England, Dorset, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes records from 1538 to 1936

This collection contains Dorset parish registers containing baptisms, marriages/banns, and burials. Date ranges of available records may vary by locality.

Baptisms (christenings), marriages, and burials were recorded on blank pages in a bound book called a register. The events of baptism, marriage, and burial were all recorded in one volume until 1754, when a law required that marriages be recorded in a separate book. Banns, or proclamations of “an intent” to marry, were recorded in yet another book. Starting in 1812, pre-printed registers were introduced, and then separate registers were kept for baptisms, marriages, and burials. Before 1812, bishops’ transcripts were usually recorded on loose pieces of paper. Following that year, the transcripts were recorded on the same pre-printed forms as parish registers.

Parish registers were created to record church events of baptism or christening, marriage, and burial. Baptismal entries usually list the person’s birth date, and burial entries list the death date. In the Church of England, baptism, which was also called christening, was performed soon after the birth of a child. Marriage in the church legally united a man and a woman for civil legal reasons and for the purpose of founding a religiously sanctified family. A marriage bann refers to the records that document when a marriage was announced. This was usually done 3 times during the weeks prior to the wedding and were done at both the bride and the groom's parishes. Anyone that felt the marriage should not take place could present their case at this time. Burial is a function of the church to inter the deceased soon after death.

Church of England parish registers are the most reliable and accurate family history source until July 1837, when the government instituted the civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths. Information in parish registers and Bishop's Transcripts can be verified against each other. There are often variations in Bishop's Transcripts of names and spellings. Bishop's Transcripts may also omit years or part of years and are incomplete according to Diocesan practice and preservation.

Record Content


Baptism records usually contain:


 * Baptism date
 * Name of the child
 * Sex of the child
 * Legitimacy of the child
 * Marital status of the parents
 * Social class of the parents
 * Name of the father and often mother’s given name
 * May list the residence of the parents, especially after 1812



Marriage records usually contain:


 * Marriage date
 * Name of the bride and groom
 * Age of the bride and groom
 * May list names of parents or other relatives
 * Residence of the bride and groom
 * Marital status of individuals and couples
 * May list the dates that the marriage was announced.
 * After 1754, the full names of witnesses
 * After 1837, the full names of the fathers
 * Marital status at the time of the wedding.



Burial records usually contain:


 * Burial date
 * Name of the deceased.
 * Parents' names (if the deceased was a child)
 * Spouse's name (if married)
 * Age of the person
 * Residence of the deceased
 * May give the sex of the deceased
 * Residence of the deceased

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, and what to do if no record is found.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated [event] year, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "County" category ⇒Select the “Town, Parish/Church" category ⇒Select the “Event Type and Year Range" category which takes you to the images

Search the collection by image 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.

List of Parishes Included
Abbotsbury

Admiston

Affpuddle

Alderholt

Allington

Almer

Arne

Ashmore

Askerswell

Athelhampton

Batcombe

Beaminster

Beer Hackett

Bere Regis

Bettiscombe

Bincombe

Bishop's Caundle

Blandford Forum

Bloxworth

Bluntshay

Bothenhampton

Bourton

Bradford Abbas

Bradford Peverell

Bradpole

Bramblecombe

Branksome

Branksome Park

Bridport

Broadstone

Broadwindsor

Bryanston

Buckland Newton

Buckland Ripers

Burton Bradstock

Catherston Leweston

Caundle Marsh

Caundle-Purse

Chalbury

Chaldon Herring

Chetnole

Chettle

Chideock

Clifton Maybank

Colehill

Corfe Castle

Corfe Mullen

Cranborne

Dewlish

Dorchester

East Chaldon

East Holme

East Lulworth

East Stour

Edmondsham

Ensbury

Farnham

Fifehead Magdalen

Fifehead Neville

Fleet

Folke

Fontmell Magna

Frampton

Gillingham

Glanvilles Wootton

Godmanstone

Gussage All Saints

Hampreston

Hamworthy

Hermitage

Hilfield

Hilton

Hinton Martell

Holt

Holwell

Hooke

Horton

Iwerne Minster

Kingston

Langton Long Blandford

Langton Matravers

Leigh

Littlebredy

Litton Cheney

Loders

Long Bredy

Long Crichel

Longburton

Longfleet

Lytchett Minster

Manston

Mappowder

Margaret Marsh

Marnhull

Marshwood

Martinstown

Melbury Abbas

Melbury Bubb

Melbury Osmond

Melcombe Bingham

Melcombe Regis

Melplash

Milborne St Andrew

Milton Abbas

Milton On Stour

Minterne Magna

Moreton

Nether Compton

Netherbury

North Poorton

Oborne

Over Compton

Owermoigne

Parkstone

Piddletrenthide

Pilsdon

Plush

Portesham (Portisham)

Powerstock (Poorstock)

Preston

Pulham

Puncknowle

Purse Caundle

Ryme Intrinseca

Stalbridge

Stratton

Sturminster Newton

Sutton Waldron

Swanage

Swyre

Sydling St Nicholas

Symondsbury

Tarrant Gunville

Tarrant Hinton

Tarrant Keyneston

Tarrant Rushton

Thornford

Tolpuddle

Turnworth

Wareham

West Chelborough

West Knighton

West Lulworth

West Moors

West Orchard

West Parley

West Stour

Weymouth

Whitchurch Canonicorum

Wimborne Minster

Wimborne St Giles

Winterborne Abbas

Winterborne Clenston

Winterborne Houghton

Winterborne Kingston

Winterborne Monkton

Winterborne Muston

Winterborne Whitchurch

Winterbourne Steepleton

Witchampton

Woodsford

Woolland

Wyke Regis

Using the Information
Baptism or christening records list the parents’ names, making it possible for you to connect your ancestor to an earlier generation. You may find a birth date listed or be able to approximate a birth date. After 1812, the baptismal records list a place of residence, making it easier to identify your family by where they lived. The records also list the father’s occupation, which makes it easier to identify your ancestor's family when more than one family with the same name lived in the parish.

Marriage records sometimes state the residence for the bride and groom. You can use this information to look for their baptisms and to identify the children of this couple. Sometimes the groom’s occupation is listed, which could help you find more records about the groom. Marriage records after 1754 list the names of witnesses, who were often family members. These can help you identify your ancestor’s family. Signatures in the records might be used to identify a particular individual by the handwriting style.

After 1812, and sometimes before, burial records include the age of the deceased. Use this age to approximate the person’s birth year and to find the baptismal record. If the deceased is a child, the parents’ names might be given. This information helps to extend your family another generation. The occupation of a deceased male might be given (especially after 1812) and can help identify your ancestor when there is more than one person by that name in the area. Knowing the occupation might also provide you the opportunity to find other records about your ancestor.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Transcription is a human process and can include error. If you are searching a computer data base which has been indexed exactly as viewed, it may be necessary to search on variants of the given name and surname.
 * The transcriber may have faithfully rendered Thos. or a Latin spelling like Xpher and your search for Thomas or Christopher may not produce a search result.
 * Parish register entries may not correspond with post 1837 Civil Registration certificates. The registration of Marriages involves a quarterly return from each authorized person (Registrar General approved) to the local Registry Office and each Registry Office in turn to form a National Index.
 * The transcription of information from the event may not correspond to the original entry.
 * Since Civil Birth registrations are only partial in the early decades of Civil registration parish registers may be the only source of record for infant birth and death in a period of high infant mortality rates.

General Information About These Records
Parish registers are one of the best sources for identifying individuals and connecting them to parents, spouses, and other generations. In July 1837 the government instituted the civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths. However, parish registers continue to play an important role because they are often more readily available than civil registers. Bishops’ transcripts are a backup source for parish registers that are missing or illegible. If possible, you may want to search both the parish registers and the bishops’ transcripts since one is a handwritten copy of the other and might contain differences.

Banns indicate the parish of residence of the bride and groom. This information often leads to the records of another parish. You can search for the baptisms of the bride and groom in the parishes of residence since these might also be the parishes where they were born.

Related Websites

 * Dorset History Centre
 * England and Wales History Links
 * England and Wales Historic Maps

Related Wiki Articles

 * Dorset History Centre
 * Dorset Church Records
 * Dorset Parishes
 * Church of England Parish Registers
 * England Church Records
 * Quick Research Links - England

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: