Foulsham, Norfolk Genealogy

England Norfolk  Norfolk Parishes

Parish History
FOULSHAM (Holy Innocents), a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Aylsham, hundred of Eynsford, E. division of Norfolk, 18 miles (N. W.) from Norwich. The Baptists have a place of worship.

Foulsham Holy Innocents is an Ancient Parish in the Sparham deanery of the Diocese of Norwich.

The village's name derives from 'sham,' or home, and 'foul,' from the bird. Foulsham has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085. In the great book Foulsham is recorded by the name Folsam and Folsham it is said to be in the ownership of the King before and after 1066 and Walter Gifford from the king and in the custody of Godric The survey also notes two churches, a mill, twelve cattle, four hundred pigs, fifty Goats and 13 sesters of Honey.

The village gave its name to a family of Puritan dissidents who fled England for the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, (and later Exeter, New Hampshire) and whose spelling of the name was slightly changed to Folsom. Today these American descendants of Foulsham have given rise to Folsom, California, Folsom Street in San Francisco, Folsom Prison - all named for California pioneer and New Hampshire native Joseph Libbey Folsom - as well as General Nathaniel Folsom, who represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress.

Foulsham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The Village is 19.6 miles (31.5 km) miles west south west of Cromer, 17.7 miles (28.5 km)miles north west of Norwich and 119 miles (192 km) miles north east of London. For the purposes of local government the civil parish it is within the Broadland District.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is Free BMD.


 * Mitford 1837-1938
 * East Dereham 1939-1974

Church records
parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials are available online for the following years:

Norfolk Record Office reference PD 674

Parish registers of Foulsham, 1558-1901 Microreproduction of original records at the Norfolk Record Office, Norwich. Norfolk Record Office nos.: PD674/1-14.

General register of baptisms, marriages and burials, 1558-1686/7; Baptisms and burials, 1713-1799 (also some baptisms for 1709/10); Marriages, 1713-1770; Baptisms and burials, 1799-1812, terrier of 1813; Baptisms, 1813-1901; Marriages and banns, 1754-1812; Banns, 1812-1866 (includes three marriages for 1812). FHL BRITISH Film 2149767 Items 16 - 24 Marriages, 1813-1901; Burials, 1813-1901; Banns, 1823-1830; Various accounts, and christenings etc., 1713-1759 (not complete for all years). FHL BRITISH Film 2149768 Items 1 - 6

Archdeacons transcripts Baptisms, burials and marriages 1600-1610, 1623-1633, 1666-1812 FHL BRITISH Film 1526781 Item 14

Non-Conformist Records
Foulsham Baptist Chapel was built in brick in 1826 but later had a coat of render added to the exterior. The Original stables had been removed and interior remodelled. See Norfolk Churches webiste for Simon Knot's images of the interior and description http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/foulshambaptist/foulshambaptist.htm



Norfolk Baptist Chapels transcribed by] Jenifer Edmonds published by Norfolk [England] : Worldwide Family History Services, [1998?]

Contents: Stepney Chapel, Kings Lynn (Particular Baptists), burials, 1843-1857 -- Bacton Norfolk Baptists, burials, 1826-1836 -- Ingham Norfolk Baptists, burials, 1785-1821 -- Foulsham Baptists, burials, 1785-1821 -- Great Ellingam Baptists, burials, 1817-1837.

Public Record Office reference nos. of transcribed material: RG4/1707, RG4/638, RG4/648, RG4/645, RG4/1254.

Burials, 1785-1857 (1 fiche). FHL BRITISH Fiche 6359876

See also

England Nonconformist Index for RG 4-8 (Record Groups 4-8)

England Nonconformist Index for RG 4-8 (Record Groups 4-8) (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Poor Law Unions
Aylsham Poor Law Union

Norfolk Poor Law Unions

Parish chest materials of Foulsham, 1640-1829 Microreproduction of original records at the Norfolk Record Office, Norwich. Norfolk Record Office nos.: PD674/15, 47-57.

Register containing various "receipts" - recipes, constables' accounts and rates, 1728-1740, and baptisms, marriages and burials, 1746-1772; Overseers' rates and accounts, 1640-1723, 1817-1824; Removal orders, 1713-1829; Settlement certificates, 1716-1768. FHL BRITISH Film 2149768 Items 7 - 12 Settlement certificates (cont'd.), 1768-1827; Apprenticeship indentures, 1717-1731, 1717-1813; Settlement examinations, 1720-1823; Bastardy examination, 1734; Bastardy bonds, 1766-1825; Settlement papers etc. of Robert and Ann Vinyard, 1781-1786. FHL BRITISH Film 2149769 Items 1 - 7 Workhouse accounts, 1819-1835 Microfilm copy of original records in the Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, England. Norfolk Record Office no.: Q 191 D 30/6/81

Workhouse accounts, 1819-1835 FHL BRITISH Film 1702371 Item 12

See also

England Norfolk Poor Law Union Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Norfolk Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851

Web sites

 * Foulsham on GenUKI
 * Church Info
 * Sparham deanery website
 * British Listed buildings
 * Foulsham Mill
 * Village website
 * Norfolk Churches website