England, Hampshire Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Hampshire

What is in the Collection?
This genealogical collection includes records for the years 1538-1980. The records are from the county of Hampshire in southern England, also known as Southamptonshire. They include Parish Registers containing baptisms, marriages, and burials. Date ranges of available records may vary by locality. A parish is a geographic unit that is in charge of church affairs within its boundaries. Each local parish keeps their own registers which include baptisms, marriages, and burials. The amount of information recorded can vary from parish to parish. Later records (particularly after 1812) are usually more complete than earlier ones. Some villages often do not have their own parish but are part of a parish located in a nearby town.

How do I Search the Collection?
To search by name: Fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals 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 the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind: For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of his/her name at some point in their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:
 * Sometimes marriage records note the names of the bride and groom’s parents. Use this information to extend your pedigree a generation.
 * Use the estimated age at death or burial to calculate an approximate birth year.

Did You Find the Person You Were Looking For?

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times in their life.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may also have been living in the same area.

What if I Can't Find Who I’m Looking For?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (counties, parishes, etc.).
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page, leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation: Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):