Preece Family History and One Name Study

The website dedicated to the research of Preece individuals and families worldwide


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Database Sources

Dates Covered

The database covers entries from the late 1500's right up to quite recently, but the largest section is probably between 1800 and 1900.

I always have varying levels of entries, usually into the several thousands, waiting to be added to my files, either direct from computer or [more slowly] from paper records. These will be reflected in the figures below once they are added. As a rough guide, the types and numbers of records held at present is shown below. There will always be a small number in categories not shown below.


I have spent very many hours in Record Offices over the years transcribing entries, many long before we had the huge benefits of viewing original records on our computers screens at home!

In addition, my thanks to the many people who have contributed to the database by sending details of the Preece entries in their own families or simply noted during research into other names.

Thanks must also go to all those people, both present and past, who have given many hours to transcription projects, and therefore allow easier [free] access to many records, such as Parish Registers and Census extracts.

If you are interested in getting involved in transcription projects, please click here. If you have days to spare, or just an hour or two, your efforts will be gratefully received.  You can help wherever you may be in the world.

PLEA FOR HELP/ADDITIONS!

The database continues to grow, and I have a constant stream of new records to enter. However, I am always on the lookout for more, particularly parish register entries to match with GRO entries.

All contributions welcome - if you would like to be acknowledged here on the site please do let me know.

Present Database size
Count date 1 Oct 2023
Records held - 181214
Births 7650
Baptisms 16773
Marriages 13874
Deaths 5274
Burials 7290
Census **
49941
Trade Directories 4283
Wills/Admins 1064
GRO Births 23389
GRO Marriages 15836
GRO Deaths 14835
Marriage Witness **
8571
Executors/Admins. **
1295
Military Records
2990
Ship Passenger Records
1968
Electoral Rolls
6181
** These totals will include Preece and non-Preece entries


Sources Consulted

A detailed look at some of the records consulted can be seen on the Sources Used page, but this is a summary of the main type of records used.

GRO Indexes

Parish Registers, microfilm copies, original registers and transcriptions

Census returns, microfilm copies and transcriptions

Trade Directories, microfilm copies and original books

War Records, service records, medal records, those who died and those held as Prisoner of War

IGI, Ancestral File and Pedigree File

National Index of Wills and Administrations

Monumental Inscriptions

Migration/Emigration records

and last, but not least, personal records and family trees passed to me by others researching Preece.

If you can suggest further sources  - the more unusual the better - please let me know.

Records Available on this Site

Due to the complexities involved, and the time, I have not set up access to my database in full on-line. In addition, some of the records I have extracted are from resources which can be searched on-line elsewhere - the aim of my site is to bring all such resources within one database, and to then present some of the rarer records or to combine records to help other researchers, for example with my parish record/GRO Index entry matching project.