A Blizzard of New and Updated Genealogical Records

by Lisa Cooke | Dec 16, 2016 | 01 What's New, Records & databases

It’s snowing like crazy in some parts of the U.S. this week and it’s blown up a blizzard of great new and updated genealogical record collections! Take a look at this week’s round-up  for Bishop’s Transcripts in England, Veteran Memorials in New Zealand, and records for Peru, United States, and Canada.

England – Devon – Bishop’s Transcripts

England, Devon Bishop’s Transcripts, 1558-1887 is a collection found at FamilySearch. Though a rather small collection, these Bishop’s transcripts contain an index from the county of Devon and cover the years of 1558-1887. Availability of records will vary by year and locality.

Starting in 1598, parish priests were to make a copy of their parish register and send it to the archdeacon or bishop each year. Many priests stopped producing bishop’s transcripts with the beginning of civil registration in 1837, but they did not fully disappear until after 1870.

As bishop’s transcripts generally contain more or less the same information as parish registers, they are particularly valuable when parish records have been damaged, destroyed, or lost. However, because bishop’s transcripts are copies of the original records, they are more likely to contain errors than parish registers might be.

This collection refers to baptism, marriage, and burial records. Baptism record entries are the most common in the index, followed by burial records, with marriage records being the smallest portion.

England – Worcestershire – Probate Records

The Worcestershire Probate Index 1660-1858 at Findmypast contains over 51,000 records taken from four types of probate documents. Each record includes a transcript only, however the transcript may include some or all of the following information:

• First and last name(s)
• Sex
• Date
• Occupation
• Place
• County
• Country
• Document type

England – Buckinghamshire – Marriages

The Findmypast collection titled Buckinghamshire Marriages contains over 49,000 records. The collection consists of transcripts covering 26 parishes within the English county of Buckinghamshire. These transcripts will cover the years between 1538 and 1838. Here is the list of parishes and years covered within this collection:

• Amersham 1561-1812
• Aston Clinton 1560-1812
• Bradenham 1627-1810
• Chalfont St Giles 1584-1812
• Chalfont St Peter 1538-1812
• Cheddington 1552-1812
• Chenies 1593-1836
• Chesham 1637-1838
• Cholesbury 1576-1810
• Edlesborough 1568-1812
• Fingest 1607-1812
• Hawridge 1600-1812
• Hedgerley 1540-1811
• High Wycombe 1600-1812
• Hormead 1575-1813
• Instone 1665-1812
• Iver 1605-1812
• Ivinghoe 1559-1812
• Masworth 1591-1812
• Mentmore 1575-1812
• Pitstone 1576-1812
• Slapton 1653-1812
• Soulbury 1575-1812
• Stoke Poges 1563-1812
• Turville 1582-1812
• Wendover 1576-1812

New Zealand – Church Records, Veteran Memorials, and Civil Service Examinations

Three new databases for New Zealand are available at Findmypast. The first, New Zealand Officiating Ministers 1882 is an index containing over 600 records and covering 13 religious denominations. Each record includes a transcript that will reveal the officiator’s official title and the church they served.

The second collection titled, New Zealand Waikaraka Cemetery Memorial 1902-1940 will help you find out if you have military ancestors who were memorialized as veterans who fought for the Empire and died at the Auckland Veterans’ Home between 1902 and 1940. Each record includes a transcript that will list their birth year, death year, age at death and force or regiment.

Lastly, the final collection at Findmypast is the New Zealand Civil Service Examinations 1906-1907. More than 700 records are available to explore and uncover the details of those who sat for the annual examinations for admission to, or promotion in, the Civil Service in mid-December 1906 and mid-January 1907. This collection is of transcripts only, but may contain the following information:

• First and last name(s)
• Examination location
• Notes

Peru – Puno – Civil Registration

Also at FamilySearch this week, Peru, Puno, Civil Registration, 1890-2005 has been updated. This collection includes births, marriages, deaths, and indexes. Some of these records have been indexed and are available for search. It should be noted that these records are written in Spanish.

Civil registration record for a birth in Peru via FamilySearch.org.

Within these records you may find any of the following helpful information:

Birth records:

• Date and place of registration
• Name and gender of child
• Date, time, and place of birth
• Legitimacy
• Religious affiliation
• Parents’ names, ages, origin, and residence
• Presenter’s name, age, civil status, occupation, origin, and residence
• Witnesses’ name, age, civil status, and residence
• Sometimes, grandparents’ names

Marriage records may include the following:

• Date and place of registration
• Names of the bride and groom
• Date and place of marriage
• Groom’s age, civil status, nationality, race and occupation
• Names of groom’s parents, origin, and residence
• Bride’s age, civil status, nationality, race, and occupation
• Names of bride’s parents, origin, and residence
• Bride and groom’s religious affiliation
• Names, residence, and ages of witnesses

Death records may include:

• Time, date, and place of registration
• Name, gender, and age of the deceased
• Cause of death
• Date, place, and time of death
• Civil status, and occupation of deceased
• Nationality, origin, and residence of deceased
• Parents’ names of deceased if a minor
• Presenter’s name, age , and occupation
• Presenter’s origin, nationality, and residence
• Names of witnesses

United States – California – Cemetery Transcriptions

California Cemetery Transcriptions, 1850-1960 is a small collection at FamilySearch, but keep an eye on it as it will likely be added too. The collection consists of abstracts from cemeteries for 1850-1960 in the following counties:

You can do a search for your targeted ancestor, or you can browse through the collection. To browse through any of the FamilySearch collections, you can read our article here and follow the step-by-step instructions.

Cemetery abstracts are actually quite useful to genealogists, especially if there has been a loss of death records in the targeted area.

Cemetery abstracts may contain the following information:

• Name of Cemetery
• Location (Town, County, State)
• Full name of deceased
• Lot number
• Age
• Date of Death
• Place of Death
• Names of Parents, Husband or Wife
• Other Important Facts
• Place of Birth
• Date of Birth

WWII Veterans – Interviews

Canada

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