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In depth
A parish record (also called a parish register) is a church document maintained by a parish, recording baptisms, marriages, and burials. Parish records predate civil registration in most countries and are the primary source of vital records for the 16th-19th centuries.
For CBD cases, parish records are essential for ancestors born before civil registration. Catholic parish records (Italy, Ireland, Poland, Latin America), Anglican parish records (England, Wales), and Orthodox parish records (Greece, Russia, Eastern Europe) are the most commonly used.
Parish records are held by the parish church, the diocesan archive, or the national archive (depending on the country). Many have been digitized and are available online (FamilySearch, Ancestry, regional archives).
Related terms
A baptismal record is a church document certifying a baptism, used as a substitute for a civil birth certificate when civil registration did not exist or was destroyed.
A vital record is a government-recorded document that certifies a vital event — birth, marriage, divorce, or death — and is the primary evidence in CBD cases.
A civil registry is the government system for recording vital events (births, marriages, deaths), maintained by local authorities and used as the primary source of vital records in CBD cases.
A long-form birth certificate is a detailed birth certificate that includes the child's and parents' full information, required for most CBD applications.
A short-form birth certificate is a simplified birth certificate showing only the child's basic information, typically not accepted for CBD applications.
A certified copy is a copy of a document that has been verified as a true and accurate copy by the issuing authority, typically required for CBD applications.