This document provides information about Welsh church records that can be used for genealogical research, including parish registers of christenings, marriages, and burials. It discusses the key dates when different record types began, jurisdictions that applied in Wales, what details to look for in different record types, and supplements and substitutes that can be used when parish records are missing or poor quality. It also includes an example of a petty sessions record that supplements parish registration information.

1. Welsh Church Records Malad Welsh Festival 2011

2. What we will discuss Intro What you need to start Records Record supplements/substitutes Case study

3. Introduction

4. The parish was the center of the world Before 1834 the parish was the both the civil and ecclesiastical center of life.

5. Parish Registers Recording christenings, marriages and burials went into effect in 1538. There are just over 1,000 ancient parishes (created before 1813) but only 71 survive before 1600. Many parishes have no registers before 1754.

6. Key Dates 1538 Order to begin recording christenings, marriages and burials 1538 – 1732 expect registers in Latin 1698 – 1703 some events not registered to avoid taxation 1752 the first day of the year is changed from 25 March to 1 January

7. Key Dates 1754 separate, pre-printed forms used to record marriages 1597 – 1917 Bishop’s transcripts 1783-1794 Stamp Act taxed all registrations 1813 printed forms used for christenings & burials 1837 parishes use the same form for marriages as civil registration

8. Jurisdictions Several levels of jurisdiction applied to the area where your ancestor lived. The parish and diocese are very important for family history research.

13. What you need to get started

14. What you need to get started A place, the parish name is good Having the village or farm name is best Name of the ancestor Reference tools Gazetteers Maps Book: Parish Registers of Wales

15. Records

16. Christenings Christenings often show: child’s given name Father’s name Mother’s name Sometimes included: Family residence such as the village, street or farm name Father’s occupation

17. Post 1812 parish register

18. Bishop’s Transcript

20. Marriages

21. Marriages Get your bearings Map of the country Map of the county showing all parishes Atlas and Index of Parish Registers FHL book# 942 E7pa

22. Start with a marriage index Search the Family History Library Catalog by doing a place search for the county Use the IGI Marriage and Census Indexes FHL book# 942 D27gjh

25. Marriages pre 1754

26. Pay close attention to all names

27. Typical post 1753 parish register

28. Details to watch for 1754-1837

30. I’d like to look at a Banns register for 1818 but according to Parish Registers of Wales the records do not exist. Note that the BTs start a generation earlier than PRs

31. Banns register

33. Banns register

34. Marriage by license

47. Post 1836 Parish Register

49. Pre 1813 burial (1750)

50. Post 1813 burial

52. Indexes First

53. NBI Coverage for Wales Breconshire 5,000 Cardiganshire 108,000 Glamorganshire 361,000 Monmouthshire 9,000 Montgomeryshire less than 1,000 Radnorshire 11,000

54. Something to Remember The National Burial Index does not include information from monumental inscriptions

61. Post 1812 Burial Register

66. Record Supplements/substitues

67. Record Supplements/Substitutes Parish of origin Illegitimacy Migration Marriage banns, marriage license, settlement examination Poor law, church warden accounts, vestry minutes, petty sessions, quarter sessions, probate Electoral registers, poor law, rates (tax)

68. Petty Sessions Application of Hannah Davies against Charles Roberts Defendant appears Hannah Davies of the parish of Llangefelachmaketh Oath and saith as follows. I am unmarried . On the 28th of January last I was delivered of a male Bastard Child at the said parish of Llangefelach in which parish I now resided. The Defendant Charles Roberts who is now present is the father of that Child. About Eighteen months ago the Defendant was in my Mother’s House with me and Thomas Lewis was then in the next Room. This was about ten oClock at night He then promised to marry me. He had been courting me for about six months previously, and Continued to court me until the month of June last when he went away to Liverpool. He frequently promised to marry me after the occasion I have spoken of During the time he was courting me he came on many occasions to my mother’s House, but I used to meet him generally every Saturday night or Sunday near my mother’s House In about a week after the birth of the Child I desired my Brother William Davies to go…

69. Record Supplements/Substitutes Poor quality or missing parish registers and Bishop’s transcripts may be supplemented by monumental inscriptions.

70. Manuscript pedigrees may predate the surviving parish registers.

72. Search Strategies

73. Kill off your ancestor Always search both the PRs and BTs Census Parish Register Bishop’s Transcript

74. Case Study