Welsh Nonconformist Records

Welsh Nonconformist Records By Darris G. Williams, AG

Nonconformists

Nonconformity
Nonconformity had the greatest influence on the spiritual and social life of Wales
By the mid nineteenth century 80% of the population were nonconformists
Before 1689 and the Toleration Act nonconformity was illegal so few records were kept
The church was unable to cater to the spiritual needs and growth of the population
Nonconformity offered religion in the Welsh language

Nonconformity
High incidence of nonconformity

Growth of Welsh Nonconformity 2927 993 171 105 110 Chapels 1861 1816 1775 1742 1716 Year

Many records have not been deposited. About 5,500 chapels existed in Wales but less than thirty per cent of the registers have been deposited at a record office

Fate of Nonconformist Records
No record made
Records may have been lost
The records may still be with the chapel
Families traveled a considerable distance to worship & may not appear where you expect!!!

Nonconformity
Types of chapel records
Birth/baptismal register
Marriage register
Burial register
Membership lists
Accounts
Minute books

Nonconformity
More chapel records
Transfer registers
Pew rent books
Sunday school records
Lists of society members, Band of Hope & Temperance League
Monumental inscriptions

Nonconformity
More chapel records
Chapel histories
Personal accounts of the chapel’s early history

Strategies for Success
Identify the chapels in the area where your ancestors lived using the 1851religious census and the six inch to one mile scale Ordnance Survey maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk /

Utilize chapel records other than the registers of birth, marriage, and death/burial
Request a search in Capeli Cymru for other chapel records when registers of birth marriage and death/burial are not available. National Library of Wales enquiries: [email_address]

Search the National Burial Index compact disc. This database
includes 265 thousand entries for Wales (Glamorganshire,
Cardiganshire, Radnorshire, Monmouthshire, and
Montgomeryshire)
Search for burials at the parish church. Nonconformist chapels
seldom had their own burial ground before 1800
Search monumental inscriptions

Search records within a fifteen mile radius of where your ancestors lived.

Utilize histories about the:
Chapel
Area
Denomination

Baran Chapel Monumental Inscriptions

Search the Historical Manuscripts Commission National Register
of Archives web site for information on recently deposited
records. Do a “Place Name”search
http:// www.nra.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra /

The International Genealogical Index for Wales
Pre 1813 extractions are based on the assumption
that everyone used patronymics.
Post 1812 extractions are based on the
assumption that no one used patronymics.
A small percentage of church and chapel records
have been extracted.

Analysis of Extracted Welsh Records
There are about 1,200 parish churches in Wales
There were about 5,500 nonconformist chapels in Wales
There should be about 6,700 registers of church/chapel records for Wales
About 1,408 registers have been extracted for Wales (based on findings for Glamorgan)

Analysis of Extracted Welsh Records
Conclusion
Less than 21% of the church and chapel records
for Wales have been extracted for the IGI

The International Genealogical Index for Wales
Strategies for success
Search by given name for christenings before 1813
Search by surname for christenings after 1812
Use the IGI as a starting point but never expect it to
represent a high percentage of the population
Always examine the original record

Welsh Nonconformist Records

by Darris Williams

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