Can I get copies of church records

Copies of entire microfilm reels for baptisms and burials before 1871 and marriages before April 1845 (for parishes within the six counties of Northern Ireland only) can be made in exceptional circumstances, provided they do not contain any post-1870 baptisms and burials, post-April 1845 marriages, or any other series of records.

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) cannot provide copies of entire microfilm reels of registers of baptisms and burials from 1871 onwards or marriages from 1845 onwards for any Church of Ireland parish.

Requests for copies of baptisms and burials before 1871 and marriages before 1845 for parishes in the Republic of Ireland should be referred to the National Archives of Ireland , Bishop Street, Dublin.

Presbyterian Church

Individual entries/pages from registers of baptisms, marriages and burials of any date can be copied.  Individual entries/pages from other types of records (for example, Session minutes etc.) which are more than fifty years old can also be copied.

Permission must be sought from the individual congregation (by writing to the Minister) for copies of:

PRONI cannot provide copies of entire reels of post-1845 marriage registers.

Roman Catholic Church

PRONI cannot provide copies of any kind without written permission from the individual church.  When you are writing to the priest you should state whether you require a copy of an entire microfilm reel or volume, or simply few pages from a microfilm or a volume.