India, Madras and Tamil Nadu Parish Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes baptism, marriage, family register, and burial records from both the Church of England and Roman Catholic Churches. The records in this collection span from 1681-1990 and are written in English, Latin, and Tamil.

Church records are an excellent source for accurate information on names and dates and on places of births, marriages, and deaths. Many people who lived in India have information recorded about them in a church record. Since civil authorities did not begin registering vital statistics until 1872, church records are the best source for family information before that date.

Reading These Records
These records are in English, Tamil, and Latin. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Latin alphabet
 * India Language and Languages
 * Latin Abbreviations in Death Records

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Key genealogical information found in this collection may include the following information:

Baptisms
 * Child's Christian Name
 * Day, Month, and Year of Birth
 * Day, Month, and Year of Baptism
 * Child’s Sex
 * Parents’ Names
 * Residence of Parents
 * Trade or Profession of Father
 * Name of Priest or Minister by whom the Ceremony was performed

Marriages
 * When Married
 * Full Names of Bride and Groom
 * Age of the couple
 * Rank or Profession
 * Residence at the time of Marriage
 * Father's Name and Surname
 * Whether Marriage was by Banns or License
 * Signatures of the Parties
 * Signatures of two or more Witnesses present
 * Name and designation of person by whom the Ceremony was Performed
 * Name and Location of Church where the Marriage was Solemnized

Deaths
 * Full Name of the Deceased
 * Age of the Deceased
 * Day, Month, and Year of Death
 * Nationality, Trade, or Profession
 * Cause of death
 * Day, Month, and Year of Burial
 * Person by whom the Deceased was Buried
 * Place of Burial

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Ancestor's name
 * Ancestor's religion
 * Place of residence

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Country
 * 2) Select Name of State/Province/Department
 * 3) Select Name of Town/City
 * 4) Select Name of Parish
 * 5) Select Select record type and year range to view the images.

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?

 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * You can use the birth, marriage or death place to calculate the birth place of the parents

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
 * Try variations of given names and surnames. A person might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name
 * Vary the search terms. For example, expand the date range or search by either the given name or surname to return a broader list search results
 * Parish maps can help you determine which parish to search. Maps will reveal neighboring parishes to search if your ancestor is not listed in the parish where you expected him or her to be. See India Maps for more information

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in India.
 * 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.