Leicestershire Baptisms

There are over 1.1 million baptism records covering the ancient county of Leicestershire in this collection. The records span over 400 years from 1538 to the 1916 and cover 301 parishes. Follow the link in the Useful links and resources section to see a full list of parishes covered.

While the amount of information may vary from transcript to transcript, most will include the following details:

• First name(s)

• Last name

• Birth year

• Baptism year

• Baptism date

• Baptism place

• Denomination

• Father’s first name(s)

• Father’s last name

• Mother’s first name(s)

• Mother’s last name

• County

• Archive

• Archive reference

While the vast majority of the records include images of the original parish registers, there are 2,075 transcripts that do not include images. These transcript-only records were provided by Julie Gerring and cover five parishes: Breedon on the Hill (1752-1758), Long Whatton (1743-1769), Sileby (1683-1727), Walton on the Wolds (1752-1768), and Wymeswold (1752-1802). All other transcripts include images of the original registers, provided by the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland.

If your ancestor’s record includes an image, be sure to look at for any additional recorded details. As many registers included other fields such as abode and father’s profession, there may be new details you can glean from the images.

Civil registration was passed in 1837, which means that for vital records, such as those for baptisms, parish registers are imperative for gathering essential details for family history research like dates, names, and places. Parish registers date as far back as 1538.

Leicestershire is a county located in the English East Midlands. The county is landlocked and bordered by Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Rutland counties.

Henry Walter Bates

Henry Walter Bates was a naturalist and explorer who gave the first scientific account of mimicry in animals. He also gained attention for his expedition to the rainforests of the Amazon: of the 14,712 species he sent back home, 8,000 were new to science. Bates’ baptism record is included in this collection. His baptism took place on 25 February 1825 at Leicester, St Margaret’s. His parents’ names were Henry and Sarah. From the image of the original register, we learn that his abode was listed as Waterloo and his father’s profession is recorded as a hosier. Henry Bates was, in fact, a hosiery manufacturer. At the age of 13, Henry Walter was apprenticed to a local hosiery manufacturer; this, however, did not keep him from pursuing his desire for more education, leading him to take night classes in such topics as Latin, French, and composition.

John Johnson

John Johnson, a Leicester architect, designed the County Rooms on Hotel Street in Leicester and aided in the construction of several bridges and three Houses of Correction in Essex (Halstead, Barking House of Correction, and the House at Chelmsford).

His baptism took place on 23 July 1732 in Leicester, St Martin’s. His birth date is recorded as 22 April of that year. John and Frances are noted as his parents.

Daniel Lambert

By 1805, Daniel Lambert had become the heaviest authenticated person in history up to that point, weighing in at 50 stone (700 pounds). Due to his size, employment became unfeasible, and in 1806, he had to result to public exhibition to making a living wage. Spectators would pay to visit him in his home and were taken with his personality and intellect. As word spread, Lambert soon became a popular figure in Leicester – and remains as such. In 2009, the Leicester Mercury described Lambert as ‘one of the city’s most cherished icons’.

His baptism is recorded as taking place on 15 March 1770 at Leicester, St Margaret’s.

Donald Hings

Donald Hings was born in Leicester and moved with his family at the age of 3 to Canada. In 1937, Hings invented the walkie-talkie, which was then called a ‘packset’. He went on to develop his invention for military use in the Second World War. Born at the end of 1907, his baptism is recorded as taking place on 13 January 1908 at Leicester, St Barnabas. His parents’ names are recorded as Arthur Lewes and Winifred Mary. His father’s occupation is listed as ‘timber work in Canada’.

• Start your search broadly by searching on a name only.

• If searching by name yields many results, narrow your search by year or baptism place.

• If you are unsure of your ancestor’s name, but know the parents’ names, try using the father’s first name(s) and mother’s first name(s) fields.