Handlist of parish registers, non-conformist registers and Bishop's Transcripts

What the handlist contains

The handlist gives the dates of the registers of all the Anglican (Church of England) parishes, non-conformist chapels and Bishop's Transcripts (copies of the parish registers) held at Bristol Record Office. 

The registers contain details of:

• baptisms
• marriages
• burials

Download: the handlist of parish registers, non-conformist registers and Bishop's Transcripts (pdf, 159 KB)

This handlist does not contain the contents of the records; it is just a guide to which registers are held at Bristol Record Office and gives the covering dates only.  Please remember that this does not mean that the registers cover every year and there may be gaps.  There are large gaps in the coverage of many of the Bishop's Transcripts.

Looking at the registers

You are welcome to visit our searchroom to look at the registers during our normal opening hours. 

• Most registers are available on microfiche or microfilm, whilst others must be ordered from our strongrooms. 
• Copies can be made of those registers that are on microfiche. 
• We cannot photocopy original registers, but copies can be provided by our digitisation bureau. 
• Please contact us for more details.

Getting copies of the registers if you are unable to visit us in person

If you cannot visit in person we can provide copies from registers that are available on microfiche by our express-copy-by-post service.  Please email bro@bristol.gov.uk with details of the records you require. You will need to tell us the exact date and the parish or chapel of the particular record you want.

If you do not have precise details of the record you are looking for, you may have to employ a researcher to trace it for you.

Parish registers

We hold the registers and records of parishes in the City and Deanery of Bristol - later Archdeaconry of Bristol - which is part of the Diocese of Bristol. They include:

• the city of Bristol
• a number of parishes in southern Gloucestershire to the north and east of the city
• a few parishes in north Somerset

Some of the registers we hold date back as far as 1538, when parish registers were first introduced.

Bishop's transcripts

We hold Bishop's transcripts for the above areas as well as a number of Wiltshire parishes. We  also hold microfiche copies of Bishop's Transcripts of a few parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

The Bishop's Transcripts are a useful substitute when the original registers have not survived.  Notably, the registers and records of the following, were destroyed or damaged during the blitz of World War 2:

• St Peter
• St Mary le Port
• St Paul Bedminster
• Temple

Non-conformist registers

The registers and records that we hold for non-conformist chapels cover different areas.  For example, the records we hold for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton include registers not only for Bristol but also for Shepton Mallet and elsewhere in Somerset.  We also hold the records of most of the Methodist circuits in the Bristol area which includes the registers of chapels in Somerset, such as those in Midsomer Norton and Cheddar.

We also hold registers and records for other non-conformist chapels including:

• Baptist
• Congregational
• Unitarian
• Society of Friends (Quaker)

More information

Contact us for more information.