Bristol, Gloucestershire Genealogy

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Guide to the City of Bristol, Gloucestershire ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

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History[edit | edit source]

BRISTOL, a city and county of itself, and a considerable port, situated near the mouth of the Bristol Channel, and between the counties of Gloucester and Somerset, into both of which the town extends, 34 miles (S. W. by S.) from Gloucester, 12 (N. W.) from Bath, and 118 (W.) from London; containing, in the old city, 64,266 inhabitants, exclusively of those in Clifton, Bedminster, and the out portions of the parishes of St. James, St. Paul, and St. Philip and St. Jacob, which form the suburbs. [1]

Bristol was created a county borough (a borough or a city independent of county council control). There were a considerable number of parishes and chapels associated and attached to it--some of which did not reside physically-speaking within the city proper, but lay outside of the city, but still within its jurisdictional boundaries. In 1888, it expanded by annexing some parts of south Gloucestershire in 1898 and 1904.

Bristol was included as part of the county of Avon along with Bath and large portions of Gloucestershire and Somerset when Avon was created in 1974. In 1996, the County of Avon was disbanded and split into four parts, namely:

1. The City and County of Bristol

2. South Gloucestershire – formed from the Kingswood and North Avon districts.

3. North Somerset – formed from the Woodspring district.

4. Bath and North East Somerset – formed from the Bath and Wansdyke districts. 

Maritime Connections[edit | edit source]

Bristol is favorably located on the wide river Severn estuary. This river estuary is known for its high tides, especially when the river contains much 'fresh water' from rains. Because of this, sailing ships could be warped out from the dock, and could then tack easily out to the Irish Sea.

Because of its location, by the 12th century Bristol was an important port, handling much of England's trade with Ireland, including slaves. In 1247 a new stone bridge was built, which was replaced by the current Bristol Bridge in the 1760s, and the town was extended to incorporate neighboring suburbs, becoming in 1373 a county in its own right.

In the 15th century, Bristol was the second most important port in the country. A number of intrepid sailing masters left from Bristol. culminating in John Cabot's 1497 voyage of exploration to North America and the subsequent expeditions undertaken by Bristol merchants to the new world up to 1508.

One of the most heinous aspects of British history was tied to Bristol. Along with Liverpool, it became a center for the Triangular trade between Britain, Africa, and North America. In the first stage of slavery triangle, manufactured goods were taken to West Africa and exchanged for Africans who were then, in the second stage or middle passage, transported across the Atlantic in brutal conditions. The third leg of the triangle brought plantation goods such as sugar, tobacco, rum, rice and cotton back across the Atlantic, along with small number of slaves, who were sold to the aristocracy of Britain as house servants.

During the 19th century Samuel Plimsoll, "the sailor's friend", campaigned to make the seas safer. He was shocked by the number of ships he saw with completely overloaded cargoes, and successfully fought for a compulsory load line on ships. This line is still known today as the "Plimsoll line."

Bristol remained the second port of Britain until the advent of steam driven vessels, obviating the need for a wide estuary to tack. Even today, however, Bristol is an important maritime location.

Resources[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Memorial Inscriptions available online at Bristol and Avon Family History Society website - free.

  • Includes dozens of Bristol parish church and nonconformist burial grounds

Major civil cemeteries:

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Bristol parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials are available online for the following years:

FS = FamilySearch - free
FREG = FreeREG - free
ANC 1 = Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1813 (Ancestry) - ($)
ANC 2 = Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Records (Ancestry) - ($)
TGEN = Gloucestershire Parish Records (TheGenealogist) - ($)[2]
JOIN = The Joiner Marriage Index - ($)
BOYD = England, Boyd's Marriage Indexes, 1538-1850 (FindMyPast) - free
NBI = National Burial Index (FindMyPast) - free
IGI = International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free[3]
FS Catalog PRs = FamilySearch Catalog Parish registers - free
FS Catalog BTs = FamilySearch Catalog Bishop's transcripts - free
Bristol Online Parish Records
Baptisms
Marriages
Burials
Indexes Images Indexes Images Indexes Images
FS 1538-1975
1538-1973
1538-1991
FREG 1538-1900s
1538-1900s
1538-1900s
ANC 1 1538-1812
1538-1812
1538-1812
ANC 2 1813-1913
1754-1938
1813-1988
TGEN

1538-1844


JOIN

1538-1837


BOYD

1538-1850


NBI



1813-1893
IGI



FS Catalog PRs


FS Catalog BTs


To find the names of the neighboring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851 Map. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

Records are also available at the Gloucestershire Archives. Early parish register transcripts FamilySearch


Cathedral[edit | edit source]

Ancient Parishes[edit | edit source]

Ecclesiastical Parishes[edit | edit source]

Here's a "Comprehensive List of Bristol City Parishes and Episcopal Chapels". Print out this list as a guide to help you more thoroughly search all of these parish (chapel) registers.

Many of Bristol City's parish and chapel registers have been or are being indexed and made searchable online (Church of England Church Records): England, Bristol Parish Registers, 1538-1900 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. Description. Bristol has about 60-plus parishes and chapels within its boundary.

Nonconformists[edit | edit source]

Catholic

Society of Friends

Census Records[edit | edit source]

The Inhabitants of Bristol in 1696, by Elizabeth Ralph and Mary E. Williams, 1968, online - free.


Census records from 1841 to 1911 are available online. For access, see England Census. Census records from 1841 to 1891 are also available on film through a Family History Center or at the Family History Library.


Civil Registration[edit | edit source]

Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Neil Dun's FreeBMD Church Cross-reference website helps researchers identify at which churches marriages listed on FreeBMD took place.

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Crime and Punishment[edit | edit source]

Emigration[edit | edit source]

  • Hargreaves-Mawdsley, R. and N. Dermott Harding. Bristol and America, a Record of the First Settlers in the Colonies of North America, 1654-1685: Including the Names with Places of Origin of More than 10,000 Servants to Foreign Plantations Who Sailed from the Port of Bristol to Virginia, Maryland, and Other Parts of the Atlantic Coast, and Also to the West Indies from 1654 to 1685 (London: R.S. Glover, 1931). FHL Book 973 W3b.
  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. The Bristol Registers of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations, 1654-1686. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1988. FHL Book 942.41/B2 W2c; digital versions at Ancestry (£); Chronicle Barbados (free; Barbados entries only); Virtual Jamestown (free).
  • Bristol and Avon Strays, mainly 18th and 19th centuries, available online at Bristol & Avon Family History Society website - free.

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Bristol Bridge

Marriage Licences[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Bristol suffered badly from Luftwaffe air raids in World War II, claiming some 1,300 lives of people living and working in the city, with nearly 100,000 buildings being damaged, at least 3,000 of them beyond repair. The original central shopping area, near the bridge and castle, is now a park containing two bombed out churches and some fragments of the castle, kept to remind the citizens of the havoc caused.

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Here is a sampling of pre-1900 Bristol historical newspapers available online.

To learn how to access these newspapers, see: Richard Heaton's Index to Digitalised British and Irish Newspapers Online Beta (updated 12th September 2015).

  • 1716-1900 - Bristol Mercury
  • 1744 - Bristol Oracle and Country Advertiser
  • 1744 - Bristol Oracle and Country Intelligencer
  • 1782-1789 - Felix Farley's Bristol Journal
  • 1793 - Sarah Farley's Bristol Journal
  • 1808-1842 - Bristol Mirror
  • 1829-1831 - The Bristolian
  • 1839-1870, 1897 - Bristol Times and Mirror
  • 1858-1950 - Western Daily Press[4]

Current newspapers:

Occupations[edit | edit source]

Apprentices[edit | edit source]
Burgesses[edit | edit source]
Shipping[edit | edit source]

Middle Ages

Sixteenth Century

Seventeenth Century

Eighteenth Century

Nineteenth Century

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Main article: Court of the Bishop of Bristol (Episcopal Consistory)


Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Gloucestershire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Online[edit | edit source]

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.

Online Maps[edit | edit source]

Websites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Lewis, Samuel A.,A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 379-389. Date accessed: 07 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Searching Parish Records online (Gloucestershire) - The Following Parishes are Available at TheGenealogist, ParishRegister.co.uk, accessed 23 April 2019.
  3. ↑ ArcherSoftware.co.uk
  4. ↑ 'Richard Heaton's Index to Digitalised British and Irish Newspapers Online Beta (updated 12th September 2015),' http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~dutillieul/genealogy/BritishandIrishNews.html.
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Links to Gloucestershire, England Genealogy-related articles
Topics
Parishes

Abenhall  • Acton Iron  • Acton Turville  • Adlestrop  • Alderley  • Alderton  • Aldsworth  • Almondsbury  • Alveston  • Alvington  • Amberley  • Ampney Crucis  • Ampney St Mary  • Ampney St Peter  • Apperley  • Arlingham  • Ashchurch  • Ashleworth  • Ashley  • Ashton under Hill  • Aston Blank  • Aston Somerville  • Aston sub Edge  • Aust  • Avening  • Awre  • Aylburton  • Badgeworth  • Badminton  • Bagendon  • Barnsley  • Barnwood  • Barrington -- see Great and Little Barrington  • Barton Hill St Luke  • Batsford  • Baunton  • Beachley  • Bearse Common  • Beckford  • Berkeley  • Beverston  • Bibury  • Bishop's Cleeve  • Bishop's Wood  • Bisley  • Bitton  • Blaisdon  • Blakeney  • Bledington  • Boddington  • Bourton on the Hill  • Bourton on the Water  • Boxwell with Leighterton  • Breadstone  • Bream  • Brimpsfield  • Brimscombe  • Bristol  • Bristol All Saints  • Bristol Castle Precincts  • Bristol Cathedral  • Bristol Christ Church with St Ewen  • Bristol Holy Trinity  • Bristol St Agnes  • Bristol St Aidan  • Bristol St Augustine  • Bristol St Barnabas  • Bristol St Clement  • Bristol St George  • Bristol St George, Brandon Hill  • Bristol St James  • Bristol St John the Baptist  • Bristol St John the Baptist Frenchay  • Bristol St Jude  • Bristol St Mary le Port  • Bristol St Mary Redcliffe  • Bristol St Mary Redcliffe Mission Church  • Bristol St Matthias  • Bristol St Michael and All Angels  • Bristol St Nicholas with St Leonard  • Bristol St Paul  • Bristol St Peter  • Bristol St Phillip and St Jacob  • Bristol St Simon  • Bristol St Stephen  • Bristol St Thomas  • Bristol St Werburgh  • Bristol Temple  • Broadwell  • Brockworth  • Bromsberrow  • Brookthorpe  • Buckland  • Bulley  • Bussage  • Cainscross  • Cam  • Chalford  • Charfield  • Charlton Abbots  • Charlton Kings  • Chedworth  • Cheltenham (St Mary)  • Cheltenham All Saints  • Cheltenham Christ Church  • Cheltenham Church of the Emmanuel  • Cheltenham Holy Trinity  • Cheltenham St James  • Cheltenham St John  • Cheltenham St Luke  • Cheltenham St Mark  • Cheltenham St Matthew  • Cheltenham St Paul  • Cheltenham St Peter  • Cheltenham St Stephen  • Cherington  • Child's Wickham  • Chipping Campden  • Chipping Sodbury  • Churcham  • Churchdown  • Cinderford  • Cirencester  • Clapton  • Clearwell  • Clifford Chambers  • Clifton St Andrew  • Clifton Christ Church  • Coaley  • Coalpit Heath  • Coates  • Coberley  • Cold Ashton  • Cold Aston  • Cold Salperton  • Coleford  • Colesbourne  • Coln Rogers  • Coln St Aldwyn  • Coln St Dennis  • Compton Abdale  • Compton Greenfield  • Condicote  • Corse  • Cow Honeybourne  • Cowley [St Mary's]  • Cranham  • Cromhall  • Daglingworth  • Deerhurst  • Didbrook  • Didmarton with Oldbury on the Hill  • Dodington  • Donnington  • Dorsington  • Dowdeswell  • Down Ampney  • Down Hatherley  • Downend  • Doynton  • Driffield  • Dumbleton  • Duntisbourne Abbots  • Duntisbourne Rouse  • Dursley  • Dymock  • Dyrham  • Eastington (near Northleach)  • Eastington (near Stroud)  • Eastleach Martin  • Eastleach Turville  • Easton St Mark  • Ebrington  • Edgeworth  • Elberton  • Elkstone  • Elmore  • Elmstone Hardwicke with Uckington  • English Bicknor  • Eyford  • Fairford  • Falfield  • Farmington  • Filton  • Flaxley  • Forest of Dean Christ Church  • Forest of Dean Holy Trinity  • Forest of Dean St John  • Forest of Dean St Paul  • Forthampton  • Frampton Cotterell  • Frampton on Severn  • Frenchay  • Fretherne  • Frocester  • Gloucester Cathedral  • Gloucester North Hamlet  • Gloucester Pool Meadow  • Gloucester South Hamlet  • Gloucester St Aldate  • Gloucester St Catherine  • Gloucester St James  • Gloucester St John the Baptist  • Gloucester St Mark  • Gloucester St Mary de Crypt with All Saints and St Owen  • Gloucester St Mary de Grace  • Gloucester St Mary de Lode  • Gloucester St Michael  • Gloucester St Nicholas  • Great Badminton  • Great Barrington  • Great Rissington  • Great Washbourne  • Great Witcombe  • Guiting Power with Farmcote  • Hailes  • Hampnett with Stowell  • Hanham  • Hardwicke  • Harescombe  • Haresfield  • Harnhill  • Hartpury  • Haselton  • Hasfield  • Hatherop  • Hawkesbury  • Hawling  • Haywards Field  • Hempsted  • Henbury  • Hewelsfield  • Highnam  • Hill  • Hillesley  • Hinder Lane and Dockham  • Hinton on the Green  • Honeybourne, Cow  • Horfield  • Horsley  • Horton  • Hucclecote  • Hudnalls with St Briavel's Common  • Huntley  • Icomb  • Ilmington  • Iron Acton  • Kemerton  • Kempley  • Kempsford  • King's Parade  • King's Stanley  • Kingscote  • Kingsdown St Matthew  • Kingswood (near Bristol)  • Kingswood (near Hawkesbury)  • Lancaut  • Lasborough  • Lassington  • Lechlade  • Leckhampton  • Leigh  • Lemington  • Leonard Stanley  • Little Barrington  • Little Rissington  • Little Sodbury  • Little Washbourne  • Littledean  • Littleton on Severn  • Littleworth  • Longborough  • Longhope  • Long Marston  • Longney  • Lower Lemington  • Lower Slaughter  • Lower Swell  • Lydney  • Maisemore  • Maisey Hampton  • Mangotsfield  • Marshfield  • Marston Sicca  • Matson  • Meysey Hampton  • Mickleton  • Minchinhampton  • Minsterworth  • Miserden  • Mitcheldean  • Mocking Hazell Wood  • Montpelier  • Moreton in Marsh  • Moreton Valence  • Nailsworth  • Naunton  • Newent  • Newington Bagpath  • Newland  • Newnham  • North Cerney  • North Nibley  • Northleach  • Northwick  • Norton  • Notgrove  • Nympsfield  • Oakridge  • Oddington  • Oldbury on the Hill  • Oldbury upon Severn  • Old Sodbury  • Oldland  • Olveston  • Overbury with Alstone, Teddington and Little Wasbourne  • Owlpen  • Oxenhall  • Oxenton  • Ozleworth  • Painswick  • Pauntley  • Pebworth  • Pitchcombe  • Poulton  • Prescott  • Prestbury  • Preston (near Cirencester)  • Preston (near Ledbury)  • Preston on Stour  • Prinknash Park  • Pucklechurch  • Quedgeley  • Quenington  • Quinton  • Randwick  • Rangeworthy  • Redland  • Rendcombe  • Rockhampton  • Rodborough  • Rodmarton  • Roel  • Ruardean  • Rudford  • Saintbury  • Salperton, Cold  • Sandhurst  • Sapperton  • Saul  • Sevenhampton  • Sezincote  • Sheepscombe  • Sherborne  • Shipton Oliffe  • Shipton Sollars  • Shipton Moyne  • Shirehampton  • Shurdington  • Siddington  • Slad  • Slimbridge  • Snowshill  • South Cerney  • Southrop  • St Briavels  • Standish  • Stanley Pontlarge  • Stanton  • Stanway  • Stapleton  • Staunton  • Staverton  • Stinchcombe  • Stoke Gifford  • Stone  • Stonehouse  • Stow-on-the-Wold  • Stratton  • Stroud  • Sudeley Manor  • Swindon  • Syde  • Syston  • Taynton  • Temple Guiting  • Tetbury  • Tewkesbury  • Tewkesbury Holy Trinity  • The Weir  • Thornbury  • Tibberton  • Tidenham  • Tirley  • Toddington  • Todenham  • Tormarton  • Tortworth  • Tredington  • Turkdean  • Twigworth  • Two Mile Hill  • Twyning  • Tytherington  • Uley  • Up Hatherley  • Upleadon  • Upper Slaughter  • Upper Swell  • Upton St Leonards  • Walton Cardiff  • Wapley with Codrington  • Warmley  • Welford  • West Littleton  • Westbury-on-Severn  • Westbury-on-Trym  • Westcote  • Westerleigh  • Westonbirt  • Weston-sub-Edge  • Weston on Avon  • Whaddon  • Wheatenhurst  • Whiteshill  • Whitminster  • Whittington  • Wick and Abson  • Wickwar  • Widford  • Willersey  • Winchcombe with Gretton  • Windrush  • Winson  • Winstone  • Winterbourne  • Withington  • Woodchester  • Woolaston  • Woolstone  • Wormington  • Wotton under Edge  • Wotton Ville  • Wyck Rissington  • Yanworth  • Yate

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