England, Sussex, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

This collection consists of parish registers from the county of Sussex for the years 1538-1910.

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Parish registers have been kept at the local level across England since the mid-1500s. Due to this long and relatively stable tradition, these records are central to English genealogical research as they are often one of the only sources for finding families and individuals in England before the start of civil registration in 1837.

To learn more about parish registers, please see the England Parish Registers page.

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains an index to baptismal, marriage, and burial records. The original records are held at the West Sussex Records Office.

Coverage Tables
The coverage tables for this collection indicate the locations, types, and years of available records in this collection. Due to number of parishes included, the coverage information is presented according to the first letter of the name of the parish:


 * Sussex parishes beginning with A


 * Sussex parishes beginning with B


 * Sussex parishes beginning with C


 * Sussex parishes beginning with D-E


 * Sussex parishes beginning with F


 * Sussex parishes beginning with G-H


 * Sussex parishes beginning with I-L


 * Sussex parishes beginning with M-O


 * Sussex parishes beginning with P


 * Sussex parishes beginning with R


 * Sussex parishes beginning with S


 * Sussex parishes beginning with T-U


 * Sussex parishes beginning with W-Y

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know the following information: As you search, compare your results with this information to find a match.
 * Name of the person
 * Date range for the record

Search the Index

 * 1) Go to the collection page.
 * 2) Enter the requested information into the search box.
 * 3) Click Search to return a list of possible matches.

I Found the Person I Was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy down all the information in the index entry.
 * Do not forget to cite the record; see below for help citing records in this collection.
 * If in the appropriate period, use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in civil records. Particularly useful for research in nineteenth-century England are the England Census and civil registration records.
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Remember that family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * When looking for an individual with a common name, look at all the search results before deciding which is the correct person. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to help with this decision. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Try variations of given names and surnames. An individual might appear under a different name in a record for a variety of reasons:
 * -An individual might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name.
 * -Spelling was not standardized for much of the period of this collection, so names were often spelled as recorders heard them. Pay attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try spelling variations that could have that pronunciation.
 * -Some women returned to their maiden names after the death of their husbands.


 * Vary the search terms. For example, expand the date range or search by either the given name or surname to return a broader list of search results.
 * Search the records of nearby parishes. While it was uncommon for an individual in this period to move more than about 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller relocations were not uncommon. For this collection, nearby locations include the bordering counties of Hampshire, Surrey, and Kent.
 * The individual in question may not have records in the Church of England at all, but rather might have belonged to a nonconformist denomination. See England Nonconformist Church Records for more information.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:

"England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910.” Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. West Sussex County Record Office, Chichester.}}

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