Changes

There are currently two Family A new website was introduced 28 April 2010. '''[https://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch]'''. '''This is a free website'''.<br>Details:<br>First click on Search sites. To access the India and Ceylon records, which we 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 call "Family bring you to a Search"facility which searches all the searchable databases for India (a handy new feature available from c October 2014). The direct link is [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/1927063 '''India''']. If you want to search a particular database (for baptisms, marriages or the new website and burials), click on "Previous version Family Searchview all collections". India related baptisms, marriages and burials can also be researched at [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=ASIA_MIDDLE_EAST '''Asia and Middle East Records''']. The searchable India records are '''transcriptions''', or Pv Family Search are described as index records and do not contain images.

From this group of records, '''Previous version Family SearchSri Lanka, Colombo District Dutch Reformed Church Records 1677-1990'''are also 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.<brref> You can view the Indian data India List post online using the [http://wwwarchiver.familysearchrootsweb.ancestry.orgcom/th/read/engINDIA/search2011-02/frameset_search.asp Advanced Search1297851646 "LDS - Asia & Middle East - Sri Lanka/Colombo"] on dated 16 February 2011 </ref> Another series of images only (not searchable)(added March 2013), accessible from the LDS’s same link is [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/englearn/wiki/en/default.asp Previous version Family Search] website. Select country "India" ,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records_(or Singapore etcFamilySearch_Historical_Records) You can also search using '''India, Gujarat Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1854-2012'''] Some of the records are in the Hindi and Gujarati languages, but there are some records in English, as evidenced by one of the [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/englearn/searchwiki/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igien/search_IGIFile:India,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records_DGS_7251285_3_Baptism.asp&clear_form=true IGI Searchjpg sample records] shown. The data is almost, but 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 below.

The Pv To confuse matters, the (small) number of records for "other" areas in Asia such as [[Macao]], [[Singapore]], [[Bencoolen]] etc available on the Family Search website also includes now are not found in the Asia category, but in the “All Published Collections” category , in a group of records called "World Miscellaneous" and may be accessed through the following links:''' [httphttps://pilotfamilysearch.org/search/collection/1783956 World Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms], [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1809045 World Miscellaneous Marriages], [https://familysearch.org/recordsearchsearch/startcollection/1809046 World Miscellaneous Deaths and Burials]'''. Included in this group are records from [[St.html#start Record Search PilotHelena]], [[China]] and a small number from [[Indonesia]], [[Iran]], which is previously Persia, and a pilot project to access online images of datafew records from India and Bangladesh.<ref>[https://familysearch. Currently org/learn/wiki/en/World_Miscellaneous_Births_and_Baptisms,_Coverage_Table_(June 2010FamilySearch_Historical_Records) it contains the data mentioned in the following paragraphWorld Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms, but this may change in the futureCoverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)] FamilySearch Wiki. Retrieved 19 September 2014</ref>

''' Changes intoduced 28 April 2010'''<br>'''Family Search has placed new The LDS website previously described the records for India as "Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records on a new website" for births and baptisms, marriages, (which deaths and burials. The current description is still "under constructionIndex 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 [httpshttp://wwwarchiver.rootsweb.familysearchancestry.orgcom/ FamilySearchth/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. To access <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 India "Old Cemetery" at Guntoor, Hyderabad Residency and Ceylon records from this siteGeorge Benjamin Thorpe, 23, who died 29 Jun 1858 at Jaulnah , scroll down who appear in the page 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. Also not every India Office church record is recorded in the LDS database. Some individual entries are known to have been '''omitted''', probably due to “Browse by location” and select “Asia and Middle East”error. However, <ref>India related records can be researched more directly at List [httpshttp://wwwarchiver.rootsweb.familysearchancestry.orgcom/th/read/sINDIA/collection2010-04/list#page=1&region=ASIA_MIDDLE_EAST '''Asia and Middle East Records'''1272583754 post dated 30 April 2010]. From this link </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 also available with images onlineto 1948. Some of the records contain the description Race: White. This should be disregarded as it is a fabrication as the original IOR church records do not contain a classification for race at all. Note, this web page takes some time to load(The few records that do have a classifation for race use the terminology European not white).

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 Previous version 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>

The LDS website description of Note that the FamilySearch databases are also available on the pay site Ancestry, (world wide subscription) under the records is titles "Index entries derived from digital copies of originals housed in various repositories throughout India, Select Marriages 1792-1948" for births and baptisms; "India, marriagesSelect Marriages, deaths and burials. They in fact appear to be based on the 1792-1948"; "India Office [[Church records|church records]] at the British Library , including the N/5 [[Princely states|Indian States]] records. Please note that on an individual basis the LDS record does not show all the details available on the original. Also not every India Office church record is recorded in the LDS database. There appear to be no records shown for dates of birth after January-March 1910Select 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 be the records contain the description Race: White. This should be disregarded as it is a fabrication same 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 Previous version 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 site. Currently June 2010, the catalogue on the new 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.

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 Bombay and 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}}