Wales, Cardiganshire, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index of baptismal, marriage, and burial records from the county of Cardiganshire for the years 1538-1912. The collection was indexed in cooperation with FindMyPast, and a full version of the index can be found at findmypast.

Parish registers have been kept at the local level across Wales since the mid-1500s. Due to this long and relatively stable tradition, these records are central to Welsh genealogical research as they are often one of the only sources for finding families and individuals in Wales before the start of civil registration in 1837.

For additional information about the history, content, and use of parish registers, see the Wales Parish Registers page.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Christening
 * The name of the child
 * Date and place of christening
 * Sometimes a birth year is included

Marriage
 * The names of the bride and groom
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Age
 * Birth year

Burial
 * The name of the deceased
 * Date and place of burial
 * Age
 * Birth year

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Wales Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know the following information:
 * Name of the person
 * Date range for the record

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the age listed in a record to estimate a year of birth, if that has not been found
 * If in the appropriate period, use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in civil records. Particularly useful for research in nineteenth-century England are civil registration records and the Wales Census
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, and parents. Family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage

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

 * Try variations of given names and surnames. An individual might have been listed under a middle name, a nickname, or an abbreviation of their given name
 * Spelling was not standardized for much of the period of this collection, so names were often spelled as scribes heard them. Pay attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try spelling variations that could have that pronunciation
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of results which can then be examined for matches
 * Expand 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
 * Search the records of nearby parishes. For this collection, bordering locations could include certain parishes in the counties of Merioneth to the north; Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and Brecknockshire to the east; or Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Wales.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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.