England Vital Records Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

Known Issues With This Collection
These index only collections were transcribed from microfilm by volunteers using a variety of computer software to compile index entries many years ago and the initial index was published on CD sets. When the CD sets were removed from distribution it was decided to publish the collection online.

However the computer data entry and assembly methods used in the various system origins denoted in the index are known to contain large scale batch errors and the researcher need to be wary about the place data entry field within the index.

In a number of microfilms the place data entry fields where more than one parish is itemised on the microfilm have the first place name entry entered for all parishes. This human error is difficult to fix and FamilySearch was aware of several of these errors at the time of publication online.

However the index is used daily as a pointer to source records by thousands of researchers and rather than remove it to make corrections FamilySearch reports known issues within the relevant parish page by reference to the film.

Please email support@familysearch.org Historical Records if you encounter any issues with the collection and quote the System origin, Source film number and reference with the Record Details of the individual you located.

A variety of system origins may be found within the collection and these are indicative of the era of the index and software employed for data entry.

Parishes with known issues are referred to in the parish page of the FamilySearch wiki. Go to the page for each county Parishes e.g. Kent Parishes then locate the parish Ripple, Kent and if the index is known to contain errors refer to the Church Records paragraph for details.

Known issues include:

Chard, Somerset

Charlton Adam, Somerset

Charlcombe, Somerset

Charlton Horethorne, Somerset

Charlton Mackrell, Somerset

Cross Stone, Yorkshire

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Heptonstall, Yorkshire

Ramsgate Holy Trinity, Kent

Ripple, Kent

Swingfield, Kent

Westbere, Kent

Collection Time Period
This index covers events from 1700 through the mid 1900s.

Record Description
The index is an electronic database of information transcribed from original records.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in birth or christening index entries may include:


 * Name of the child
 * Gender
 * Names of the parents
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Christening date (if the source is a church record)
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

The key genealogical facts found in marriage index entries may include:


 * Name of bride and groom
 * Names of the parents
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage place
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

The key genealogical facts found in death or burial index entries may include:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Gender
 * Names of the parents
 * Name of the spouse (if married)
 * Death or burial date
 * Death or burial place
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

How to Use the Record
Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors. The information could help you identify family relationships and lineages as well as direct you to original records of your ancestors, which may contain additional information.

In birth or christening records, if a surname is not listed for the child, the indexer often assigns the father’s surname to the child. This surname may not be correct. So if you are looking for a birth or christening, search by the given name of the child, adding parents' names and as much locality information as is permitted.

Record History
For over 30 years, volunteer indexers extracted this information from microfilm copies of the original records. In 2001, some of the entries were published on 6 CDs by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the "British Isles Vital Records Index: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales." This index is an index of the births or christenings; marriages; and deaths or burials throughout England. The index is not necessarily complete for any particular place or region.

Why This Record Was Created
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored the indexing of this collection to help individuals find information about their ancestors.

Record Reliability
Church records and civil registration were official records and are some of the most reliable sources of information available for those who were born, married, or died in England.

How Has This Article Helped You?


 * Please leave your FamilySearch Collection Feedback

Related Websites
www.freebmd.org.uk 1837 to present day. Birth, Marriage and Death registration quarterly index, the transcriptions are still in progress and are freely available. The website explains the registration process and its chronological implementation. The website provides access to their images of the index and a double entry checking system as well as the opportunity to correct entries in the database. Two other websites are also available,

www.freereg.org.uk a database of church records for some of the English Counties and still "work in progress". Some records are incomplete due to their destruction and others through non-availability.

www.freecen.org.uk a database of the English and Welsh Census records, 1841 and thereafter every 10 years up to 100 years ago (1911 census). This is still a "work in progress" project.

The above websites are all charitable and rely on volunteer transcribers as can be seen from the websites.

Related Wiki Articles

 * England Church Records

Style Guide
For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: FamilySearch Wiki:Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages.

Sources of Information for This Collection
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/). Index entries derived from digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout England.

"England Marriages, 1538-1973," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/). Index entries derived from digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout England.

"England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/). Index entries derived from digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout England.

Each entry in this index has a source listed. The index may be a compilation of records from a variety of sources, including the following:


 * Family Records
 * Church Records
 * Civil Registration

We welcome your assistance in adding source citation information for individual archives when collection data was collected from various sources or archives. The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above.

United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71 Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023