GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Somerset Births

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the Somerset Guided Research page.

Mandatory birth registration started in 1837. However, universal compliance did not occur until 1874. Before 1837, births and baptisms can be found in church records (mainly the Church of England). The oldest baptism records date to 1538.

Additional Databases and Online Resources

 * 1538-1900s: Search Parish Registers  at FreeReg.org.uk
 * 1531-1812: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812  at Ancestry ($)
 * 1813-1914: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914  at Ancestry ($)

Additional Records with Birth Information
Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. Records that are used to substitute for birth events may not have been created at the time of the birth. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.

Tips for finding births
Successfully finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
 * Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Search parents. Search for the parents, if known, as the child's first name may not be on the birth record.
 * Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth.
 * Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search county. Search using the county name only instead of by parish.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start Mandatory birth registration started in 1837. However, universal compliance did not occur until 1874. Before 1837, births and baptisms can be found in church records (mainly the Church of England). Although the oldest baptism records date to 1538, many parish churches did not start recording baptisms until the 1600s.

Records Published

Records Destroyed Some church records may have been lost, destroyed, or damaged (especially in the 1500s and early 1600s). More specific information is not known. Civil registration records are generally complete.