Parish Register Transcripts

Norfolk Parish Register Transcription Project

This project began in 1994 and aimed at providing transcripts of parish church registers for Norfolk parishes in the period 1813–1837. The aims were to cover all types of registers, from baptisms to burials, marriages and banns.

The project has expanded as have the range of dates being tackled by our volunteer transcribers who willingly transcribe records so that others can benefit from their works. We no longer restrict transcripts to Parish Registers but are now compiling transcripts of Non-conformist church records and Cemetery records.

Originally volunteer transcribers worked at home using microfilm and microfiche to produce baptism, marriage, banns and burial transcripts. The transcripts were printed and bound into booklets. Nowadays we also make them available in electronic format, for instant searching, to visitors to Kirby Hall and to all NFHS members online via NORS (Norfolk Online Record Search), our online record viewing system.

Future

Although we have some Parish Registers transcribed for most of the Norfolk Parishes we may not yet have the full range of dates available transcribed.  We are continuing to expand our coverage. As we can send the register images anywhere via the internet our transcribers can, and do, work anywhere in the world.

To make more transcriptions available for our members is a challenge; we are always looking for new transcribers to help improve our Parish Coverage.

Accessing the Parish Register Transcripts

In the past, transcripts were mainly available in printed format only at Kirby Hall Library, nowadays we have NORS which makes our transcripts available to all our members in any part of the world 24 hours a day. For those members without a computer and unable to visit Kirby Hall we have a Lookup service.

A Note on Accuracy

We apply the usual caveat that all transcripts must only be regarded as Aids to Further transcripts Research and never assumed to be entirely accurate. Currently, all transcripts are checked against the images of the original registers and we are working on checking the older transcripts on NORS but old or bad handwriting, damaged and faded registers and human error will always cause problems for transcribers.

We would like to say thank you to all our past and current transcribers who have done, and are doing, a wonderful job in unselfishly and steadfastly working to bring our Norfolk Records to all our members.