Genealogy Chat

Would anybody have any ideas on how to find out who are your godparents. I only know the first name of my godfather and not my god mother. Thanks Yvette

It would be on your baptism certificate. They are available from the church you were baptised in. If you don't know, or it's not there any more, just call that denomination's head office or closest office to you.

Thanks Elizabeth, I'm not even sure where I was baptised. but its a starting point. Have lived in Australia for the last 40 years but will start to search online for Cof E near where I was born. Carshalton. yvette x

I don't know about the baptism certificate. My grandmother's one only has room for her actual parents' names on it; in other words, the format is essentially the same as that used in the days before civil registration was introduced!

Maybe Andrew is correct. I just thought the Godparents would be on it. They certainly are on all the ones I've seen, from various denominations, right back to the early 1900s. But they have all been Australian.

Maybe it depended on the individual parish. My original C of E certificate does not record my godparents. I would imagine that somewhere in the parish records, these facts would be recorded though. Are there any family photos suggesting a location? Locally,I have seen fiche of baptisms in more recent years( within last 12 years) and they showed godparents, - C of E. Gwyn

Hadn't thought to research this topic More computer time taking in tips. OH will go balistic. Good fun though! Adding to my threads Caz

Not all churches presented baptism certificates - the one where I was baptised certainly didn't. However, the names of my godparents WERE entered in the actual register. Because it is a small village, there are only a few baptisms (not even an average of one per year! ) and the same register is still in current use and is in the church safe. The church warden, by prior appointment, makes the register available for consultation. We are also very nice here - if anyone writes to us, we look up their requests and send them the information free of charge, although churches are allowed to charge a fixed fee for inspection of the registers. (I think the fee is steep, but it IS set by the powers that be, not the individual church) Jay

going looking for my birth cert. then the search for c of e churches. parents dont speak to me so cant ask them. when i work it out, ill let you now (keyboard has got something in it(chocky) and can only do minimal puncutation). im sure there are other peeps in same situation love yvette

Yvette, I used to be a Baptism Co-ordinater. As far as certificates are concerned what is entered on them depends on the type the concerned church uses, some would include godparents some wouldn't. The actual baptism register would have the godparents names entered, so that would be your best approach. First you would have to know what church you were baptised in. To find that out will be guess work. 1. what denomination are you? If you are C of E then 2. what was the parish church where you lived as a baby? try going on 'a church near you' site and using the parish finder, though not all churches are entered, so the diocese website might help you there. Once you know the church [or rather have guessed] you can then contact the diocese and ask where the records are kept, some churches keep them for years others don't. The church I worked for only has the last 25 years worth, the others were sent to the diocese and they may have them or have sent them to the local records office.