Changes

'''IGI''' stands for '''International Genealogical Index'''. The IGI is an This terminology originally applied to the entire enormous database created and maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or [[LDS]], also known as the Mormons, but now has a more restricted meaning. This Please note this page is '''not''' an official LDS page.

==What is the IGI?==The Mormons have an extensive program to microfilm vast numbers of old records which are an aid to genealogy. For example, they microfilm records of churches of all denominations, ancient land tax records, military records, shipping lists, census records and so on. They make these microfilms available to all people, regardless of religion, and depending on your location, the microfilms can be viewed for free or for a small postage specified charge.

There are two ways an entry can be made into the IGI: * When a parish record (The Church of Jesus Christ of any denomination) is microfilmedLatter-Day Saints or LDS, the now has a website [[LDS]] church extracts the names and details of all christenings and marriageshttps://familysearch. These appear on the IGI as org '''FamilySearch'Extracted Records'' and are highly accurate]. The record will include the film number.* Members Records may be found in two sections of the LDS church submit their own information. These appear on website under the IGI as ''Submitted by LDS Member''. These entries are of variable accuracycategory Search, subcategories Records (also called Historical Records) and Genealogies.

The IGI database has hundreds Records found in the Historical Records category include index transcriptions of millions of names on it. If you microfilmed records, and are new to genealogyaccurate records, apart from transcription errors or if you omissions. In addition, there are beginning to research a new family linedigital pages of images of church, and other, the IGI is a great place to startrecords which have not been transcribed, but please bear in mind that so it is not a complete coverage of all events, and that entries submitted by LDS members can sometimes be inaccuratenecessary to browse these collections.

=The category Genealogies contains records and family trees submitted by users. The website states: "Accuracy of the data in these genealogies varies from tree to tree; we encourage you to validate all data". The term IGI is now restricted to a subcategory of submitted records in Genealogies. ==India records===The Indian section of the IGI deals transcribed Historical Records deal almost exclusively with Europeans and Anglo-Indians (Eurasians). In 1994, there were about 240,000 names for Indiaas they are records from Christian churches. If you have a more up- The details following refer to-date count, then please update this pagerecords from Christian churches.

From this group of records, [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Sri_Lanka,_Colombo_District_Dutch_Reformed_Church_Records_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)'''Sri Lanka, Colombo District Dutch Reformed Church Records 1677-1990''' ] are also available with images online, but are not searchable. Note, this web page takes the images may take some time to load. An India List post gives some hints for browsing these [[Ceylon]] images.<ref>India List post [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2011-02/1297851646 "LDS - Asia & Middle East - Sri Lanka/Colombo"] dated 16 February 2011 </ref> Another series of images only (not searchable)(added March 2013), accessible from the same link is [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/India,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records__Gujarat_Diocese_Protestant_Church_Records_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records) '''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 [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/File:India,_Gujarat_Diocese_Church_Records_DGS_7251285_3_Baptism.jpg sample records] shown. A further set of images only (not searchable) was added May 2015, [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/India,_Madras_Diocese_Protestant_Church_Records_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records) '''India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990'''], baptisms, marriages and burials from the Church of South India, Madras Diocese. These are the type of records known as [[Church records#Bishops' Transcripts|Bishop's Transcripts]], copies sent by parishes to the Diocesan Office. '''Note''':The category date range allocated by FamilySeach for these latter records may be very unreliable. As an example for [https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-37715-183-8?cc=2174941&wc=3NH8-16F:1584404203 Marriages: 1872 Jul-1877 Jun], page 1 shows some marriages from 1843, and the majority of the records on the first four pages are either earlier or later than the dates specified. (The images for Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records appear to be extracted from, or perhaps may be the complete set, of eighteen microfilms, [https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/1123389?availability=Family%20History%20Library catalogue entry]).

To confuse matters, the (small) number of records for "other" areas in Asia such as [[Macao]], [[Singapore]], [[Bencoolen]] etc available on the Family Search FamilySearch website now are not found in the Asia category, but in the “All Published Collections” category , subcategory "Other", in a group of records called "World Miscellaneous" and may be accessed through the following links:''' [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1783956 World Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms], [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1809045 World Miscellaneous Marriages], [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1809046 World Miscellaneous Deaths and Burials]'''. Included in this group are records from [[St. Helena]], [[China]] and a small number from [[Indonesia]], [[Iran]], previously Persia, and a few records from India and Bangladesh.<ref>[https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/World_Miscellaneous_Births_and_Baptisms,_Coverage_Table_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records) World Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms, Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)] FamilySearch Wiki. Retrieved 19 September 2014</ref>

The LDS website previously described the transcribed 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://archiver.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. 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 error.<ref>

Note that the FamilySearch transcribed databases are also available on the pay site Ancestry, (world wide subscription) under the titles "India, Select Marriages 1792-1948"; "India, Select Marriages, 1792-1948"; "India, Select Deaths and Burials, 1719-1948". These records are transcriptions without images.The privacy restrictions appear to be the same as the FamilySearch restrictions.

'''If you have found a transcribed record from the India Births, Marriages or Burials on Family SearchFamilySearch, 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 may be found in the article [[Family History Centres]]. 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]]'''. If the image is available on findmypast, this will be the most convenient method for most people.

Should you wish to suggest to a church that they allow FamilySearch to digitise their records see ,you should advise the church to use [https://familysearch.org/archives/contact/ Contact Us] applicable for Records Custodians and Archives. "FamilySearch field representatives can help you determine the best approach to gather, preserve, and share your valuable records and data".(An earlier contact reference was [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).