Genealogy Chat

The Norfolk parish records disk (produced by Ancestry) covers very little, mainly Norwich. Sue:-)

Just checked - 705 parishes, not including the Suffolk border ones!! Here is the website for the NFHS: http://www.norfolkfhs.org.uk/#kirby

I dont think a parish records cd for the whole of Norfolk exists - boy I wish it did! I think there is 600 parishes??? If you want to see what is available, just google for the Norfolk Family History Society Website and why not join??? Kate, what is the name you are searching for in Norfolk? PS, Laird, not on the ball, I just have ancestors in Norfolk back to the 16th century! (Earlier if only records existed!) I also understand that Norfolk churches refused to hand over their parish records to the LDS.

Ideally that is what I would like as most of my family seem to come from Norfolk somewhere - but havent investigated it that much so far - will let you know.

If you are going to buy a parish records CD for 'the whole of Norfolk' it would be worth checking whether it includes the parish(es) you are interested in, as I very much doubt if any CD will contain every parish in Norfolk! (If there is such a CD I would love to know as I had ancestors in Great Yarmouth). Kate.

sorry - was distracted and thinking out loud. The Latter Day Saints site - www.Familysearch.Org - has an IGI (international Genealogical Index) search section which lets you look for christenings, Marriages deaths - SOME of these are uploaded from microfilmed church registers .... many are not. In the case of your Parish I noted thgat it doesnt have any uploaded batches from church registers - at least according to the site which offers a summary of Parishes ... thats called http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb*com/~hughwallis/ (change the * to a .) Update - I see Heather is more on the ball ! Learning all the time here ...

Thank you for your help

Hi there, well I just trawled a few hundred Stewards in Norfolk Parish Records and didnt see him, doesnt mean he isnt there as I left all the name variations. Great Ryburgh was known as Ryburgh Magna and comes under Walsingham Parish - check out this transcripts - not all there as its a free volunteer transcription site. If not, you could ask the Norwich Records Office to search for you they charge £10 half hour. Alternatively, you could go there as it may be a long trawl if you dont know the parish, although you should get some idea from the distribution of the name. If you have a fair number of Norfolk ancestors it may pay to join the Norfolk Family History Society - they have a web page. Anyway, look here, Stewards back to mid 16th century which may come in handy later on! http://www.genealogy.doun.org/transcriptions/links.php

Sorry Laird novice here, but what does that mean in relation to finding indivduals? I know the district used to be Walsingham.

according to the IGI index site, Gt Ryburgh hasnt been given any batch numbers - there are a few more of these than I realised .....

This is the last parish record (Great Ryburgh, Norfolk) I have for him which is his marriage. 20 Dec 1785 John STEWARD sm = Mary SAUL sw by banns witnesses Elizabeth BEX & John MOODY He was buried in Great Ryburgh on 26 Dec 1835 aged 74 so would make his birth c. 1761

What is his name?

Can anyone help! How do I go about finding out where someone was born before census were invented. i.e. I have a direct ancestor who I know was married c. late 1700s in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk and then all his descendants are born/married there, but I dont know how to find out where he would have been born. I am assuming the best way is just to buy the parish records CD for the whole of Norfolk and see if I can find a link, but with such a common name how can you prove you have the right ones?