Origins and migrations of Sugg families in England |
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HomeBeginnings
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Sources of informationMany early records have not been preserved and availability is unpredictable. This applies to personal records and to ecclesiastical and legal documents such as wills and probate records, title deeds, manorial records and tax returns. The lack of such evidence does not necessarily indicate that it never existed but rather that it probably has not survived. Finding a document which is relevant to current research is a real bonus but although it might provide valuable information it may not furnish a comprehensive or representative viewpoint. In 1538 Thomas Cromwell ordered every parish in England and Wales to register all baptisms, marriages and burials that took place within its bounds. These records are now invaluable sources of information but their study is a very slow process usually involving microfiche or film. There will never be enough time to study them all! Transcriptions and indexes, when available, save a great deal of effort but are not always reliable they often contain spelling and factual errors. Many early parish records have been lost or destroyed and only from the mid 17th century do they become comparatively comprehensive. Family history societies and personal websites can sometimes provide additional source of useful indexes. The Tudors were avid civil administrators often in order to satisfy their considerable financial requirements. They made numerous lists of names for military, tax collection and other purposes. Many of these have been lost but those which remain provide useful information. From the early 16th century onwards there is much more written evidence available than from earlier periods. It is however stored in many different repositories and is sometimes difficult to locate.
From the end of the 18th century parish records are no longer complete. Fortunately administrative reorganisations introduced at the beginning of the 19th century resulted in the availability of still more information. In 1801 the first full population census for Britain (excluding Ireland) was carried out. This was followed every 10 years by increasingly detailed surveys. From 1841 names, ages and occupations were recorded and from 1851 details of places of birth and family relationships were added. The study and analysis of census returns is very difficult however without comprehensive indexing. The returns for 1881 and 1901 have been fully indexed as has much of the 1851 census with the help of local family history societies. Selections of census returns from other years have been indexed but coverage is far from complete. Public access to a census is not legally allowed for 100 years and consequently, at present, no census after 1901 may be consulted. In 1837 in England and Wales the responsibility for recording births, marriages and deaths was passed to the civil authorities local registries passing on their records to a central authority at the General Records Office (GRO). Scotland and Ireland followed in 1855 and 1864 respectively. The GRO index provides details of approximate dates and locations for each event and also references to enable detailed certificates to be located and purchased. The index may be freely consulted in libraries and on the Internet but the certificates themselves are expensive. It is kept almost up to date. The International Genealogical Index (IGI) created by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints holds a mass of information contributed by individuals mainly for religious purposes. It provides access to contents of many parish and nonconformist registers in the United Kingdom and to similar sources in many other countries. It is a very comprehensive source of information and is freely available on the Internet but it is not a complete record. It contains errors and duplicate records. There are major gaps in the information provided and there is no clear indication of where these might be. It covers mainly the period before 1900. Other sources such as newspaper archives, telephone directories, electoral roles, court and prison records, lists of war casualties and a multitude of other administrative, educational, and industrial records have become increasingly available. The Internet and emails have introduced a new dimension into genealogical research with increasingly large quantities of information being made available online.
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