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England has long kept good records, which allows for many lineages to be extended several generations. The Church of England has been the state religion since the Reformation, with many of the parish registers extending back to the 1500s and 1600s. However, from the 1600s nonconformity took root in England, and this nonconformist tradition continues until modern times, being very strong by the nineteenth century. In 1837, the government began recording births, marriages, and deaths. However, it wasn't until the 1870s that all persons were required to register, leaving gaps especially in Roman Catholic and Mormon registration of these events. The government recorded censuses every ten years from 1841. These are available for study through 1901. Radford Noone Research Service offers searches in these three record types; church registers, civil registration, and censuses. For a specific search please click onto the source needed and fill out the form. In some cases, the actual records are not readily available either on microfilm, online, or they have not been indexed. In these cases an estimate will be provided or funds refunded. If you are interested in an extended research session where varied records are examined and a research report is provided please click on the Order Form link and click the “estimate” button.
England: censuses
English Civil Registration
The British Government began recording births, marriages, and deaths throughout England on 1 July 1837. While registration was very good, it was by no means complete. It was not until 1874 that civil registration became mandatory. Saying that, the two main groups which tended not to register as often as the rest of the population were Roman Catholics and Mormons. At this time the indexes are available for search from 1837-2004, however, the actual certificates are still with the government offices in England. The indexes are filed by name, registration district, quarter of the year, volume and page. Radford Noone Genealogy offers searches in the indexes, entries found will be forwarded to you, and if the correct entry is identified, we can obtain the certificate for you through our agent. To search the indexes for a 5 year span, please fill out the information page.
English Church Records
The state religion in England is the Church of England which considers itself a "reformed" Catholic church. It broke with the Roman Catholic Church in Rome under Henry VIII in 1538. To some degree prior to 1837, persons of all faiths will be found in the Church of England registers. Beginning in 1753 under the Hardwick Act only three kinds of marriages were recognized as legal: Anglican, Quaker and Jewish. Any other kind of marriage affected inheritances as children of illegal unions were considered illegitimate. The Church of England is organized by parish, with its own priest, and then by diocese under a bishop. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has a tremendous collection of Church of England registers from throughout England. Some of these are indexes and some are not. Most of these parish registers have been microfilmed through at least 1837. Nonconformity spread throughout England like wildfire drawing people away from the established church. Nonconformists such as the Roman Catholic faith arrived en mass as a result of Irish immigration and they merged with those pockets of English Catholics who had survived the Reformation. Nonconformist and independent churches and chapels mushroomed to all areas of England to include Baptists, Independents, Methodists, Moravians, Mormons, Quakers (Society of Friends), and Presbyterian/Unitarians. Jews have also had a long and historic presence in England. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has a large collection of nonconformist records including most prior to 1837. Radford Noone Genealogy will search the church register collections at the Family History Library. These include the Church of England parish and nonconformist registers through at least 1837. In many cases, church registers have been microfilmed past 1837. If you need information from a particular congregation or parish after 1837 please place an enquiry and we will get back to you. In large metropolitan areas, an exact parish church or congregation will need to be known. Fill out the information page for a 5 year search.
If you are interested then please fill out a Free Proposal with what you know about your ancestors. We will provide you with a proposal as to what can be accomplished in extended research.
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