India, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Church Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection has Church records for the Diocese of Madras, of the Church of South India in Chennai, India. The diocese is divided into four administrative areas: Madras North, Madras South, Central, and Southern. St. George's Cathedral in Chennai is the diocesan seat.

Reading These Records
These records are written in English and Tamil. For help reading these records see the guides:
 * India Language and Languages
 * Omniglot: Tamil

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Baptisms
 * Name
 * Date and place
 * Age and date of birth
 * Gender
 * Religion
 * Parents
 * Residence
 * Former name
 * Father's profession

Marriages
 * Name
 * Date and place
 * Marital status
 * Age
 * Profession
 * Residence
 * Father
 * Witnesses

Burial
 * Name
 * Age
 * Profession
 * Date of death
 * Date of burial
 * Cause

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated birth, marriage or death year

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 to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Compile the marriage 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

I Can't Find the Person I Was 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
 * Try variations of given names and surnames. A person might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name
 * Vary the search terms. For example, expand the date range or search by either the given name or surname to return a broader list search results
 * If you can’t find your ancestor, search the records of nearby localities

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in India.
 * India 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.