Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone! Can anyone give me a clue as to how I go about obtaining a birth certificate for someone born around 1803. The only details I have are his name and almost certain year of birth; the year he was married; and to whom he was married; and probable date of death. I don't have his parents name - which is basically what I am after. I'm trying to research from Australia so it makes it a little more difficult. Thanks for any help you can give me. Leonie

You wont find a birth certificate, civil registration didnt start until 1837. You might find a baptism in the parish records, this will state the day they were baptised and the parents names, not the mothers maiden name though. It might have his birth date on it, but not all do. Have you tried the IGI? Some record offices will conduct searces on your behalf, for a fee of course.

Try Ancestry.com for Parish records.

Leonie, if he got married after the start of civil registration in 1837, then you will be able to get a copy of his marriage certificate, which should tell you his father's name and occupation. But if he got married before then, it is a bit more difficult, as his father's name probably won't be given on the marriage entry, and so if you find more than one possible baptism for him you have to think of different ways to find out which is the right one. Kate.

Leonie Who is it that you are looking for ? Name / dob / place ? Regards - Jim

Thanks for your replies everyone. At present I'm not hooked up to a pay website so, of course, the search is almost impossible. Jim, I'm looking for James CRISS b.c1803. He married Elizabeth Hill in 1831 in All Souls Church, Marylebone. James was a coachman, and apparently he does not appear in the 1841 census. By 1851 Elizabeth was widowed with the youngest child (James) born January 1845. There is a death record for James Criss in Oct 1844. I have a copy of that certificate. Apparently the 1871 census shows that Elizabeth was born in Newport St Hertfordshire London?? Also, although the census records etc. show the Criss name, the copies of the early certificates show the name as Crifs. Thanks for any help you can provide. Leonie

It will look like Crifs, but it actually says Criss. That is the style of old Victorian Script. Whenever there are two s' together, it will look like fs instead of ss.

Leonie, can't help with his birth / baptism, but those documents that appear to say 'Crifs' do actually say 'Criss'. It is just an old way of writing a double s. If you look carefully at that letter that looks like an f you should see that it doesn't have a bar across it. Kate.