Lancashire Family History Records

Lancashire Genealogical Records

Birth & Baptism

Lancashire Birth & Baptism Records

Searchable database
Lancashire Baptism Index with Images (1813-1911)

A name index connected to original images of Lancashire baptism registers for over 175 parishes.

Finding aid
England & Wales Birth Index (1837-2006)

An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Searchable database
British Army Birth Index (1761-2005)

An index to births registered to British Army personal at home and abroad.

Searchable database
Birth Notices from The Times (1983-2003)

An index to over 100,000 birth and christening notices from The London Times.

Searchable database
Non-conformist Baptisms (1567-1858)

An index connected to original images of non-conformist (other than Church of England) baptism registers from throughout England & Wales. If you cannot find your ancestors in Anglican baptism registers, you may find them among these records.

Marriage & Divorce

Lancashire Marriage & Divorce Records

Searchable database
Lancashire Marriage Index with Images (1754-1936)

A name index connected to original images of Lancashire marriage registers for over 175 parishes.

Finding aid
England & Wales Marriage Index (1837-2005)

An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Searchable database
British Army Marriage Index (1796-2005)

An index to marriages registered for British Army personal at home and abroad.

Searchable database
Marriage Notices from The Times (1982-2004)

An index to over 80,000 marriage and engagement notices from The London Times.

Searchable database
Gretna Green Marriage Registers (1794-1895)

A full name index connected to original images of the marriage registers of Gretna Green, Scotland. These registers contain thousands of records for couples from England and Wales who interloped to the Scottish borders to circumvent laws governing marriages in England and Wales.

Death & Burial

Lancashire Death & Burial Records

Searchable database
Lancashire Burial Index with Images (1813-1986)

A name index connected to original images of Lancashire burial registers for over 100 parishes.

Finding aid
England & Wales Death Index (1837-2006)

An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Searchable database
British Army Death Index (1796-2005)

An index to deaths of British Army personal at home and abroad.

Searchable database
Jewish Online Worldwide Burial Registry (1550-Present)

A searchable database of over 1 million Jewish burials with photographs of the matzevot.

Searchable database
Death Notices from The Times (1982-1988)

An index to over 54,000 death notices and obituaries from The London Times.

Church

Lancashire Church Records

Searchable database
Lancashire Parish Register Index with Images (1538-1812)

A name index connected to original images of Lancashire parish registers for over 60 parishes.

Searchable database
Lancashire CoE Confirmation Records (1856-1922)

Confirmations are Church of England ceremonies conducted by Bishops that affirm one's commitment to the doctrines of the church. These records contain the names of those confirmed, their age, date of baptism & confirmation, address and sometimes other details. The records are indexed by name and connected to images of the original registers.

Book: On-line or in-print
Register of Lancashire Papists (1717-1788)

Registers of those in Lancashire known to be loyal to the church in Rome. Contains genealogical information.

Searchable database
Crockford's Clerical Directories (1868-1914)

Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.

Searchable database
Crockford's Clerical Directory (1929)

A directory listing Anglican parishes and other divisions of the Church or England hierarchy and their various religious officers. The directory covers the UK and Anglican churches throughout the world.

Census & Population Lists

Lancashire Census & Population Lists

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Lay Subsidy (1332)

A tax list of wealthier Lancashire residents.

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Lay Subsidies (1216-1307)

Two lay subsidies from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

Searchable database
England 1911 Census Index & Images (1911)

The 1911 census gives details on over 30 million people living in England in 1911. Details include, age, birthplace, occupation, relationships to others, disabilities and more. Each person is indexed and linked to images of the original schedules.

Searchable database
England, Wales, IoM & Channel Islands 1911 Census (1911)

The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

Searchable database
England 1901 Census Index & Images (1901)

Provides details on age, place of birth, occupation, residence and relations of over 30 million people living in England in 1901.

Wills & Probate

Lancashire Wills & Probate Records

Searchable database
England & Wales National Probate Calendar (1858-1966)

Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.

Searchable database
Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (PPV) (1384-1858)

A index to testators whose will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. They principally cover those who lived in the lower two thirds of Britain, but contain wills for residents of Scotland, Ireland, British India and other countries. A copy of each will may be purchased for digital download.

Searchable database
Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (Subscription) (1384-1858)

An index and digital images of PCC wills, available on a subscription basis.

Finding aid
Index to Death Duty Registers (1796-1903)

An index to wills and administrations that incurred a death duty tax. The index can be used to order documents that give a brief abstract of the will and details on the duty. It can be used as a make-shift probate index.

Finding aid
Bank of England Wills Extracts Index (1717-1845)

An index to over 60,000 wills of people who died with money in public funds. Useful when researching counties where wills have been destroyed. Also contains wills for citizens of British colonies.

Newspapers

Newspapers Covering Lancashire

Searchable database
Northern Echo (1870-1900)

Britain's most popular provincial newspaper, covering local & national news, family announcements, government & local proceedings and more.

Searchable database
Manchester Courier and Lancashire Advertiser (1825-1916)

A searchable newspaper providing a rich variety of information about the people and places of the Lancashire district. Includes obituaries and family announcements.

Searchable database
Northern Star (1838-1852)

A chartist newspaper published in Leeds that focused on affairs in Northumberland, Yorkshire and Lancashire. The paper focuses on politics, but does contain a limited number of family announcements

Searchable database
Pall Mall Gazette (1865-1900)

A gentleman's magazine published in London, but covering news from all England, Wales and further afield.

Searchable database
London Daily News (1846-1900)

A 'radical' newspaper founded and initially edited by Charles Dickens. Regularly published birth, marriage and death announcements.

Obituaries

Lancashire Obituaries

Searchable database
iAnnounce Obituaries (2006-Present)

The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.

Finding aid
United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection (1882-Present)

A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.

Searchable database
Quakers Annual Monitor (1847-1848)

A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.

Searchable database
Musgrave's Obituaries (1421-1800)

This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.

Cemeteries

Lancashire Cemeteries

Searchable database
Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Directories & Gazetteers

Lancashire Directories & Gazetteers

Searchable database
Kelly's Directory of Lancashire (1924)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Searchable database
Bulmer's Lancashire and District Directory (1912)

Historical & topographical descriptions of Lancashire, supplemented with lists of the area's leading private, commercial and official persons.

Searchable database
Kelly's Directory of Lancashire (1905)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.

Searchable database
Kelly's Directory of Lancashire (1895)

A directory of residents and businesses; with a description of each settlement, containing details on its history, public institutions, churches, postal services, governance and more.

Searchable database
Slater's Directory of Lancashire (1869)

Historical and contemporary descriptions of settlements, detailing their governance, churches, schools etc.; to which is appended lists of residents, with their occupations.

Court & Legal
Searchable database
Manchester Prison Registers (1847-1881)

A name index linked to original images of over 250,000 Manchester prison records. Records contain details on the convict's birth, appearance, crime and more.

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Inquisitions post Mortem (1606-1625)

Transcripts of records created on the death of a direct tenant of the monarch to asses their Lancashire land-holdings. Contains much useful genealogical information.

Book: On-line or in-print
Duchy Court of Lancaster Pleadings & Depositions (1547-1558)

Pleas heard before the Duchy Court of Lancaster relating to a number of matters, including criminal and land disputes. Contains depositions, which list the age and residence of many people.

Book: On-line or in-print
Duchy Court of Lancaster Pleadings & Depositions (1532-1546)

Pleas heard before the Duchy Court of Lancaster relating to a number of matters, including criminal and land disputes.

Book: On-line or in-print
Duchy Court of Lancaster Pleadings & Depositions (1489-1532)

Pleas heard before the Duchy Court of Lancaster relating to a number of matters, including criminal and land disputes.

Taxation

Lancashire Taxation Records

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Lay Subsidy (1332)

A tax list of wealthier Lancashire residents.

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Lay Subsidies (1216-1307)

Two lay subsidies from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

Searchable database
Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

Searchable database
Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures (1710-1811)

An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.

Searchable database
Red Book of the Exchequer (1066-1230)

A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.

Land & Property

Lancashire Land & Property Records

Book: On-line or in-print
Lancashire Inquisitions post Mortem (1606-1625)

Transcripts of records created on the death of a direct tenant of the monarch to asses their Lancashire land-holdings. Contains much useful genealogical information.

Book: On-line or in-print
A Calendar of the Norris Deeds (1100-1499)

Deeds from the Norris family of Speak.

Searchable database
Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

Searchable database
UK Poll Books and Electoral Rolls (1538-1893)

Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.

Searchable database
Red Book of the Exchequer (1066-1230)

A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.

Occupations & Business

Lancashire Occupation & Business Records

Finding aid
Prestwich Asylum Admissions (1851-1901)

Abstracts of over 20,000 admissions to an insane asylum.

Searchable database
Teacher's Registration Council Registers (1870-1948)

A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.

Searchable database
UK Medical Registers (1859-1959)

Books listing doctors who were licensed to operate in Britain and abroad. Contains doctor's residencies, qualification and date of registration.

Searchable database
Railway Employment Records (1833-1963)

A rich collection of records documenting those who worked for railway companies that were later absorbed by the government. Records include: staff registers, station transfers, pensions, accident records, apprentice records, caution books, and memos. Records may include date of birth, date of death and name of father.

Searchable database
Royal Navy Medical Journals (1817-1857)

Indexed medical journals from British ships containing personal and medical details of patients. The journals list names, ages, rank/status, diseases, illness duration and notes on symptoms and treatment. Contains details on military men as well as people immigrating or being deported to colonies.

Schools & Education

Lancashire School & Education Records

Searchable database
Teacher's Registration Council Registers (1870-1948)

A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.

Searchable database
Oxford University Alumni (1500-1886)

A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Searchable database
Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900)

A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Searchable database
Official List of Registered Teachers (1917)

A directory of registered teachers – their current school and date of registration. Also contains details on officers and operations of the Teachers Registration Council.

Searchable database
Beeton's Dictionary of Universal Biography (6000 BC-1879)

A collection of biographies (some with portraits) from throughout the world.

Pedigrees & Family Trees

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Lancashire

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

Searchable database
FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Searchable database
Visitation of England and Wales (1700-1899)

Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.

Searchable database
Ancestry Member Family Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A compilation of lineage-linked family trees submitted by Ancestry users. The database contains over 2 billion individuals and is searchable by numerous metrics.

Searchable database
Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal (1312-1899)

A lengthy working charting the descendants of Edward III, of England by the esteemed genealogist, The Marquis of Ruvigny. Contains much information from family archives.

Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry

Lancashire Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

Searchable database
FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Searchable database
Visitation of England and Wales (1700-1899)

Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.

Searchable database
Knights of England (1127-1904)

The most comprehensive listing of Knights of the Crown, listing details where known to the order, date, place and reason for elevation.

Searchable database
The General Armory of Britain and Ireland (1884)

A dictionary of British & Irish coats of arms.

Military

Lancashire Military Records

Searchable database
The Story of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division (1914-1918)

A history of a Lancashire division's WWI campaigns.

Searchable database
The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division (1914-1918)

A record of the division's movements in WWI.

Searchable database
Roll of Officers of the York and Lancaster Regiment (1756-1884)

Lists of officers by rank, regiment and name.

Searchable database
Old County Regiment of Lancashire Militia History (1689-1888)

A general history of the militia, including lists of officers from various periods.

Searchable database
Prisoners of War of British Army (1939-1945)

A searchable list of over 100,000 British Army POWs. Records contains details on the captured, their military career and where they were held prisoner.

Immigration & Travel

Lancashire Immigration & Travel Records

Searchable database
Passenger Lists Leaving UK (1890-1960)

A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.

Searchable database
UK Incoming Passenger Lists (1878-1960)

A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.

Searchable database
Alien Arrivals in England (1810-1869)

Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.

Searchable database
17th Century British Emigrants to the U.S. (1600-1700)

Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.

Searchable database
Migration from North America to Britain & Ireland (1858-1870)

A list of over 40,000 passengers traveling from North America to the British Isles. Details of passengers may include: occupation, nationality, gender, age, martial status, class, destination, and details of the vessel they sailed on.

Histories

Lancashire Histories & Books

Searchable database
Lancashire & Cheshire History and Genealogy (1110-1879)

Extracts from a vast array of historical documents giving details on thousands of individuals connected to the history of Lancashire.

Searchable database
Lancashire and Cheshire, Past and Present (370-1867)

A history of two Northern counties from the Germanic invasion to the Victorian period.

Searchable database
Geograph: Photos of the UK and Ireland (2005-Present)

A growing database including millions of photographs of the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Ireland catalogued by latitude & longitude and OS grid reference.

Searchable database
UK & Ireland Historical Postcards (1885-1950)

Over 19,000 postcards depicting places in the UK & Ireland.

Searchable database
A Vision of Britain (1190-Present)

A sprawling website setting out and describing the historical divisions of Britain. Also contains countless maps of various sorts. Covers the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man & has fleeting details of other localities.

Biographies

Biographical Directories Covering Lancashire

Searchable database
Oxford University Alumni (1500-1886)

A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Searchable database
Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900)

A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Searchable database
Crockford's Clerical Directories (1868-1914)

Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.

Searchable database
The Concise Dictionary of National Biography (1654-1930)

A directory containing lengthy biographies of noted British figures. The work took over two decades to compile. Biographies can be searched by name and are linked to images of the original publication.

Searchable database
Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary (1013-1812)

Detailed biographies of thousands of notable Europeans with details on ancestry.

Maps

Lancashire Maps

Maps of Lancashire (1579-1922)

Digital images of maps covering the county.

Searchable database
A Vision of Britain (1190-Present)

A sprawling website setting out and describing the historical divisions of Britain. Also contains countless maps of various sorts. Covers the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man & has fleeting details of other localities.

Maps of England (1360-1922)

Digital images of maps covering the country.

Old Maps Online (1497-2010)

An interactive index to thousands of maps covering the world, continents, countries and regions. The majority of maps cover Britain and Ireland.

Reference

Lancashire Reference Works

England Research Guide (1538-Present)

A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.

Building History Research Guide (1066-Present)

A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.

Wages in England & Wales (1264-1980)

A comprehensive overview of wages in England & Wales from late medieval to modern times.

Searchable database
Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry (1200-1700)

A dictionary of words used in heraldry, supplemented with over 1,000 illustrations.

Searchable database
English Surnames: Their Sources and Significations (1066-1650)

A look at the origins of English surnames.

Lancashire Historical Information & Demographics

Lancashire Information

Most Common Surnames in Lancashire

Surnames Found in Lancashire

RankSurnameNo. of People% of Population
1Smith456681.32
2Taylor384791.11
3Jones348511.00
4Jackson183210.53
5Williams182990.53
6Brown174460.50
7Robinson164470.47
8Wilson157290.45
9Johnson151520.44
10Roberts144860.42
11Harrison134130.39
12Davies133610.39
13Thompson131840.38
14Wood130930.38
15Hughes125150.36
16Walker120640.35
17Hall118440.34
18Shaw116660.34
19Turner116510.34
20Howarth114550.33
21Holt106090.31
22Wright105370.30
23Green104900.30
24Wilkinson103280.30
25Ashworth95650.28
26Evans92640.27
27Yates92110.27
28Holden91120.26
29Morris87690.25
30Riley87040.25
31Kelly86090.25
32Walsh84420.24
33Booth84370.24
34Lord83080.24
35Whittaker80870.23
36Schofield80200.23
37Butterworth79690.23
38Hargreaves79470.23
39Parkinson77590.22
40Chadwick77270.22
41Hill75690.22
42Hartley75620.22
43Lee75390.22
44Whitehead73210.21
45Greenwood73120.21
46Kay72980.21
47Ward72750.21
48Fletcher72370.21
49Edwards71310.21
50Barnes70180.20
51Barlow69810.20
52Parker69370.20
53Thomas68750.20
54Buckley68080.20
55Murphy67770.20
56Cooper67460.19
57Ashton66870.19
58Howard66840.19
59Mills65300.19
60Berry64820.19
61Dawson64470.19
62Simpson63870.18
63Hilton63360.18
64Clegg61410.18
65Rigby61380.18
66Clarke59730.17
67Lowe59620.17
68Watson59290.17
69Nuttall59090.17
70Haworth58220.17
71Kershaw58080.17
72Moore57540.17
73Greenhalgh56380.16
74Spencer56110.16
75Atkinson54650.16
76Marsden54570.16
77Martin54450.16
78White54230.16
79Richardson54200.16
80Ogden53600.15
81Bennett53340.15
82Wild51790.15
83Allen51760.15
84Knowles51620.15
85Stott51400.15
86Woods51070.15
87Foster50690.15
88Carter50570.15
89Miller50250.14
90Bell50070.14
91Pearson49690.14
92Clark49580.14
93Dixon49550.14
94Barker49310.14
95Burns49200.14
96Bailey48490.14
97Slater48090.14
98Brooks48050.14
99Owen48020.14
100Lees47840.14

* Statistics based on the 1881 census