England, Norfolk, Non-conformist Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Nonconformist church records may not have the most widespread coverage, but when they are available, they are the most informative and accurate source available for English family history until the start of civil registration in 1837. Nonconformist birth and baptismal registers are fairly common, and they generally contain more information than those of the Church of England.

For more information on the content, significance, and availability of Nonconformist Records, please see the England Nonconformist Church Records page.

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains images of birth, baptismal, marriage, and burial records.The original records are held at the Norfolk Record Office.

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, 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 of the record

View the Images

 * 1) Go to the collection 
 * 2) Click on the correct County link
 * 3) Click on the correct Location link
 * 4) Click on the correct Denominations link
 * 5) Click on the correct Event Type link to go to the image viewer
 * 6) 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 contained in the record. Save or print a copy of the record if you can.
 * Use the parents' names along with the child’s birth date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * If researching in the nineteenth century, use the birth date along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate probate and tax records.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * When looking for an individual with a common name, look at all the search results before deciding which is the correct person. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to help with this decision. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Try variations of given names and surnames. An individual might appear under a different name in a record for a variety of reasons:
 * - An individual might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name.
 * - Spelling was not standardized for much of the period of this collection, so names were often spelled as recorders heard them. Pay attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try spelling variations that could have that pronunciation.
 * - Some women returned to their maiden names after the death of their husbands.


 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches. Try expanding the date range as well; 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.
 * The person might not have records in a nonconformist denomination. They might have either converted to the Church of England at some point or undertaken Anglican ordinances. See the Norfolk Parish Registers page for more information.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

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