England Medieval Records

Searching for ancestors in medieval England can be fascinating. Extensive collections survive in English archives dating back to the Domesday Book (1086 A.D.). Medieval records most often record activities of nobility and the landed class. They are typically written in Latin or Old French, but modern English translations are available for many record groups.

Click text in this graphic to learn more about each record group:

With special thanks to Paul C. Reed, FASG for compiling this chart.

Prosopography

 * 597-1042 - Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England. Online.
 * 400s-1400s - Cawley. Medieval Lands: A Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families. Online.
 * 1066-1166 - Keats-Rohan. Domesday People: A Prosopography of Persons Occurring in English Documents, 1066-1166, Volume I: Domesday Book. 1999.
 * 1066-1166 - Keats-Rohan. Continental Origins of English Landholders 1066-1166. 1995.
 * 1066-1166 - Keats-Rohan. Domesday Descendants: A Prosopography of Persons Occurring in English Documents, 1066-1166, Volume II: Pipe Rolls to Cartae Baronum. 2002.
 * Medieval-present - Dictionary of National Biography. Online.
 * 1093-1314 - People of Medieval Scotland 1093-1314. Online.
 * 1100-1520 - Medieval Londoners. Online.
 * 1216-1286 - People of Northern England 1216-1286. Online.
 * Medieval-1800s - Shaw. The Knights of England. 1906. Online: Vol. I | Vol. II.
 * 1386-1832 - Member Biographies. The History of Parliament. Online.
 * 1400s - Rogers. Fifteenth-Century Biographical Index. Online.
 * Medieval - Emden's Biographical Registers to 1500 (Univ. of Cambridge students). Online.
 * Medieval - Emden's Biographical Registers to 1540 (Univ. of Oxford students). Online.
 * 1261-1900 - Alumni Cantabrigienses (Univ. of Cambridge students).Online.

Compiled Genealogies

 * Medieval - Cokayne et al. The Complete Peerage. Online | Corrections and additions.
 * Medieval-1900s - Ruvigny et al. The Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal. Online.
 * Medieval - Heraldic Visitations. Guide to online records at Some Notes on Medieval English Genealogy.
 * Medieval - Baldwin, Farmerie, and Stewart. The Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England Online.
 * Medieval-present - Roberts. The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants. Online.
 * Medieval-1800s - Royal and Noble Houses of Europe, Medieval Unit (FamilySeach). Online - change "All" to "Community Trees" in dropdown above Search button
 * Medieval-1900s - Welsh Medieval Database Primarily Nobility and Gentry Lines, Medieval Unit (FamilySearch). Online - change "All" to "Community Trees" in dropdown above Search button
 * Medieval-present - Genealogics by Leo van de Pas. Online.

Websites

 * Some Notes on Medieval English Genealogy. Extensive guide to online medieval English records.
 * The National Archives. Discovery Catalogue, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills Index, Manorial Documents Register, E 179 Database, and research guides.
 * British History Online. Victoria County Histories and many published medieval record groups.
 * Anglo-American Legal Tradition. Digitised original records from The National Archives.
 * GEN-MEDIEVAL newsgroup. Discussions on medieval pedigrees and sources.
 * Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Journal, Medieval Lands project, Index to the Ancestry of Charles II.
 * Prosopography Research (University of Oxford). Bibliography, Directory of Prosopographical Research.
 * Ancestry. Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1384-1858.
 * findmypast. York Medieval Probate Index 1267-1500.