England, Cheshire, Land Tax Assessments - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes an index to tax records for the county of Cheshire for the years 1778-1832.

Beginning in 1692, land tax assessments were records of taxpayers from year to year, and were organized by parish, hundred, and county. For the period of the collection, these records also served as a form of voter registration. Most of the physical documents were handwritten, but later assessments were recorded on pre-printed forms.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Tax Assessment Records may include:
 * Date and place of assessment
 * Name of proprietors or landowners
 * Names of the occupiers or tenants
 * Tax sums assessed in pounds, shillings, and pennies.
 * Additional taxes or sum redemptions in pounds, shillings, and pennies
 * Name of assessor
 * Name of collector
 * Names of those approving the tax

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know the following information:
 * Name of the person
 * General date of the record

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?

 * Land records establish location. Look for your individual in census records in that location
 * Continue to search the index for others with the same surname to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives

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
 * Names were often spelled as scribes 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, expand the date range or search by either the given name or surname to return broader list results
 * Search the records of nearby locations
 * Lancashire to the north
 * Derbyshire to the east
 * Staffordshire or Shropshire to the south
 * Welsh counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire to the west

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