Knutsford, Cheshire Genealogy

Guide to Knutsford, Cheshire ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Parish History
KNUTSFORD (St. John the Baptist), is a parish, in the union of Altrincham, E. division of the hundred of Bucklow, N. division of the county of Chester; it contains the townships of Bexton, Over Knutsford , Ollerton , and Toft. The Trent and Mersey canal and the Manchester and Birmingham railway pass within five miles of the town. The parish was formerly included in that of Rostherne, from which it was severed by act of parliament in 1744. There are places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, and Presbyterians.

Knutsford St John the Baptist was a chapel of ease in the parish of St Mary's Church, Rostherne, Cheshire until the 18th century. It included Knutsford Over, Cross Town, Bexton, Toft, Ollerton, Over Knutsford, Nether Knutsford, Knutsford Superior, Knutsford Nether, and Knutsford Inferior.

In 1741 an Act of Parliament was obtained for it to become a distinct parish.The church was built between 1741 and 1744 at a cost of £4,000, the architect being J. Garlive. In 1879 an apsidal chancel was replaced by a flat one by Alfred Darbyshire.

Church records
Knutsford St John the Baptist parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials have been indexed by the following groups:

To find the names of the neighbouring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

Knutsford, St. John the Baptist (formerly St. Helena) (C of E), Church Hill. An ancient parish church, originally serving the townships of Bexton, Knutsford Inferior, Knutsford Superior, Ollerton and Toft. Registers of Baptisms 1582–1969, Marriages 1582–1970 and Burials 1582–1972 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office. Microfilm copy of original at the Cheshire Record Office in Chester, Cheshire, England. Cheshire Record Office call no.: P7/1/1-5, P7/2/1-5, P7/3/1-8, P7/4/1-5, P7/3224/2/1-3.

Bishop's transcripts for St. John the Baptist Church, Knutsford, 1581-1867 Microfilm copy of original record in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England. Cheshire Record Office no.: EDB 122.

Knutsford, St. Cross (C of E), Cross Street. Built in 1858, rebuilt in 1881. A separate parish from 1858 serving the township of Knutsford Superior. Registers of Baptisms 1858–1980, Marriages 1861–1987 and Burials 1858–1968 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office. Microfilm of originals in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester. Cheshire Record Office: EDB 121

Toft, St. John the Evangelist (C of E). The parish church for part of Knutsford Inferior from 1855. Churchwardens' accounts for the chapelry of Toft, 1746-1862 Notes Microreproduction of originals at the Cheshire Record Office in Chester, England. Toft is a township and a chapelry in Knutsford parish. Cheshire Record Office call no.: P209/6/1.

Bishop's transcripts for Toft, 1855-1860 Microfilm of original records in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England. Toft is a chapelry in the parish of Knutsford.Cheshire Record Office no.: EDB 205

Non-Conformist Churches

 * Knutsford, St. Vincent de Paul (Roman Catholic), Tatton Street. Founded 1866 in Queen Street, the present church was Built in 1927. Registers of baptisms 1861–1960, marriages 1869–1949 and burials 1866–1961 are at the Cheshire Record Office.
 * Knutsford, Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), Princess Street. Founded 1797, Built in 1865. Registers 1801–1942 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Knutsford- Wesleyan, Princess Street Baptisms-1801-1837- MFPR 295. Baptisms Transcript-1837-1942- MFPR 340 Marriages Transcript-1869-1918- MFPR 340 The Manchester Room and Greater Manchester County Record Office Email: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.ukThe Manchester Room@City Library (Local Studies)
 * Knutsford, Unitarian Chapel, Brook Street. Built in 1688. Registers of births/baptisms 1827–72, marriages 1840–72 and burials 1827–72 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Knutsford- Brook Street Unitarian Baptisms-1792-1836- MFPR 295. Baptisms Transcript-1827-1969- MFPR 340 Birth Index-1791-1826- MFPR 340 Burial Index-1792-1821- MFPR 340 Burials-1792-1836- MFPR 295. Burials Transcript-1827-1969- MFPR 340 Marriages Transcript-1840-1950- MFPR 340 The Manchester Room and Greater Manchester County Record Office Email: archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk The Manchester Room@City Library (Local Studies)
 * Knutsford, United Reformed Church (Independent/Congregational), Brook Street. Built in 1806, closed in 1938. Records of baptisms, marriages and burials 1904–1937 are at the Cheshire Record Office.

Non-Conformist Records:

Church records, 1861-1961 Catholic Church. St. Vincent de Paul (Knutsford, Cheshire) Microfilm copy of original filmed at the Cheshire Record Office in Chester, England. Most records contain Latin. Cheshire Record Office call no.: ERC 24/5248/1-5, 7-9.

Church records, 1801-1837 Knutsford Chapel (Cheshire : Wesleyan) Microfilm of original records at the Public Record Office, London Births and baptisms of Knutsford and Mobberley, Wesleyan Church, 1801- 1837. RG-4 series no. 183.

Church records, 1806-1837 Swinton Square Chapel (Knutsford, Cheshire : Independent)Knowles Green Chapel (Mobberley, Cheshire : Independent) Notes Microfilm of original records at the Public Record Office, London.

Church records, 1827-1969 Dissenters Chapel (Brook Street, Knutsford) Notes Microfilm of original records at the County Record Office, Worcester.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from 1 July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. Here are two excellent Internet sites with birth, marriage and death indexes available:
 * FreeBMD
 * Cheshire BMD

Registration Districts

 * Altrincham (1895–98)
 * Bucklow (1898–1974)
 * Macclesfield (1974–98)
 * Cheshire East (post 1998)

Poor Law Unions

 * Altrincham (renamed Bucklow) Poor Law Union, Cheshire

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

see also England Cheshire Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.
 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Websites
Knutsford on GENUKI