Changes

You can view the Indian data A new online using the website was introduced 28 April 2010. '''[httphttps://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_searchFamilySearch]'''. '''This is a free website'''.asp Advanced <br>Details:<br>First click on Search] . To access the India and Ceylon records, then click on the map for “Asia and Middle East” and select either India, or Sri Lanka. Click on "Start researching in India".This will bring you to a Search facility which searches all the LDS’s searchable databases for India (a handy new feature available from c October 2014). The direct link is [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/engsearch/collection/location/default.asp Family Search1927063 '''India'''] website. Select country "India" If you want to search a particular database (for baptisms, marriages or Singapore etcburials) You , click on "view all collections". India related baptisms, marriages and burials can also search using the be researched at [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/engsearch/searchcollection/frameset_search.asp?PAGElist#page=igi/search_IGI.asp1&clear_formregion=true IGI SearchASIA_MIDDLE_EAST '''Asia and Middle East Records''']. The data is almostsearchable India records are '''transcriptions''', but are described as index records and do not quite as extensive. Select region “Asia”. Then select country “India” or "All countries" for a wider area including countries such as Singapore, Malaysia etc. There is a facility to add batch numbers, see belowcontain images.

The Family Search website From this group of records, '''Sri Lanka, Colombo District Dutch Reformed Church Records 1677-1990''' are also includes a available with images online, but are not searchable. Note, this web page takes some time to load. An India List post gives some hints for browsing these [[Ceylon]] images.<ref>India List post [http://pilotarchiver.familysearchrootsweb.ancestry.orgcom/th/read/INDIA/2011-02/recordsearch1297851646 "LDS - Asia & Middle East - Sri Lanka/start.html#start Record Search PilotColombo"]dated 16 February 2011 </ref> Another series of images only (not searchable)(added March 2013), which accessible from the same link is a pilot project to access online images of data[https://familysearch. Currently org/learn/wiki/en/India,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records_(June 2010FamilySearch_Historical_Records) it contains '''India, Gujarat Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1854-2012'''] Some of the data mentioned records are in the following paragraphHindi and Gujarati languages, but this may change there are some records in English, as evidenced by one of the future[https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/File:India,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records_DGS_7251285_3_Baptism.jpg sample records] shown.

'''Recent Changes 28 April 2010'''<br>'''To confuse matters, the (small) number of records for "other" areas in Asia such as [[Macao]], [[Singapore]], [[Bencoolen]] etc available on the Family Search has placed new website now are not found in the Asia category, but in the “All Published Collections” category , in a group of records on a beta (called "under constructionWorld Miscellaneous") website, and may be accessed through the following links:''' [httphttps://fsbeta.familysearch.org/ fsbeta.FamilySearch.orgsearch/collection/1783956 World Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms]'''. However, India related records can be researched directly at [httphttps://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearchsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1584960 '''India Births and Baptismscollection/1809045 World Miscellaneous Marriages], 1786-c 1910'''] [httphttps://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearchsearch/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1584967 collection/1809046 World Miscellaneous Deaths and Burials]'''India Marriages. Included in this group are records from [[St. Helena]], [[China]] and a small number from [[Indonesia]], 1792-c 1935'''[[Iran]] , previously Persia, and a few records from India and Bangladesh.<ref>[httphttps://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearchlearn/start.html#p=collectionDetails&c=fs%3A1584968 '''India Deaths wiki/en/World_Miscellaneous_Births_and_Baptisms,_Coverage_Table_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records) World Miscellaneous Births and BurialsBaptisms, 1719-1948'''Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)]FamilySearch Wiki. Retrieved 19 September 2014</ref>

The LDS website previously described the records for India as "Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records" for births and baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. The current description is "Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City". They in fact appear to be based on the India Office [[Church records|church records]] at the British Library , including the N/5 [[Princely states|Indian States]] records.<ref>India List [http://pilotarchiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/india/2010-10/1286947107 post 13 October 2010]</ref> However, it appears that the records from the [[LDS Microfilms for Church Records outside of the usual Presidencies#Madras Ecclesiastical Returns - Omissions and Corrections 1777-1884|Madras Ecclesiastical Returns - Omissions and Corrections 1777-1884]] are '''not''' included.<ref>Email to User:Maureene dated 20 July 2011 indicates two brothers, Joseph Thorpe, 18, who died 23 Dec 1853 and was buried in the "Old Cemetery" at Guntoor, Hyderabad Residency and George Benjamin Thorpe, 23, who died 29 Jun 1858 at Jaulnah , who appear in the Omissions Film for Madras Burial (“film B265”) are '''not''' included in the Family Search data.</ref> Please note that on an individual basis the LDS record does not show all the details available on the original.familysearchAlso not every India Office church record is recorded in the LDS database.org Some individual entries are known to have been '''omitted''', probably due to error.<ref>India List [http:/recordsearch/startarchiver.rootsweb.ancestry.html#p=waypoint&s=waypointsOnly&c=fs%3A1780708&w=0 com/th/read/INDIA/2010-04/1272583754 post dated 30 April 2010]</ref> In addition, '''Sri Lankafor privacy reasons there appear to be no records shown for dates of birth after January-March 1910, Colombo District Dutch Reformed Church Records 1677or marriages after January-1990March 1935'''] . (For alternative records, refer below). Death records are available with images online on to 1948. Some of the records contain the description Race: White. This should be disregarded as it is a fabrication as the pilot search site, but original IOR church records do not currently contain a classification for race at all. (2 September 2010The few records that do have a classifation for race use the terminology European not white) on the beta site.

The original website If you are searching for a name which could have various spellings, you can search using a single letter replaced by a wildcard question mark '''?''', or the multiple character wildcard asterisk ''' *''' <ref> [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/engblog/en/default.asp searching-wildcards-familysearch-2/ Searching with Wildcards in FamilySearch] continues and in time the two sites will be merged into the new site.FamilySearch Blog</ref>

Although Note that the LDS website description of these new records states they FamilySearch databases are “digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout India”also available on the pay site Ancestry, it is believed that they are in fact based on (world wide subscription) under the titles "India Office [[Church records|church records]] at the British Library. Please note that on an individual basis the LDS record does not show all the details available on the original. Also not every , Select Marriages 1792-1948"; "India Office church record is recorded in the LDS database. There appear to be no records shown for dates of birth after January, Select Marriages, 1792-March 19101948"; "India, Select Deaths and Burials, or marriages after January1719-March 19351948". Death These records are available transcriptions without images.The privacy restrictions appear to 1948. Some of the records contain be the description Race:White. This should be disregarded same as it is a fabrication as the original IOR church records do not contain a classification for race at all. (The few records that do have a classifation for race use the terminology European not white)FamilySearch restrictions.

In additionTo find out details of microfilms which may be ordered from FamilySearch, use the Family Search website contains the LDS '''[httphttps://www.familysearch.org/eng/catalog-search FamilySearch Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Library Cataloguecatalogue] for all the LDS microfilms, as does the new beta site. Currently June 2010, the catalogue on the beta website has some problems, and it is better to use the original website for the Library Catalogue. ''' <br> [http://www.londonfhc.org/ London Family History Centre] has a film catalogue for the [http://www.londonfhc.org/content/catalogue?p=Indian+Subcontinent Indian Subcontinent] and for [http://www.londonfhc.org/content/catalogue?c=221&p=Indian+Subcontinent,India India] in a different format to the main catalogue, classified by geographical region.

You can view all online data at [[Family History Centres|FamilySearch Centres]] (previously known as Family History Centres) (FHC) if you do not otherwise have online access. You may need to book a computer at the FHC. This website has maintenance done in the middle of the night Utah time, when it may be unavailable, or perhaps partially available when it may become unreliable when searching. Come back another time. (Utah time is UK time less seven hours) '''If you have found a record from the India Births, Marriages or Burials on Family Search, as stated previously please be aware that this is not a full record. It is recommended that you view the original entry from the microfilm quoted.''' This will almost always contain occupational information which may provide a valuable clue for the location of further records. In addition, you can check that there have been no transcription errors. '''Information about ordering microfilms or photocopies may be found in the article [[Family History Centres]]'''. Photocopies are free in the majority of circumstances. Note also that there is an alternative way to obtain a copy of a record, as most of the record images are now available on the pay website [[Findmypast|findmypast]].

Note that some films have been transcribed by LDS. To read how LDS batch numbers can help you search ,and to help you to cut down needlessly searching elsewhere, refer to [[India Office Ecclesiastical Returns Microfilm Numbers and the LDS equivalent]] *[[Using LDS Microfilms | How to Use Church Records on Microfilm]]:Instructions on how to use the microfilmed copies of the Ecclesiatical Returns and their indexes at an LDS [[Family History Centres| Family History Centre]]. Read these instructions if you are searching for '''records of births after 1910, or marriages after 1935''' which are not shown online on FamilySearch because of privacy reasons. Note however the records sent to England '''declined in number from the early 1930s''' with minimal numbers in the 1940s.

:A list of all the microfilm numbers for the LDS copies of Bengal church records.

:A list of all the microfilm numbers for the LDS copies of Madras church records.

:A list of all the microfilm numbers for the LDS copies of Bombay church records.

:A list of microfilm numbers of registers from churches throughout India, except the Portuguese colony of Goa. These are records which are not covered by the APAC holdings. The majority are Roman Catholic churches but also included are records from the Church of Scotland in Bombayand Madras, together with some Syrian and Armenian churches and a few miscellaneous entries.

:A list of microfilm numbers of registers from churches in the former Portuguese colony of Goa

:Lists of microfilms of European church records in India that do not fall under the usual three Presidencies. These include Native States, some Catholic records and post-Independence church recordsand "Madras Ecclesiastical Returns - Omissions and Corrections 1777-1884" *[[India Office Ecclesiastical Returns Microfilm Numbers and the LDS equivalent]]:Contains microfilm numbers for the three Presidencies and explains how LDS batch numbers can help you search, especially if you are researching unusual names which may have various spellings. ==Unfilmed church records==Should you wish to suggest to a church that they allow FamilySearch to digitise their records see [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Live_Research_Assistance:_Ready_Reference#Film_Digitization_Requests Film Digitisation Requests: FamilySearch Wiki] but it would be best to check first with FamilySearch Help (top right hand corner of the website) that the contact details are current.  == References ==<references /> {{#widget:Google PlusOne|size=small|count=true}}