England, Northumberland, Non-conformist Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Nonconformist church records may not have the most widespread coverage, but when they are available, they are the most informative and accurate source available for English family history until the start of civil registration in 1837. Nonconformist birth and baptismal registers are fairly common, and they generally contain more information than those of the Church of England.

For more information on the content, significance, and availability of Nonconformist Records, please see England Nonconformist Church Records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth
 * Name of declarant (usu. father)
 * Age, occupation and residence of declarant
 * Name of child
 * Sex of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Names of parents, including maiden name
 * Names, ages, and occupations of witnesses (usu. godparents)
 * Residence of parents

Baptism
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Given name of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Names of parents
 * Occupation of father
 * Legitimacy of child *Marital status of parents
 * Names of godparents

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Ages of bride and groom
 * Previous marital statuses of bride and groom
 * Occupations of bride and groom
 * Residences of bride and groom
 * Birthplaces of bride and groom
 * Names of parents, including maiden names
 * Names, ages, and occupations of witnesses

Death and Burial
 * Date and place of burial
 * Date and place of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Age at death
 * Cause of death
 * Marital status of deceased
 * Name of spouse
 * Birthdate and place of deceased
 * Residence of deceased
 * Occupation of deceased
 * Surviving family members
 * Father of deceased, esp. if infant
 * Occupation of father, esp. if infant

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

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

 * If a christening record is found, use the date and place to search for a birth record
 * If the parents' names are listed, look for the family in censuses
 * If a marriage record is found, look for the family in censuses
 * If a burial record is found, use the date to search for a death record
 * If an age is listed on the burial record, try to estimate a birth year
 * Continue to search the index for people with the same surname to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives
 * Family members often appear on an individual's records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage

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

 * Try variations of given names and surnames. An individual might have been listed under a middle name, a nickname, or an 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
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches
 * Try expanding the date range. This is especially useful in searching baptismal records, as it was not unusual for a child to be baptized weeks or even months after birth
 * Search the records of nearby locations
 * Cumbria to the west
 * Durham and Tyne and Wear to the south
 * Scotland to the north
 * North Sea coastline to the east
 * The person might not have records in a nonconformist denomination. They might have either converted to the Church of England at some point or undertaken Anglican ordinances. See the Northumberland Parish Registers page for more information

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Northumberland.
 * Northumberland Guided Research
 * England Record Finder
 * England Research Tips and Strategies

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.