Wales, Cardiganshire, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Wales Cardiganshire

This collection contains parish registers from the county of Cardiganshire for the years 1538-1912.

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

For additional information about the history, content, and use of parish registers, see the Wales Parish Registers page.

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains an index of baptismal, marriage, and burial records. The collection was indexed in cooperation with FindMyPast, and a full version of the index can be found at findmypast.

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 from the index entry.
 * Cite the record. See below for help citing this collection.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the age listed in a record to estimate a year of birth, if that has not been found.
 * 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 civil registration records and the Wales Census.
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, and parents. 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 scribes 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, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of results which can then be examined for matches. Try expanding the date range as well; 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 parishes. While most people in this period never lived more than 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller moves were common. For this collection, bordering locations include the counties of Merioneth to the north; Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and Brecknockshire to the east; or Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south.
 * 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.

For additional help searching online collections see FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Citing This Collection
citing sources correctly can help you keep track of research, since proper citations make it easier to find again the sources you have already discovered. Correct citations also allow others to check completed research by helping them find and examine records for themselves.

Below are the proper citations to use for both this collection and individual records within it:

Collection Citation

Record (or Index) Citation