England, Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains images of original records. The original records are held by the Northumberland Archives.

Record types in this collection include parish registers, electoral registers, and nonconformist records, among others for the years 969-2007. Each type of record within the collection was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Full name of individual
 * Names of parents, spouse, or other family members
 * Type of event (such as marriage or death)
 * Date of the event
 * Place of the event

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * 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?

 * Look at an image of the original record, if possible. The online index entry only lists the most basic information from a record; the original may contain further information which was not included in the index
 * Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the estimated age given in a marriage or burial record to calculate an approximate year of birth, if that has yet to be found
 * Use the information which has been discovered and locate the original parish record or certificate
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in census records
 * Continue to search the index for people with the same surname to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives
 * 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 recorders 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 possible matches
 * Try expanding the date range. 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
 * If looking for a parish register, remember that it is possible that the individual may not have records in the Church of England at all, but rather might have belonged to a nonconformist denomination. See the England Nonconformist Church Records page for more information on nonconformist records
 * Alternatively, if looking for a nonconformist record, it is possible that the individual may not have records in a nonconformist denomination

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Northumberland.
 * Northumberland Guided Research
 * England Record Finder
 * England 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.