The latest in a series of online talks will help family historians discover how parish registers could help them to research their ancestry.

As part of its Branching Out programme, aimed at those who have a grasp of the basics of research, Durham County Record Office, run by Durham County Council, presented a talk focussing on the value of parish records for family history research.

Lasting for an hour, the talk, took place on Thursday 23 June, at 10am and 6pm. Led by experienced archivists, the Branching Out programme is proving extremely popular and the talks offer an opportunity for people to learn more about the past, ask questions and get advice on their own research.

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, council Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “As this talk will demonstrate, parish registers are often easily accessible and can be enormously helpful in researching family history. As well as registers which record baptisms, marriages and burials, parishes often kept a wealth of other records that can be useful for family history, especially as you get further back in time.

“As our archivists will explain, parish records have a lot to say about the community in which our ancestors lived. The records may also tell you about ancestors who served as parish officers and their time as churchwardens or parish constables. This talk will guide people through the different types of records as well as how to understand
and find them.”

Places on the Branching Out, Parish Records talk cost £5 each and must be booked in advance to receive the online joining link. People are encouraged to book early as limited places are available for each session.