Parish Registers

The Abinger Parish registers are retained in a purpose-built database written by Philip Rawlings.

Sources include:

• Burial register 1559 – 1812 [A].   The original registers for 1559-1812 were published as The Parish Registers of Abinger, Wotton and Oakwood Chapel, Surrey (Mitchell, Hughes & Clarke, London 1928).
• Burial register 1813 -1839.  The original Abinger parish burial registers (part of 1813-1877)  bound and published.
• Burial register 1813-1877[E]. Original at Surrey History Centre (AB/5/1)
• Burial register 1877-2019 [B].  Original deposited with Surrey History Centre 30Sep20 on long-term loan
• Burial register 2020- [D]
• Baptism register 1559-1812 [P]
• Inscriptions and Graves in Abinger Church and Churchyard, transcribed by John A Gibbs 1933 as recorded in 1935 [X if not recorded in Registers]
• Surrey, Manning & Bray, vol. II(1809)
• Epitaphs of Surrey, A B Bax, ms. in Surrey Archeological Society Library

Reports

Some reports from the database are shown below, other sorts and selections are available.

• Burial registers 1559-2023 sorted by name
• Baptismal registers 1559-1680 sorted by date
• Complete registers 1559-2023 sorted by name
• Records of graves with visible markers and/or recorded inscriptions (A-Z)
• Plot of churchyard showing graves with What3Words (in development)
• See also memorials (originally) within the church, and other inscriptions on moveables (now transferred to Guildford).

Statistics from the Registers

• Baptisms by decade
• Burials by decade
• Age at burial by decade
• Common first names
• Common last names
• Persistence of last names

Notes to the Registers

1599-1812 – Originals lost but transcribed into a bound volume “This volume has been printed by a few friends in grateful memory of John Harcourt Chichester Evelyn (1876-1922), of Wotton House, Patron of these three livings, who lost his life in the service of his country; and also of Mrs. H. E. Malden (1852-1919), who transcribed the Register.”

Some inscriptions were transcribed by John A Gibbs in “Inscriptions and Graves in Abinger Church and Churchyard with Index” presented to St James’ in 1934. Also from “Epitaphs of Surrey”, A B Bax, ms. in Surrey Archeological Society Library (1890); these data are included in the current database.

The Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1836, which went into effect on July 1, 1837, established a system of civil registration in England and Wales. Prior to that date registers were kept only by churches. The term “by certificate” in the context of an 1830 burial likely refers to a certificate issued by the church or religious body responsible for the burial, rather than a formal government-issued document. 

‘Affidavit’: in The Burial in Woolen Acts of 1660-1689 “No corps should be buried in anything other than what is made of sheep’s wool only; or put into any coffin lined or faced with any material but sheep’s wool, on pain of forfeiture of £5.” Excepting plague victims and the destitute. In addition, an affidavit to that effect was required not later than 8 days after the burial. The act was repealed in 1814 but ignored after 1770. ‘Certificate’: a certificate brought (presented) affirming burial in ‘woolen’.

The Stamp Duties Act of 1783 required payment of 3d to register a baptism, marriage or burial. Repealed in 1794.

Assumed, except otherwise stated, that a woman takes the surname of the husband (often burial register has only, for example, Joan the wife of John Smith).

Assumed, except otherwise stated, that a child takes the surname of the father (often burial register has only, for example, Jane the daughter of John Smith).

Spellings of names and places are idiosyncratic in the registers. As far as practicable, original spellings have been retained.

Names are often prefixed with Goodman or Goodwife (abbr. Goody) in the earlier registers. Archaic form, known from 13th to mid-18th century. Signifies lower social standing than those addressed as Mr, Mrs, Mistress.

See the History of Parish Registers in England for the register requirements from 1538 (King Henry XIII). Our registers began in 1559 following a law enacted by Queen Elizabeth I.