Church Records

[Conor7]

I apologize if this is the wrong forum for this question, but it seemed like the best match.

I am doing genealogical research and am curious how one goes about researching Church records. Do I contact the parish, and what if it’s in a foreign country, like the UK or Ireland? Does that make a difference?

I would appreciate any insight anyone has on this, especially if you’ve done it before. I’ve exhausted ancestry.com’s search capabilities.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

If you can find the exact parish, you can contact them directly and see if they have archives to be searched. The village or town records are another source. If you have to hire someone to do this for you, there is a cost involved. And it can take time.

I would start with the national records if you have a birth date and location, though. (I’m assuming you are talking about England/Ireland).

 

[Castello]

Church records are considered private, so, unless they are your or your children’s records, you are not authorized to have a copy of them.

 

[Conor7]

Thanks RealJuliane, I know the parish, so I guess I just call. I didn’t know if there was some sort of formal protocol other than ringing the office.

Castello, that’s discouraging. Does it make a difference if they’ve been dead for 70 years? And, what if I don’t want a copy, I just want the information on it, like the names of the bride’s mother and father? I suppose since they’ve been dead for so long, impersonation is out of the question…

 

[tafan]

Parish of baptism should have all sacrament records. If someone receives another sacrament (ie confirmantion, first communiion, matrimony, holy orders), the info is forwarded to parish of baptism, and they have what is considered the “master” record.

 

[1ke]

Thanks RealJuliane, I know the parish, so I guess I just call. I didn’t know if there was some sort of formal protocol other than ringing the office.

Castello, that’s discouraging. Does it make a difference if they’ve been dead for 70 years? And, what if I don’t want a copy, I just want the information on it, like the names of the bride’s mother and father? I suppose since they’ve been dead for so long, impersonation is out of the question…

Sacramental records are private. Only the person, or their immediate family in the case of a minor or the deceased, may obtain access. Dioceses maintain strict records access policies.

In the US, Catholic diocese follow the same policies as the US Census Bureau regarding release of historical records. Therefore, no records from 1930-present are public. Those before1930 are available.

I do not know what policies the bishops in the UK have established. You will have to make contact with the parish or diocese to find out.

 

[Conor7]

Parish of baptism should have all sacrament records. If someone receives another sacrament (ie confirmantion, first communiion, matrimony, holy orders), the info is forwarded to parish of baptism, and they have what is considered the “master” record.

Thanks for the advice tafan, but you’ve made me a little sad. I only know where they were married. I thought if I found their marriage records and figure out parents’ names, I might figure out where they were born, baptized, and so on.

Still, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to call. I guess my next question it: how much is Verizon going to charge me?