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Helps you make the best use of baptism registers
Paul Blake’s expert advice on baptism registers
Baptism registers are one of the key sources for family history, particularly if you are tracing ancestors who lived before the 1840s. Even to the present day, these records frequently prove essential to progressing your research.
Before the arrival of civil registration in England and Wales in 1837, it was the Chruch that was the soleauthority for the recording of births, marriage and deaths – or, more correctly, baptisms, marriages and burials.
The search for family in parish registers often begins with information on place of birth collected from census returns. However, it should be noted that place of birth and place of baptism were not always the same. The first child (and sometimes subsequent children as well) was often baptised in the
‘Note that place of birth and place of baptism were not always the same’
parish of the mother, as she returned to her family home for the confinement.
In 1538, the Second Royal Injunction on Religion drawn up by Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s vicar general, required that every parish should make a record of every single baptism, marriage and burial. There are a few parishes that have registers that predate this. Even so, there are only approximately 700 parishes that have registers that date back to 1538, the majority starting at various later times.
What Information Do Baptism Registers Hold?
The 1538 directive was generally well observed. What was lacking was any conformity in the details that were taken down for each event. Sometimes baptism entries were very full, giving details of both parents, occupation and abode. More often they were scant, sometimes in the extreme. Generally, the earlier the register, less was the information recorded; even into the early 19th century, a baptism entry may record only the father’s name. Any reference to the mother wasn’t commonplace until the late 17th century.
Were Children Always Recorded In Baptism Registers?
Most children were baptised soon after birth. Even so, several weeks or even years might elapse before the ceremony was performed. The reason for a delay may never be known: the family might have refused to attend their local church, disapproving of the incumbent, or they might have been nonconformists.
Occasionally, a baptism may have been performed as soon as the child was born, possibly at home. This was usually because the child was thought unlikely to survive and midwives, being licensed by the church, were able to perform the rites. The entry in the parish register is usually in the form of “privately baptised” or “half baptised”. If the child did survive then “full baptism” would take place in church later, possibly noted as “entered into the congregation” or similar.
In 1783 William III introduced a duty of 3p on every baptism, marriage or burial recorded in English, Welsh and Scottish registers, to raise money to fight the French. Paupers were exempt from the tax, and many baptism entries are accordingly annotated “P”. Some were entered as such although they were not. Others avoided the tax by not having their children baptised. When the Act was repealed in 1794, some families then had several children of different ages baptised together.
Were Any Copies Made Of Baptism Registers?
The earliest baptisms were recorded in paper registers, or even on separate sheets. In 1597, a provincial constitution of Canterbury made directions for the more careful keeping of the parochial register in England and Wales. From 1598 registers were to be made of parchment. Copies of the earlier paper registers from 1538 were to be made too.
It was also ordered that churchwardens should make a copy of the register each year. These Bishops’
Transcripts (BTs) were sent to the diocesan registry. Note that entries sometimes differ between the original register and the transcript. The practice of making these duplicate returns was generally discontinued from 1837.
In some dioceses, a further copy was returned to the archdeacon. These copies are known as Archdeacons’ Transcripts (ATs).
Did Anything Change In The Commonwealth Period?
‘Several weeks or even years might elapse before the ceremony was performed’
During the Commonwealth, many parish registers were irregularly kept, and in some cases not at all. Registers were appointed by an Act of Parliament that came into force in England on 29 September 1653. They were to record all births, marriages and deaths. The parish incumbent only again became responsible
1 Streatham
In 1827 the parish of Streatham was in Surrey. It was incorporated into the County of London in 1889, under the 1888 Local Government Act, and its registers are held by London Metropolitan Archives.
2 Format
The register is in the form introduced under the 1812 Act “for the better regulating and preserving parish and other registers” – ‘Rose’s Act’ – which came into force on 1 January 1813.
3 Birth
The dates of birth of those who were baptised have been added in the margin. This was quite common practice by many clerks and incumbents, even though Rose’s Act did not require it.
4 Illegitimacy
The entry for Frances Cakebread, who was born in the workhouse, is annotated “Illegitimate”. Often illegitimacy has to be inferred from the absence of a reference to a father, but other phrases may have been added to show that the child was born out of wedlock, such as “Base born”. Workhouse and Poor Law records may provide more information.
5 Delayed Baptism
Thomas and Margaret Fyfe had two children baptised on 7 September. Isabella was born on 31 October 1825, while her younger sister Caroline was born on 5 August 1827.