Parish registers started in 1538 but most start much later. From that date parish priests were  required to keep records of all baptisms (not births), marriages and burials. For many years these were recorded in one book (called a composite register) and were literally hand-written lists. In the late 18th Century printed lists started to appear.

Baptisms
From 1812 printed registers were created which the date of the baptism, Christian name, parents' Christian names, father's surname, father's abode and profession and by whom the ceremony was performed. You should note that it is rare for the actual date of birth to be recorded, even after civil registration started in 1837, and that the gap between birth and baptism was sometimes quite long. However in the Seventeenth century and earlier three days was about the norm especially in villages and small towns where the vicar knew his congregation well.

Also you should remember that non-conformists may have only paid lipservice to the Church of England and not bothered baptising children there when their own church had its own records.

Marriages
Until 1753 blank pages were used in composite registers. From 1st January 1754 printed forms were used. This was as a result of the 'Hardwicke' marriage act. All marriages, except Jews and Quakers were to be by either banns or licence.

The new printed forms showed the parishes of both people, their status, bachelor or widower and occupation of the male. You can also detect whether one of the parents was alive at the time of the marriage by looking for ' by the consent of their parents' . Take care to note down witnesses. Very often they were the father but sometimes a local official was a witness. (Compare other      entries carefully to see if it is a local official)

Burials
After 1813 printed books were used. There were columns for name, abode, when buried, age. Most burials until mid Victorian age were in the local graveyard. Very few grave yard plans exists.

Using Parish Registers

• Locate an approximate DOB using census or other sources. Try and locate this person in the register.
  
• Allow about 20 years - go back and look for the Baptism of the parent (male only!)
  
• This process should find parents of families who stayed in one village for quite few generations. (A remarkable number did not move until early 19th Century)
  
• To locate a marriage look five years either side of the first child baptised. Remember that many people, despite what we may think, had their first child before marriage, especially in large towns.
  
• Middle names can be a source of  information. In some areas they represent illegitimacy, in others the names of maternal parents.