Pros: Parish registers record the baptisms, marriages and burials of individuals at parish churches. From 1813 onwards the information included in the registers is in a standard format. For instance, burials give the date of burial as well as the name, age and residence of the deceased. Sometimes the cause of death is also given.

Cons: The amount of information included in parish registers varies according to the date they were produced.Registers for some parishes date back to 1538, but most start at a later date during the 16th or 17th centuries. Before 1813 there was no standard format for baptism and burial entries. For example, early baptism records do not always include the names of a child’s parents.