The Parish Registers of England (1910) - Searchable PDF & Surname Index | English Church & Genealogy Records

Break through your pre-1837 English genealogy brick walls with the definitive historical guide and verbatim sourcebook on English parish registers—now upgraded by Fairbairn's Crests with a full-text searchable OCR layer and a newly compiled Alphabetical Surname & Parish Index.

Originally published in 1910 by the renowned antiquary Rev. J. Charles Cox, LL.D., F.S.A., The Parish Registers of England is far more than a history of church record-keeping. Drawing on forty years of original archival research across nearly every county in England, Dr. Cox transcribes thousands of verbatim baptismal, marriage, and burial entries spanning from Thomas Cromwell's initial 1538 mandate under Henry VIII through George Rose's Act of 1812. For family historians tracing ancestors before modern civil registration, this volume explains every statutory quirk, Latin formula, calendar shift, and missing-register mystery while indexing hundreds of named families and parishes.

What's Inside This Enhanced Fairbairn's Crests Edition:

• Complete 1910 Historical Text & Plates (348 Pages Total): All 13 chapters, 4 reference appendices, and 24 historical facsimiles and architectural plates (334 cleaned core book pages plus 14 pages of newly compiled Fairbairn's Crests front matter and back-of-book index).
• Every-Word Searchable OCR Layer: Search instantly across all 300+ years of transcribed register extracts using Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac).
• Newly Compiled Surname & Parish Index: Includes our deterministic Back-of-Book Index of 600+ family surnames (with 16th- and 17th-century spelling variants grouped together), over 220 English parishes and London churches, interactive PDF chapter bookmarks, and an exact PDF-to-Printed Page Offset Guide.
• Statutory & Paleographical Decoder: Covers the 1538 Injunctions, the 1597 and 1603 parchment transcript mandates, Commonwealth civil marriages (1653–1660), Burials in Woollen (1666 and 1678), Clandestine & Fleet Marriages, Lord Hardwicke's Act (1753), and the 1783 Stamp Act.
• Rare County-by-County Finding Aids (Appendices I–IV): Features a directory of Bishops' Transcripts older than surviving parish registers, a complete census of extant 1538–1558 registers across England, and a master list of printed parish registers.

Historical & Genealogical Overview

Across thirteen richly detailed chapters, Rev. J. Charles Cox illuminates the daily lives, crises, and beliefs of English parishioners as recorded by their local vicars and parish clerks. Genealogists will discover how religious changes under Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I, and the Puritan Commonwealth altered how births, godparents, chrisom children, foundlings, and marriages were entered. Dedicated chapters examine clandestine marriage centres such as the Fleet Prison, Mayfair Chapel, Dale Abbey, and Peak Forest, alongside unusual burial customs including night burials, recusant and excommunicate interments, and woollen shroud affidavits.

Beyond vital statistics, English parish registers served as local chronicles of national and parochial history. Cox extracts vivid, named accounts of the Sweating Sickness and the Great Plague (including the famous 1665–1666 plague register of Eyam in Derbyshire, as well as London, Northampton, Durham, and Chester), Royalist and Parliamentary casualties during the English Civil War, the Solemn League and Covenant, Monmouth's Rebellion, witchcraft trials, parochial whippings, historic storms, and early Huguenot, Walloon, Quaker, and Nonconformist congregations.

Surnames & Families Indexed in This Volume:

Acton, Adams, Adderley, Adderly, Addison, Adkins, Alchurch, Alcocke, Alderly, Allington, Anderson, Andrewes, Andrews, Anton, Arch, Ashley, Atkins, Atkinson, Austin, Ayre, Bacheler, Baddely, Badman, Bagshawe, Baillis, Baily, Baker, Baldack, Bales, Ballard, Bannister, Barbye, Barefoote, Barnby, Barnes, Barret, Barwicke, Bate, Bateman, Baxster, Bayley, Beene, Beerye, Beever, Bell, Bellingham, Benbow, Benge, Bennet, Bennett, Benthal, Beresley, Berkenhead, Besiley, Bettison, Biram, Birges, Bishop, Blair, Blancherd, Blaxsiche, Blewitt, Bond, Boothouse, Borlase, Botelar, Boteler, Boulte, Bourne, Bowden, Bowes, Bradeley, Bradley, Brantingham, Brasse, Bridmore, Brierley, Briges, Brindle, Brooke, Brookes, Brooks, Broomhead, Brown, Browne, Bryant, Buckner, Bullington, Bullock, Bultrey, Bunyan, Burghley, Burke, Burn, Burne, Bush, Bushopp, Butler, Cartter, Cartwright, Challoner, Chamberlayne, Chambers, Chancey, Chapman, Chaworth, Chidde, Chippendale, Clark, Clarke, Clay, Cletheray, Cleugh, Cleypole, Cocker, Cockerell, Colbye, Colcott, Colett, Collen, Collinge, Collison, Colman, Conock, Cook, Cooke, Cooper, Corbett, Corbit, Cork, Corvehill, Cosen, Cosin, Cotton, Coulson, Covert, Cowley, Cox, Cragg, Crewe, Crews, Crisp, Cromwell, Crue, Curbye, Cuttes, Dakin, Dallison, Daulinge, Davies, Dawley, Dawson, Day, Deane, Defoe, Dickinson, Diplock, Dober, Dodd, Doddridge, Doghty, Dooley, Doughty, Downing, Drake, Drury, Duglas, Dumpar, Dycher, Eagles, Earle, Earwaker, Edgcumbe, Edwarde, Edwardes, Elleson, Epps, Erle, Eure, Eyre, Eyton, Faukiner, Ferington, Fetherston, Finch, Firth, Fisher, Fitzharding, Fleetwood, Flint, Floyd, Fludd, Foljamb, Ford, Forster, Foxe, Freeman, Froste, Fry, Fuller, Fynny, Gardiner, Gaskell, Gawdy, Gell, Gerarde, Gibbons, Glazzard, Gleidell, Goffe, Gogh, Gordon, Gostlett, Graham, Grahame, Grant, Greensmith, Greenwood, Grenefeild, Griffyn, Grimaldi, Grinaway, Grinslade, Grynnock, Hadley, Haffynden, Halle, Hallowes, Hampson, Harbard, Harden, Harding, Hardwicke, Hargreves, Harrington, Harris, Harrison, Hartshorne, Harvey, Haryson, Haslowe, Hastyngs, Heayes, Hemingham, Henchman, Herbert, Herriott, Hicks, Hills, Hilton, Hodges, Hodgesonne, Hodgkinson, Hodgson, Hodson, Hogg, Hogkinson, Holgate, Hollar, Holmes, Homes, Hopkins, Hopwoode, Hovenden, Hoyte, Hunter, Hurst, Hussey, Hutchins, Hutton, Hynde, Inglesby, Jackson, Jarvys, Jefferie, Jenkins, Jenney, Jermyn, Jewell, Joanes, Johnson, Jones, Jonnstone, Joplin, Jordayne, Kaye, Keech, Kilbie, Kilner, Kirby, Lansbury, Lansdune, Laurence, Lawley, Lawson, Lees, Lenthall, Lever, Littleton, Lloyd, Locke, Lovelesse, Lumbye, Lunford, Luttrell, Lyddale, Lyghton, Lynam, Machell, Madderson, Madisonne, Maninge, Manwood, Marciall, Marshall, Martiall, Maryson, Mathewe, Matley, Matly, Matthews, Mawkin, Maysterman, Medley, Meek, Mepham, Merediths, Messenger, Michel, Mompesson, Montagu, Moore, Morall, More, Mothershaw, Mould, Mowen, Munslow, Mydfurthe, Mydleton, Myner, Mynsterley, Nash, Nelson, Nelsonne, Neve, Newmans, Newsam, Nicholson, Noake, Nuton, Nycols, Okeover, Osborn, Osborne, Osbourne, Overstreete, Palmer, Pankerd, Pardoe, Parker, Parkinson, Parry, Payne, Pearson, Peckham, Pegge, Philips, Phillimore, Phillip, Phillipps, Pickeings, Pickerde, Pickering, Platt, Platts, Pole, Ponder, Porter, Potter, Poulteney, Pounds, Powell, Poynet, Pratt, Proude, Prowde, Pugslie, Pycocke, Pye, Pyndar, Pyner, Randall, Rands, Raven, Read, Reade, Rendall, Renoulds, Reynolds, Rich, Richardson, Roberts, Robynson, Rogers, Rolphe, Rossiter, Routh, Russel, Russell, Rydley, Salkeld, Salter, Samwell, Sandforth, Sandland, Sargent, Saunders, Savage, Scobell, Scrope, Selbye, Selwood, Serjeantson, Seymor, Sharp, Sharppe, Shelton, Shepherd, Sherman, Shermans, Shortland, Simson, Skerry, Sladde, Smith, Smithson, Smyth, Snell, Sothorne, Sowter, Sparke, Spencer, Sprott, Stanley, Starr, Staunton, Stayner, Steevens, Stenhouse, Stevenson, Stoughton, Strickland, Swillinghurst, Swinburne, Swinson, Sydney, Talbot, Tasker, Taylor, Thompson, Thorntone, Threlkeld, Thropp, Tissington, Tomason, Tomkins, Tomlinson, Towers, Trebeck, Turnbull, Turner, Turpin, Tyler, Tyrell, Tyrwitt, Vandighteryng, Vandighterynge, Vasey, Vaughan, Wade, Wakebridge, Wakefield, Walkden, Walker, Waller, Wallington, Ward, Wardy, Waters, Watson, Wattes, Welbanck, Welby, Welch, Wentworth, Wesley, Wheatcroft, White, Whitesides, Whytyng, Wigley, Wilbore, Wilcox, Wildcocks, Wilkesson, Williams, Williamson, Willis, Willkinsone, Wilson, Winge, Winkfield, Wiseman, Wolston, Wooderofe, Woodward, Wrench, Wright, Wyat, Wylkys, Wynne, Wythers, Younger.

Parishes, Chapels & Counties Indexed in This Volume:

Abingdon, Abington, Acton Trussell, Adel, Albrighton, Aldenham, Alkmanton, Allendale, Alrewas, Alstonfield, Ambleside, Appleby, Arley, Armitage, Ashborne, Ashbourne, Ashby St. Ledgers, Ashford, Ashingdon, Ashover, Ashperton, Askham, Aston-by-Birmingham, Atworth, Aveley, Bakewell, Bamburgh, Barnard Castle, Barnstaple, Barrow, Barton Seagrave, Barton-under-Needwood, Basingstoke, Baslow, Beaconsfield, Beauchief Abbey, Beeston, Bekesbourne, Belper, Berkswell, Bermondsey, Beverley, Bingley, Birchington, Bishop Middleham, Bishop Wearmouth, Bitterley, Blakesley, Blatherwick, Bleasby, Blidworth, Bobbingworth, Bothal, Boughton-under-Blean, Bourton-on-the-Water, Bow Brickhill, Bozeat, Brailsford, Bramfield, Breadsall, Breaston, Brenchley, Brentford, Brewood, Bridgwater, Bridlington Quay, Brignal, Brimington, Brington, Bromfield, Broseley, Brundish, Bruton, Burnley, Burton Fleming, Burton Latimer, Bury St. Edmunds, Buxton, Bywell St. Peter, Camberwell, Canterbury, Carburton, Carisbrooke, Carlisle, Carshalton, Carsington, Cartmel, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Chelmorton, Chelmsford, Cherry Burton, Chesham, Chester, Chesterfield, Chipping, Chipping Ongar, Chislehurst, Chislet, Christchurch, Clovelly, Clunbury, Clyst St. George, Colchester, Colly Weston, Coniston, Corby, Cottenham, Cotterstock, Courteenhall, Cranbrook, Crich, Cropredy Bridge, Croston, Crowhurst, Croxall, Croydon, Culworth, Dale Abbey, Darley Dale, Darlington, Daventry, Derby, Desborough, Dewsbury, Doddington, Donington, Dorking, Dronfield, Drypole, Duffield, Dukinfield, Dunster, Dunwich, Durham, Dymchurch, Eakring, Earls Barton, Easingwold, Eastbourne, Eaton-under-Heywood, Eccleston, Edenhall, Edgbaston, Edlingham, Eglingham, Elland, Elmham, Elsdon, Elsworth, Elton, Everton, Exeter, Eyam, Finedon, Forcett, Fotheringhay, Framlingham, Frampton, Gateshead, Gayton, Glinton, Godalming, Goodnestone, Grantchester, Grasmere, Great Hampden, Grendon, Grinton, Hackness, Haddenham, Hambledon, Hanwell, Harbledown, Harborne, Harrow, Hartlepool, Harwich, Hatfield Broadoak, Hathersage, Haughton, Hawkshead, Hawsted, Helmdon, Hepworth, Herne, Hexham, Hillingdon, Hinckley, Holcot, Hornsey, Horsham, Howden, Hunstanton, Ipswich, Kedleston, Kendal, Kensington, Kibworth, Kidderminster, King's Bromley, Kirk Oswald, Kirkburton, Kirkby Lonsdale, Kirton, Kniveton, Knodishall, Lamport, Lanchester, Ledbury, Leeds, Leek, Leicester, Lewisham, Lichfield, Linton-in-Craven, Littlebourne, London (All Hallows, Blackfriars, Clerkenwell, Cornhill, Covent Garden, Fleet Chapel, Holborn, Lombard Street, Mayfair Chapel, St. Botolph Aldgate, St. Botolph Bishopsgate, St. Dionis Backchurch, St. Dunstan, St. Helen Bishopsgate, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. Mary Aldermary, St. Mary Woolnoth, St. Nicholas Acon, St. Olave Hart Street, St. Pancras, Stepney, Temple Church, Westminster), Loughborough, Louth, Lowick, Luccombe, Lyminge, Maidstone, Malpas, Mansfield, Marlborough, Great Marlow, Marshfield, Melbourne, Merstham, Methley, Middleton, Minehead, Mitcham, Monyash, Morley, Moulton, Much Wenlock, Naseby, Nassington, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Newport Pagnell, Northampton, North Wingfield, Norwich, Oundle, Oxford, Pakenham, Peak Forest, Penrith, Perlethorpe, Peterborough, Petersham, Plymouth, Plympton, Preston, Ramsey, Ravenstonedale, Reading, Redruth, East Retford, Rochdale, Rodmarton, Rothwell, Rugeley, Saddleworth, Salehurst, Sandwich, Scotter, Sedgemoor, Selattyn, Shrewsbury, Smethwick, Southampton, Southwell, Stafford, Staindrop, Staines, Stamford Baron, Staplehurst, Stoke Newington, Stoke Pogis, Stokesley, Strood, Tamworth, Tarporley, Taunton, Taxal, Tideswell, Tipton, Tiverton, Tollesbury, Totnes, Twickenham, Uffcolme, Uxbridge, Wadhurst, Wallingford, Walsall, Warkworth, Waterbeach, Wedmore, Wellingborough, Westerham, Weston Favell, Whitburn, Whittington, Whittlesey, Wing, Wisbeach, Wootton Courtney, Yarmouth, York, Youlgreave.