Family Search British Batches

Trying to find information on the LDS Family Search website can be quite daunting. Archer Software have created a free to search database guide to British Batches.

It should be noted that pre-1837 administrative counties are listed.

To start pick the country (England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales) only County Cork and County Donegal are available for Ireland.

Pick the county and then the parish. Some parishes are listed under their old names. For example Brighstone on the Isle of Wight which pre-1890 was part of Hampshire is listed as Brixton, Hampshire.

Having found the parish and a possible batch that might cover what you are looking for click on the link. On the next screen you will see an option to search for a surname (the box is not case sensitive); leaving the box blank will display the full list of matches available.

On the next screen you will see how many matches there are. In the left hand column your chosen surname will be displayed. The box above is for first names. The small boxes to the right are for exact spelling matches. It is best to leave these blank as spellings can vary or abbreviations may have been used for first names (Jas for James or Wm for William for example).

If at this first attempt you have not found what you are looking for scroll down the page until you find the box with the batch number listed and delete the entry. Scroll back up the screen, leave the surname entry as it is. If you have not done so already enter first name(s).

Under ‘Search with a life event’ click on the type of event you are looking for. In the place box type the county name (not the parish as that might not find what you are looking for). Enter ‘from’ and ‘to’ years in the two boxes below; with your cursor still in the ‘to’ box press the enter key. Pressing the enter key whilst the cursor is in any of the boxes works the same as scrolling to the bottom of the page and pressing the Update button.

Further down the page in the left hand column there are facilities to add names of parents in the case of births/baptisms and spouse in the case of marriages which may help to narrow the search. Using the exact spelling boxes may help to reduce the number of matches.

On the matches screen under the ‘Name’ column each name is a link to another page which will provide further information such as batch number and other references. If you want to be able reference this page, in for example your family tree, so that you find it more easily in the future copy the text from the address bar (starting: https) and paste it into your family tree or where ever you desire.

If you are unable to find a marriage using the groom’s name try searching using the bride’s or vice versa.

Sometimes entering just a surname, birth years (from and to) and parents’ names will list baptisms for all the children of a particular couple.

 

Since my post in November 2015, Family Search has changed its rules. You now have to register in order to search their data. Registration is free. If you use the Archer website to search the British Batches, when you get to the stage of selecting a batch number and inserting an optional surname you will be taken to the Family Search log in screen. Having logged in you will have to accept cookies. You will then be taken to the results page for your search criteria.

 

Thanks Peter, I'll file that idea to pursue when I go back to pursue my Yorkshire roots by church once again. For anyone who is looking for migration records I always recommend Family Search as well.