England, Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Northumberland England Cumberland England Durham

This collection consists of various records from across the north of England for the years 969-2007.

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains images of original records. The original records are held by the Northumberland Archives.

Record types in this collection include parish registers, electoral registers, and nonconformist records, among others. Each type of record within the collection was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of the vital events happening in the lives of the citizens and to safeguard their legal interests.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. Due to their restrictions, many images in this collection are not available for general viewing, but can be accessed by registered FamilySearch Patrons, at the Family History Library or a Family History Center. Registration for a free FamilySearch account can be done here.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
Given the variety of records within this collection, the information contained on each record may vary greatly. In general, these records may at least include:
 * Full name of individual
 * Names of parents, spouse, or other family members
 * Type of event (such as marriage or death)
 * Date of the event
 * Place of the event

Please note that the records most likely to contain information from the tenth century are the family pedigrees, an example of which is shown above.

How Do I Search the 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

View the Images

 * 1) Go to the collection browse page.
 * 2) Click on the correct County link.
 * 3) Click on the correct Town, Parish/Church link.
 * 4) Click on the correct Event Type and Year Range (with Volume) link to go to the image viewer.
 * 5) Use the onscreen controls to move between record images as you look for a match.

I Found the Person I Was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy down all the information from the index entry.
 * Make sure to look at an image of the original record. The online index entry only lists the most basic information from a record; the original may contain further information which was not included in the index. Save or print a copy of the image whenever possible.
 * Cite the index entry or image. See below for help citing this collection.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the estimated age given in a marriage or burial record to calculate an approximate year of birth, if that has yet to be found.
 * Use the information which has been discovered and locate the original parish record or certificate, if possible.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in other records. Particularly useful for research in nineteenth-century England are parish registers, civil registration, and the England Census.
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Note that 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 recorders 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 possible 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.
 * If looking for a parish register, remember that it is entirely possible that 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 the England Nonconformist Church Records page for more information on nonconformist records.
 * Alternatively, if looking for a nonconformist record, it is possible that the individual in question may not have records in a nonconformist denomination. It is possible that they either changed religions at some point in their life or that they undertook Anglican ordinances for whatever reason. See the England Parish Registers page for more information.

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

Citing this Collection
Citing sources correctly makes it easier to refer to information which has already been found, so proper citations are key to keeping track of research. 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 this collection as well as for individual records and images within the collection:

Collection Citation

Image Citation