records of Baptisms and Marriages 1757-1795; no burials are recorded for this period. Fifth Register opened in 1795 - contains records up to 1820, and some entries for 1787-1792 omitted from 2nd Long Book.

Sixth Register 1821-1835,    Seventh Reigister 1836 - September 1960. Eighth Register 1960 to date. Apart from the omissions recorded above, short gaps occur at changes of Minister. Cosme Brevin Minister 1570-1605, and Elie Brevint b. Sark 1586, son of Cosme, Minister 1612-1674, d. 30.3.1674.

The Priauxl Library, Candie, St Peter Port Guernsey GY1 1UG '''has a microfilm set of the Parish Registers. Parish Registers, Film 1 1570-1795. Film 2 1795-1899. '''Apply direct to the Church for 20th Century registers.

Duplicate Sark Church Registers (1570-1795) can also be consulted at the Island Archives Service, 29 Victoria Road. St Peter Port, Guernsey, if you are visiting them, but they would prefer that postal research enquiries are directed to the Priauxl Library.

A wiki article describing this collections is found at:

Channel Islands Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Parish Chest
Research use: Used to supplement information found in the parish registers. Useful for population movement and to serve as a census substitute. Very useful in dealing with pedigrees of poor families.

Record type: The parishes in the Channel Islands served both a civil and ecclesiastical function. These particular records relate to their civil responsibilities. Poor records, bastardy, rate books, churchwardens accounts, vestry minutes and censuses will be found in these records.

Time period: 1660's to 1900's.

Contents: Names; parentage; relationships; birthplaces; population movement; census of locality; lists of residences; poor law documents; parentage of illegitimate children.

Location: Local parishes.

Population coverage: 75%.