Ipswich, Suffolk Genealogy

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

Description
Ipswich, the capital of Suffolk, and the largest market-town and port in the county, is an ancient borough and liberty, holding a pleasant and salubrious situation, mostly on the north-east side of the Clipping, at the point where that navigable river assumes the name of Orwell, and begins to expand into a broad estuary, which terminates in the German Ocean, at Harwich, about 13 miles S.E. of the town, which is distant 69 miles N.E. of London, 20 miles N.E. of Colchester, 25 miles S.E. by E. of Bury St. Edmunds, 54 miles S.S.W. of Yarmouth, 8 miles W.S.W. of Woodbridge, and 43 miles S. of Norwich ; being in 52 deg. 3 min. north latitude, and in 1 deg. 9 min. east longitude. It is in the line of the Eastern Counties Railway, which is completed from London to Colchester, and is to be extended to Norwich. It suffered considerably during the greater part of last century, from the loss of its ancient staple manufacture of woollen cloth and canvass ; but being favourably seated for commerce, it has risen rapidly in wealth, population, and importance, during the present century, in which it has increased its population from 10,402, to upwards of 25,000 souls.... 1844 : History, gazetteer, and directory of Suffolk, and the towns near its borders

Church of England Parishes

 * Ipswich St Clement
 * Ipswich St Helen
 * Ipswich Holy Trinity
 * Ipswich St Lawrence
 * Ipswich St Margaret
 * Ipswich St Mary at the Elms
 * Ipswich St Mary at the Quay
 * Ipswich St Mary Stoke
 * Ipswich St Mary le Tower
 * Ipswich St Matthew
 * Ipswich St Nicholas
 * Ipswich St Peter
 * Ipswich St Stephen
 * Whitton with Thurleston
 * Westerfield - mostly in borough of Ipswich
 * Rushmere - partly in borough of Ipswich
 * Sproughton - a few farms in borough of Ipswich

Extra-Parochial
...St. Clement's includes Fore Hamlet, Back Hamlet, Wykes Bishop, and Warren House. The latter is Extra-Parochial; as also are, Cold Dunghills and Felaw's Houses, in St. Margaret's; the Shire Hall Yard , in St. Mary's at Quay; and several houses in Globe lane, included with St. Mary at Tower....


 * Cold Dunghills
 * Felaw's Houses
 * Shire Hall Yard
 * Warren House

Nonconformist

 * CHAPELS.—The twelve parish churches, and the chapel of ease just described, have seat room for about 8500 persons; and there is accommodation for about 10,000 in the sixteen other places of worship in the town, of which four belong to Baptists, three to Independentt, two to Wesleyans, and one each to Roman Catholics, Unitarians, Friends, Primitive Methodists, Swedenborgians, and Jews....1855 : History, gazetteer, and directory of Suffolk, page 83-84 Refer to Ipswich, Suffolk - Nonconformist wiki article for further details.

Parish History
Domesday Book only enumerates nine churches, as standing in Ipswich and its liberty, viz., Holy Trinity, St. Austin, St. Michael, St. Mary, St. Lawrence, St. Peter, St. Stephen, and those at Whitton and Thurlston. The three first-named are supposed to have been destroyed in a dreadful tempest, on New Year's day, 1287, when Stowe informs us many other churches and buildings were beaten down by the jarring elements, at Yarmouth, Dunwich, &amp;c. At a later period, it is said here were no fewer than 21 churches, but no doubt this number included those which were attached to the monastic institutions, and were not parochial. There are now twelve parish churches, and a chapel of ease in the town ; and the two churches of Whitton and Westerfield parishes are within the liberty of the borough.... William White, 1844 Gazetteer of Suffolk; page 67

Refer to the works listed in Suffolk Gazetteers or England Gazetteers for source material.

Resources
If you Suffolk_Archives_and_Libraries then you will have access to a variety of resources; however, for those who live further afield, one can access microfilm and online records at Family History Centers. Refer to and  in the FamilySearch Catalog for available records.

Cemetery - Churchyards

 * General Cemetery.—The Church and Chapel Burial Grounds in Ipswich, were closed under the powers of the Health of Towns Act, Ac, on July 1st, 1855 . A Burial Board was formed, on which are representatives of the several parishes in the town. The Board purchased 32 acres of land of the late W. C. Fonnereau, Esq., for £2600, for a cemetery.... William White, 1874 Gazetteer of Suffolk, page 64 Refer to the Ipswich Borough page for details
 * Some cemeteries monumental transcriptions from this area are available on FindAGrave.

Civil Registration
Ipswich is a district. To search an index of Ipswich district records go to FreeBMD. The Suffolk Civil Registration article tells more about these records.

Church records
The Family History Library has some Church of England parish registers and transcripts for Ipswich parishes. It also has some nonconformist registers.

The Suffolk Family History Society has published marriage and baptism transcripts:


 * Marriage Index - Ipswich Deanery 1754 - 1812
 * Baptism Index - Ipswich Deanery 1754 - 1812 - New CD Available
 * Baptism Index - Ipswich Deanery 1813 - 1900

Refer to Suffolk Church Records for further details.

Census records
There are census records available for Ipswich from 1841 to 1911. Census records are available on a variety of subscription and other websites. If you need to consult the 1841 to 1891 census on microfilm, refer to in the catalogue. Refer to the Suffolk Census wiki article for details about the Census.

Statistical Data Gathered from the Census
There are statistical charts available for the 1801 to 1931 censuses. See the article, Histpop — 'The Online Historical Population Reports Project' to access further data. The census gathered statistical data that allows one to see the economy of the people. It notes occupations, housing, population for every parish in Ipswich. It notes changes from the previous census and reasons for the changes. In 1831 over half the population lived in three parishes, St Clements, St Margarets, and St Matthews. While rural Suffolk was mostly engaged in agriculture, Ipswich was the center of industry in the County.

Court
There is no name index to the Ipswich Quarter Session Records

Genealogy
Wilby, Robert. Five Generations. History, four generations photo, dating 1738-1992, and family tree of John Motum and wife Rebecca Smith with the following surnames. - Banham, Bennett, Friend, Smith, Dyke, Gowler, Greggm Richardson, Larter, Wilby. Article in Journal of the Felixstowe Family History Soc. vol. 8, no.3, pages 10-12. FHL 942.64/F5 D25r

Probate records
Prior to 1858 the primary court that had jurisdiction over Ipswich was the Archdeaconry of Suffolk; however, a person’s will or administration may have been probated in nearby courts or even in London. After 1858 it was in Ipswich District. Refer to the Suffolk Probate Records article for further details.

Newspapers
The Ipswich Journal from 1800 to 1900 is provided by an online service with an every name index and images of the articles. Some libraries also provide access to service.

The Bury and Norwich Postis available online from 1801 to 1900. The British Newspaper Archive provides images and transcripts of the Newspaper. Also available is the Ipswich Journal from from 1748 to 1900. Also another run of the Ipswich Journal from 1720 to 1800

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Suffolk Gazetteers and Directories from 1839 to 1909 - Suffolk Gazetteers and directories provide a history and description of Ipswich and principal residents and tradesman.
 * National directories provide a lengthy description Ipswich
 * Vision of Britain
 * British History Online - IPSWICH, a borough,port, and market-town, and the head of a union, in the liberty of Ipswich, E. division of Suffolk, 25 miles (S. E. by E.) from Bury St. Edmund's, and 69 (N. E.) from London.There are places of worship for Particular Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, Wesleyans, Primitive and Association Methodists, and Unitarians; a Roman Catholic chapel; and a synagogue.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851 - see parishes of Ipswich in context with each other also determine various ecclesiastical and civil jurisdictions
 * Ipswich on Google maps - see lay of the land as it is today