England, Kent, Register of Electors - FamilySearch Historical Records

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. The England, Kent, Register of Electors collection is available to the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The images can be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you.

For those in the United Kingdom, images may also be viewed by visiting the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone, England.

Record Description
The collection consists of Register of Electors for the county of Kent. This collection also contains a few militia muster rolls for Faversham. Availability of records varies by year and locality.

It has been said that, "Electoral rolls are rather like census records, with the difference that they are compiled and published annually". That has been true since 1928, though without an exact address more than a little time may be needed for a search. From 1918, and more so since 1928, they show all the adult members of the household, both male and female. However, unlike the census, they never show place of birth or details of children under the age of 18.

Electoral rolls or registers can be used to discover the date of a man's first appearance at a certain address and when he leaves it, and to see what other adult members of the family were at that address. After 1918 this may include the name of his wife. The entry for an address at which an illegitimate child is born may reveal much about the family circumstances at that time.

When young people first appear, their ages may be estimated (and thus their birth dates) and when elderly people disappear their death dates may perhaps be assumed. From 1950 to the present time, the names of those who will become 21 during the coming year are included and, from 1970, the birth dates of those who will become 18. Before 1918 the registers give a fairly precise indication of the family's property holdings.

When dealing with a family with a frequently encountered surname this extra information can indeed be used like a census to help to identify other family members, to trace their descendants and to locate their birth, marriage and death dates in the General Register Office indexes, though the problems mentioned below must be taken into account.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
These records generally contain the following information:


 * Name of Proprietor
 * Name of Occupier
 * Date of registration
 * Residence

How to Use the Record
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of voter
 * Place of residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate "Division" ⇒Select the appropriate "Event Type and Year Range" which will take you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

Use these records to identify relatives that may not be found in parish registers. The infirmaries attached to the workhouses were opened to the whole community in the later 19th century. The infirmaries generated birth and death records.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki 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.

Related Websites
Kent Archives

Related Wiki Articles

 * Electoral Rolls or Registers in England
 * England

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Argentina, Buenos Aires, Catholic Church Records, 1635-1981,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 28 February, 2012), La Plata &gt; San Ponciano &gt; Matrimonios 1884-1886 &gt; image 71 of 389 images, Artemio Avendano and Clementina Peralta, 1884; citing Parroquia de San Ponciano en la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Matrimonios. San Ponciano, La Plata, Buenos Aires.