Foulsham, Norfolk Genealogy

Parish History
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.

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
Contributor: Include here information for parish registers, Bishop’s Transcripts, non conformist and other types of church records, such as parish chest records. Add the contact information for the office holding the original records. Add links to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection

Images of the parish registers may be viewed online in Historic Records (formerly Record Search) Norfolk Record Office reference PD 674

Census records
Contributor: Include an overview if there is any unique information, such as the census for X year was destroyed. Add a link to online sites for indexes and/or images. Also add a link to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection.

http://www.1881pubs.com/ for details of public houses in the 1881 census

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
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/foulsham-holy-innocents/ for information about the church

http://www.norwich.anglican.org/church?deanery=23 Sparham deanery website

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-227796-church-of-holy-innocents-foulsham British Listed buildings

http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Windmills/foulsham-towermill.html Foulsham Mill

http://www.about-norfolk.com/about/towns/Foulsham.htm Village website