An Introduction to Birth and Baptism Records

What is a birth/baptism record?

A baptism record is any type of record that states the date and place an individual was baptised into a church.

A birth record is any type of record or certificate that states the date and place an individual was born.

You can view more infomation on birth records and baptism records by clicking the links.

What information can I find in a birth/baptism record?

The information found in a record depends on the date of the record. You can find information about the information found on a birth/baptism records by clicking the links to the left.

You can also order a birth certificate, which can tell you more information about a birth - there is a case study on the website that will show you how to get the information you need to order a certifcate, as well as showing you how to search the records.

How would I use a birth/baptism record to help me with my research?

You may want to know:

An ancestor's birth/baptism date
The name of a preceding generation
A family's place of residence
Clues to family relationships
Children who died young
Parents of the child

Where can I find a birth/baptism record for one of my ancestors?

For records starting in the 1600's, Parish Records is the place to look - these are available on CD-ROM.

For records from 1837 - 2004, you can look at BMD Indexes - these are available online.

For information about other records or for more information about genealogy, there are some links to other useful sources of informatio included on the site.