Baptisms and Birth Records in the UK

Research your Family History with Baptism and Birth Records

Information on baptism/birth records can be useful as you can use the names as a starting point to begin tracing the ancestors on the record back another generation. You may want to know:

• An ancestor's birth/baptism date and place
• Parents' names
• The name of a preceding generation

We have provided a case study on this website so you can see just how easy it is to find a birth/baptism record, and some links to related information that may be helpful to you.

What are Baptism and Birth Records?

Baptism Record: any type of record or certificate that states the date and place an individual was baptised into a church. These records are available from 1538 onwards, and are recorded in Parish Registers.

Birth Record: any type of record or certificate that states the date and place an individual was born. These records are available from 1837 onwards as published by the GRO.

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