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Can I get copies of church records

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General Information regarding copying of Church records - all denominations

PLEASE NOTE: It is not possible to split reels of microfilm in order to copy specific information/registers.
  • It is not possible to copy a reel which contains any information restricted under the terms of any denominations as stated below.
  • Where a reel includes the records of more than one parish, permission must be obtained from all relevant parishes before a reel can be copied.

Church of Ireland

Individual entries/pages from registers of baptisms, marriages and burials of any date may be copied.
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 Opens a new browser window., 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 entire reels of Presbyterian Church records.  Please note that any reels which include post-1845 marriage registers cannot be copied.
  • Permission to copy entries/pages from records (other than registers of baptisms, marriages and burials) which are less than fifty years old must also be sought from the individual congregations.

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.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Individual entries/pages from any type of record which is more than 50 years old can be copied.  

All other denominations

Written permission is required before copies can be made.

Further Information