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Discover your Cornish ancestors in the Cornwall Baptisms. Search over a million records covering more than three hundred parishes across the Cornish peninsula. This collection is published in partnership with Cornwall Family History Society and the Family History Federation.

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Each record contains a transcript of the original record. The information can vary but you could find out the following about your ancestor:


  • Name
  • Year of birth
  • Date of baptism
  • Gender
  • Mother’s name
  • Father’s name
Discover more about Cornwall Baptismskeyboard_arrow_down

These records contain the details of 1,084,155 baptisms in Church of England parishes and other denominations across Cornwall.


Although the Church of England was the established church in Cornwall a huge percentage of the population turned to Methodism and other so-called non-conformist protestant denominations. The largest of these smaller groups is the Bible Christian Movement.


By the mid 19th century there were more Methodists than Anglicans in Cornwall. Methodism was especially dominant in the mining districts of Western Cornwall.


Before 1837, regardless of religious beliefs, most people were baptised, married and buried in the local Church of England Parish. Despite differences in belief and even after the Toleration Act of 1689 which granted freedom to worship, many non-conformists continued to use their local parish church for registration purposes.


However, some non-conformists did keep their own registers, particularly baptism and burial registers, in the period between 1689 and 1837. Between 1754 and 1837 is was illegal to marry anywhere except in a Church of England parish Church unless you were a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) or Jewish. In both cases members were exempt from the Act and allowed to keep their own records.


After 1837, while people were now allowed to marry in the church of their choice, some organisations still did not keep their own records.


Transcripts with thanks to the Cornwall Family History Society


A full list of the parishes and denominations covered is available below

Parishes and Denominationskeyboard_arrow_down

Advent


Altamum


Altony


Baidhu


Blisland


Boconnoc


Bodmin


Bodmin – Providence Chapel – Lady Huntington


Bodmin Circuit – Wesleyan


Bolventor


Botus Fleming


Boyton


Braddock


Breage Circuit – Bible Christian


Bude


Budock


Callington


Calstock


Camborne


Camborne Circuit – Wesleyan


Canworthy Water Circuit – Bible Christian


Cardinham


Carharrack – Wesleyan Methodist


Carnmellis


Cawsand – Independent


Chacewater


Charlestown


Colan


Constantine


Cornelly


Crantock


Creed


Crowan


Cubert


Cuby with Tregony


Cury


Davidstow


Devoran


Duloe


East Looe – Wesleyan


Egloshayle


Endollion


Falmouth


Falmouth – All Saints


Falmouth – Independent


Falmouth – Wesleyan


Falmouth Circuit – Bible Christian


Feock


Flushing


Flushing – Wesleyan


Forrabury


Fowey


Fowey – Mount Zion – Independent


Germoe


Gerrans


Godolphin


Golant – St Sampson


Gorran


Grade


Guival


Gunwalloe


Gwennap


Gwinear


Gwithian


Haisetown


Hayle


Hayle – Copperhouse Chapel – Wesleyan Methodist


Helland


Helston


Helston – Coinage Hall Street – Baptist


Helston Circuit – Wesleyan


Herodsfoot


Hessenford


Illogan


Isles of Scilly


Isles of Scilly – Bible Christian


Isles of Scilly – St Mary’s – Baptist


Isles of Scilly – St Mary’s – Hugh Town – Wesleyan


Jacobstow


Kea


Kenwyn


Kilkhampton


Kilkhampton Circuit – Bible Christian


Kilkhampton Circuit – Wesleyan Methodist


Ladock


Lamorran


Landewednock


Landrake


Landrake with St Erney


Landulph


Laneast


Lanherne – Roman Catholic


Lanhydrock


Lanivet


Lanlivery


Lanner


Lanreath


Lansalios


Lanteglos By Camelford


Lanteglos By Fowey


Launcells


Launceston – Castle Street – Independent


Launceston – St Mary Magdalene


Launceston – St Mary Magdalene – Wesleyan


Lawhitton


Lesnewth


Lewannick


Lezant


Linkinhorne


Liskeard


Liskeard Circuit – Wesleyan Methodist


Little Petherick


Looe


Lostwithiel


Lostwithiel – Independent


Ludgvan


Luxulyan


Luxulyan Circuit – Bible Christian


Mabe


Madron


Malier


Manaccan


Marazion


Marhamchurch


Mawgan In Meneage


Mawgan In Pydar


Mawnan


Menheniot


Merther


Mevagissey


Mevagissey – Independent


Michaelstow


Michaelstow Circuit – Bible Christian


Millbrook


Minster


Mithian


Morvah


Morval


Morwenstow


Mount Hawke


Mullion


Mylor


Mylor Bridge – Wesleyan


Newlyn East


Newquay


North Hill


North Petherwin


North Tamerton


Otterham


Padstow


Padstow – Wesleyan Methodist


Par


Paul


Pelynt


Pencoys


Pendeen


Penharget Chapel


Penponds


Penryn – New Street – Independent


Penryn – Wesleyan


Penwerris


Penzance


Penzance – East Street Lower Meeting


Penzance – St John


Penzance – St Paul


Penzance – Wesleyan


Penzance Circuit – Bible Christian


Perranarworthal


Perranuthnow


Perranzabulor


Phillack


Philleigh


Pillaton


Polperro – Wesleyan Methodist


Porthleven


Portscatho – Independent


Poughill


Poundstock


Probus


Probus – Wesleyan


Quaker births


Quethiock


Rame


Redruth – Primitive Methodist


Redruth – St Andrew


Redruth – St Uny


Redruth – Wesleyan Methodist


Roche


Ruan Lanihorne


Ruan Major


Ruan Minor


Saltash


Saltash – Wesleyan


Sancread


Sennan


Sheviock


Sithney


South Hill


South Petherwin


St Agnes


St Agnes – Goonown Chapel – Wesleyan


St Agnes – Peterville – Independent


St Allen


St Anthony In Meneage


St Anthony In Roseland


St Austell


St Austell – Independent


St Austell – Wesleyan


St Blazey


St Breock


St Breward


St Buryan


St Cleer


St Clement


St Clether


St Columb Major


St Columb Major – Bethesda Chapel – Independent


St Columb Minor


St Day


St Dennis


St Dominick


St Enoder


St Erney


St Erth


St Ervan


St Ervan – Bible Christian


St Eval


St Ewe


St Gennys


St Germans


St Giles In the Heath


St Gluvias


St Hilary


St Issey


St Ive


St Ives


St Ives – Primitive Methodist


St Ives – Sion Chapel – Lady Huntingdon


St Ives – Wesleyan


St John


St Juliot


St Just In Penwith


St Just In Roseland


St Keverne


St Kew


St Keyne


St Levan


St Mabyn


St Martin by Looe


St Martin In Meneage


St Mawes – Calvinistic Independent


St Mawes – Wesleyan


St Mellion


St Merryn


St Mewan


St Michael Caerhays


St Michael Penkival


St Minver


St Neot


St Neot – Bible Christian


St Pinnock


St Stephen By Launceston


St Stephen In Brannel


St Stephens By Saltash


St Teath


St Thomas By Launceston


St Tudy


St Veep


St Wenn


St Winnow


Stithians


Stithians – Wesleyan Methodist


Stoke Climsland


Stratton


Talland


Tintagel


Torpoint


Torpoint – Bethel Chapel – Independent


Towednack


Treleigh


Tremaine


Treneglos


Treslothan


Tresmere


Trevalga


Treverbyn


Trewen


Truro – Bethesda Chapel – Independent


Truro – Bible Christian


Truro – Castle St Chapel – Methodist New Connexion


Truro – Kenwyn Street – Calvinistic Baptist


Truro – St George


Truro - St John


Truro – St Mary’s


Truro – St Mary’s – Wesleyan


Truro – St Paul


Tuckingmill


Tywardreath


Uny Lelant


Veryan


Virginstow


Warbstow


Warleggan


Week St Mary


Wendron


Werrington


West Looe – Independent


Whitstone


Withiel


Zennor

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