Family History Sources relating to Coventry & District
All these records can be found at the Herbert: Coventry History Centre.
Some can also be found at other locations and these are indicated by the following beside the title:
- LDS: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
- MRC: Warwick University Modern Records Centre
For further details of these locations, please see the local archives page.
1881 Census Indexes (LDS)
1881 Census Indexes held in The Herbert cover the old counties of Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. These microfiche indexes are divided into five sections: – Surname Index; Birth Place Index; Census Place Index; Census as Enumerated and a Miscellaneous section including lists of institutions, canal boats, etc. LDS has England, Wales & Scotland on microfiche and England & Wales on CD.
Apprentices and Freemen
Registers of enrolments of apprentices’ indentures for Coventry, 1781 – 1975; printed index, 1781 – 1806, card index, 1806 – c. 1830 (ongoing). Rolls and registers of men (and women from 1937) admitted to the Freemanship of Coventry, 1715 – 1986; card index 1715 – 1960 (ongoing)
Cemeteries
Microfilms of registers of burials, 1847 – 1972, and registers of graves, 1847 – 1973, for the London Road Cemetery, Coventry.
Census Returns
Microfilm/fiche copies of the Census returns for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901 are available for Coventry, Bedworth and the local villages which are now part of the City. The census entries are indexed by street but not surname (apart from 1851 and 1881) at present. Work is in progress by the Coventry Family History Society to index all the census returns by surname.
Courts
Original records (some printed or microfilmed) of the Court Leet, Quarter Sessions and Magistrate’s courts for Coventry, 15th century to mid 20th century.
Directories
Copies of all entries for Coventry which appeared in street and trade directories between 1783 and 1970. Also directories covering Warwickshire published between 1822 and 1940, and most telephone directories of the Coventry area issued since 1948.
Electoral Registers
Registers of Electors and Burgess Rolls covering the City for 1834, 1857-59 and all years since 1877 (except for the First and Second World Wars when no lists were produced). Poll Books for most elections 1741 – 1868.
General Register Index (LDS)
Microfiche copies of the indexes cover all civil registrations of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales from 1837 – 1997 (1983 at LDS). Booking is essential at the LDS. The Herbert make a charge
International Genealogical Index (LDS)
Microfiche index, commonly known as the I.G.I., produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. It lists many baptisms and marriages recorded prior to c.1875, for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The LDS also have a version on CD-rom. The Herbert and LDS have access to the latest version on the internet.
Monumental Inscriptions
Microfiche for churchyards and burial grounds in Coventry and the surrounding area.
Newspapers
Local newspapers are available on microfilm, dating from 1746 to the present day. Some newspapers are indexed, e.g. Coventry Graphic index of servicemen 1914 -1918.
Nonconformist Churches
Microfilms of registers of births, baptisms and burials for Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist and Methodist denominations, c.1700 – 1837, for Coventry and Warwickshire (excluding Birmingham);
Original registers of baptisms and marriages for many Methodist and Congregational (United Reformed) churches, 1838 – 1992, for Coventry; register of births for Queens Road Baptists 1756 – 1 836; register of graves for West Orchard Congregational, c. 1800 -c. 1918. For More details of Registers for Non Conformist Churches in Coventry and others within CFHS interest see our list
Parish Registers
Microfilms of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials (also some banns) for Church of England parishes, c.1530s – c.1900 (some to 1980), for Coventry and the surrounding area, with some coverage of other Warwickshire parishes. For more details of Registers for Coventry and other parishes within CFHS interest see our list
Persons Indexes
Card index of Coventry people compiled from local history books and from documents which have been catalogued, medieval to present; card index of people in medieval (mostly 14th century) Coventry (accession 1777)
Rolls of the Fallen
Printed list of men who fell in the Great War, 1914 – 1918, who were born in, or at any time lived in or were employed in Coventry; printed list of men and women who were members of the armed and civilian defence forces who lived in or performed their duty in Coventry, and of civilians who died as a result of war injuries received in the city, 1939 -1945.
Schools
Registers of admissions to Blue Coat School, 1822 – 1938 (card indexed) and to some other schools in Coventry, late 19th century – mid 20th century
Tithe Apportionments
The tithe apportionments for Coventry for the period 1842 – 1849 are a listing of owners and occupiers of land. They include villages now within the City boundary but they do not cover the city centre.
Trade Union and Business Archives (MRC)
The Modern Records Centre (MRC) at Warwick University has a collection of Trade Union, Employers’, and Trade Association archives and are compiling indexes useful to genealogists – see their web-site (details on our Archives page).
The Herbert has a collection of holdings relating to Coventry businesses.
Wills
Microfilms of indexes to wills and administrations proved in the Bishop’s Consistory Court of Lichfield and Coventry, c.1520 – 1860, for Coventry and parts or all of Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire. Printed calendar, 1516 – 1652.