Willen Genealogical Records

Willen Birth & Baptism Records

England & Wales Birth Index (1837-2006)

An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

British Birth and Baptism Records (1400-2010)

A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.

FreeBMD Births (1837-1957)

An index to births registered at the central authority for England & Wales. The index provides the area where the birth was registered, mother's maiden name from September 1911 and a reference to order a birth certificate.

British Army Birth Index (1761-2005)

An index to births registered to British Army personal at home and abroad.

Birth Notices from The Times (1983-2003)

An index to over 100,000 birth and christening notices from The London Times.

Willen Marriage & Divorce Records

England & Wales Marriage Index (1837-2008)

An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Willen Marriage Index (1660-1774)

Brief notes on marriages that occurred at the church between 1660 and 1774.

Lincoln Diocese Marriage Licences (1598-1628)

Abstracts of documents grating couples a right to marry in church by licences issued by Lincoln Diocese. The abstracts list name, condition, occupation, residence, age and other details.

Vicar General’s Office Marriage Licences (1600-1679)

Abstracts of marriage licences granted by the Vicar-General in London. These licences could be used to marry in any church in the Province of Canterbury.

Buckinghamshire Marriage Transcripts (1538-1837)

Transcriptions of 56 parish marriage registers. They list brides and grooms, their residence, marital status and occasionally other details.

Willen Death & Burial Records

England & Wales Death Index (1837-2006)

An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Deceased Online (1629-Present)

Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.

British Death and Burial Records (1379-2014)

A collection of indexes and transcripts of death and burial records that cover over 140 million people. Includes digital images of many records.

FreeBMD Deaths (1837-1964)

An index to deaths registered at the central authority for England and Wales. To 1866, only the locality the death was registered in was listed. Age was listed until 1969, when the deceased's date of birth was listed. Provides a reference to order a death certificate, which has further details.

British Army Death Index (1796-2005)

An index to deaths of British Army personal at home and abroad.

Willen Census & Population Lists

1939 Register (1939)

An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.

England, Wales, IoM & Channel Islands 1911 Census (1911)

The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

Buckinghamshire Contributions for Ireland (1642)

A list of Buckinghamshire residents who supplied money to fund the suppression of rebellion in Ireland.

Buckinghamshire Subsidy Roll (1524)

A transcription of records detailing taxes paid in Buckinghamshire.

Buckinghamshire Certificate of Musters (1522)

An early census of heads of households, with details on their worth for taxation.

Newspapers Covering Willen

Luton Times and Advertiser (1856-1880)

Original images of a local newspaper, searchable via a full text index. Includes news from the Luton area, business notices, obituaries, family announcements and more.

Northampton Mercury (1770-1904)

A local newspaper including news from the Northampton district, business notices, family announcements, legal & governmental proceedings, advertisements and more.

Herts Guardian (1852-1867)

A regional newspaper primarily covering Hertfordshire, but also Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Middlesex. Its coverage was biased towards agricultural issues and affairs. It contained announcements of births, marriages and deaths.

Bucks Herald (1833-1909)

A conservative newspaper covering news in the county of Buckinghamshire, particularly the district of Aylesbury. Contains family announcements, business notices, advertisements and other items of interest to family historians.

The Daily Herald (1926)

A London newspaper that later became The Sun.

Willen Wills & Probate Records

England & Wales National Probate Calendar (1858-1966)

Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.

Early Lincoln Wills (1280-1547)

Abstracts of early wills, naming legates etc., from the Diocese of Lincoln, covering parts of Lincolnshire and surrounding counties.

Consistory Court of Lincoln Probate Index (1601-1652)

Index of wills proved in the Consistory Court of Lincoln. Provides a reference which can be used to locate records.

Calendars of Lincoln Wills (1601-1652)

A list of wills proved by the Consistory Court of Lincoln.

Consistory Court of Lincoln Administrations (1540-1659)

An index to records administering deceased's estates in the Diocese of Lincoln.

Willen Immigration & Travel Records

Passenger Lists Leaving UK (1890-1960)

A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.

UK Incoming Passenger Lists (1878-1960)

A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.

Victoria Assisted & Unassisted Passenger Lists (1839-1923)

An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.

Alien Arrivals in England (1810-1869)

Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.

17th Century British Emigrants to the U.S. (1600-1700)

Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.

Willen Military Records

Oxfordshire & Bucks Light Infantry Chronicle (1914-1920)

A record of the regiment covering topics from lists of fallen to sports during the time of WWI.

The Buckinghamshire Posse Comitatus (1798)

A survey of Buckinghamshire men who were eligible and able to serve in the military. Includes occupations and a name index.

Buckinghamshire Contributions for Ireland (1642)

A list of Buckinghamshire residents who supplied money to fund the suppression of rebellion in Ireland.

Buckinghamshire WWI Memorials (1914-1918)

A list of names found on World War One monuments in Buckinghamshire, with some service details.

Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Soldiers (1800-1945)

An index to over 125,000 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire soldiers whose records are deposited with the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum.

Calendars of Buckinghamshire Quarter Sessions (1678-1733)

Abstracts of records covering minor legal matters in Buckinghamshire.

Archdeaconry of Buckingham Episcopal Visitation Book (1662)

Legal records created as the result of the visitation of the bishop to the parishes in the Archdeaconry

Courts of the Archdeaconry of Buckingham (1483-1523)

Transcripts of wills and proceedings of the ecclesiastical courts of the Archdeaconry of Buckingham. These records are in Latin.

Buckinghamshire Feet of Fines (1195-1250)

Transcriptions of early Buckinghamshire land records. These records have been translated to English.

Calendar of Buckinghamshire Records (1390-1800)

Abstracts of various deeds, settlements and other records pertaining to Buckinghamshire. Records are ordered by parish and list their reference number.

Willen Taxation Records

Buckinghamshire Contributions for Ireland (1642)

A list of Buckinghamshire residents who supplied money to fund the suppression of rebellion in Ireland.

Buckinghamshire Subsidy Roll (1524)

A transcription of records detailing taxes paid in Buckinghamshire.

Early Buckinghamshire Taxation Returns (1217-1513)

A collection of early taxation records, including a very detailed 1332 lay subsidy, which lists peoples' personal effects and their value.

Ship Money Papers & Richard Grenville's Note-Book (1635-1647)

A collection of records detailing taxes and agreements relating to shipping.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Willen Land & Property Records

Early Buckinghamshire Charters (1200-1300)

Transcriptions of deeds and charters from various collections. These records primarily detail the affairs of land-owners.

Buckinghamshire Feet of Fines (1195-1250)

Transcriptions of early Buckinghamshire land records. These records have been translated to English.

Calendar of Buckinghamshire Records (1390-1800)

Abstracts of various deeds, settlements and other records pertaining to Buckinghamshire. Records are ordered by parish and list their reference number.

Buckinghamshire Feet of Fines (1327-1509)

Abstracts of lawsuits over Buckinghamshire land. Digital images of some records are available on an external site.

Calendar of the Roll of the Justices on Eyre (1227-1228)

Abstracts of records produced by itinerant justices from Westminster in Buckinghamshire. These records largely deal with land disputes.

Willen Directories & Gazetteers

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire (1939)

An exhaustive gazetteer, containing details of settlement's history, governance, churches, postal services, public institutions and more. Also contains lists of residents with their occupation and address.

Kelly's Directory of Berks, Bucks & Oxon (1939)

A directory of the counties detailing its history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire (1935)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire (1931)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire (1928)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Willen Cemeteries

Buckinghamshire Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Buckinghamshire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.

Deceased Online (1629-Present)

Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Mausolea and Monuments (1500-Present)

Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.

Maritime Memorials (1588-1950)

Several thousand transcribed memorials remembering those connected with the nautical occupations.

Willen Obituaries

iAnnounce Obituaries (2006-Present)

The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.

United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection (1882-Present)

A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.

Quakers Annual Monitor (1847-1848)

A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.

Musgrave's Obituaries (1421-1800)

This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.

British Medical Journal (1849-Present)

A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.

Willen Histories & Books

Victoria County History: Buckinghamshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

Buckinghamshire Church Photographs (1890-Present)

Photographs and images of churches in Buckinghamshire.

Buckinghamshire Vocabulary (1850-1897)

A dictionary of words from the Buckinghamshire dialect.

Buckinghamshire Church Photos (1909-2007)

A collection of photographs of Anglican and non-conformist churches.

Buckinghamshire Photos (1886-2007)

Photographs ordered by settlement.

Willen School & Education Records

National School Admission & Log Books (1870-1914)

A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.

Teacher's Registration Council Registers (1870-1948)

A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.

Oxford University Alumni (1500-1886)

A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900)

A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Cambridge Alumni Database (1198-1910)

A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.

Willen Occupation & Business Records

Buckinghamshire Pub Histories (1820-Present)

Histories of Buckinghamshire pubs, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.

South England Mines Index (1896)

Profiles of coal and metal mines in the south of England.

Lost Pubs of Buckinghamshire (1750-Present)

Short histories of former public houses, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.

British Trade Union Membership Registers (1870-1999)

An index to and images of registers recording over 3.7 million trade union members.

UK Medical Registers (1859-1959)

Books listing doctors who were licensed to operate in Britain and abroad. Contains doctor's residencies, qualification and date of registration.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Willen

Victoria County History: Buckinghamshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1902)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Willen Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

Victoria County History: Buckinghamshire (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

Buckinghamshire Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Buckinghamshire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Visitation of England and Wales (1700-1899)

Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.

Willen Church Records

Lincoln Episcopal Records (1571-1584)

Records relating to the administration of Lincoln Diocese. Includes act books and bishop's registers.

State of the Church: Eliz I & James I (1571-1606)

Extracts from the records of the Diocese of Lincoln, including visitations, subsidy rolls, clergy lists, records relating to papists and non-conformists etc.

Rotuli Ricardi Gravesend (1259-1279)

Records relating to the administration of Lincoln Diocese.

Rotuli Hugonis de Welles, Vol. I (1186-1203)

Records relating to the administration of Lincoln Diocese.

Rotuli Hugonis de Welles, Vol. II (1186-1203)

Records relating to the administration of Lincoln Diocese.

Biographical Directories Covering Willen

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1902)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1885)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Crockford's Clerical Directories (1868-1914)

Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.

The Concise Dictionary of National Biography (1654-1930)

A directory containing lengthy biographies of noted British figures. The work took over two decades to compile. Biographies can be searched by name and are linked to images of the original publication.

Willen Maps

Maps of Buckinghamshire (1610-1892)

A collection of digitalised maps covering the county.

Buckinghamshire Hundreds Maps (1847)

Topographical maps of each of the counties hundreds.

Lysson's Map of Berkshire (1806)

The map of Berkshire that appeared in the Magna Britania.

UK Popular Edition Maps (1919-1926)

Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.

Ordnance Survey 1:10 Maps (1840-1890)

Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.

Willen Reference Works

England Research Guide (1538-Present)

A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.

Parish Register Abstract (1538-1812)

Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.

Building History Research Guide (1066-Present)

A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.

Surname Origins (1790-1911)

A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.

British Family Mottoes (1189-Present)

A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.

Historical Description

WILLEN is a parish and village, 2 miles south from Newport Pagnell station on the Wolverton and Newport Pagnell branch of the London and North Western railway, in the Northern division of the county, hundred, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Newport Pagnell, archdeaconry of Buckingham, rural deanery of Bletchley and diocese of Oxford. The Grand Junction canal passes on the west and the river Ouse forms its boundary on the east. The church of St. Mary Magdalen, built in 1680 by Sir Christopher Wren, and restored in 1862, is a substantial edifice of brick, in the Italian style, consisting of nave with eastern apse, south porch and a tower containing 3 bells; the apse was added in 1862; all the windows are stained, and there are 80 sittings. The register dates from the year 1665. The living is a vicarage, net income £95, with residence and 20 acres of glebe, in the gift of the trustees of Dr. Busby, and held since 1888 by the Rev. Rodney Granville Randolph M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford. A charity of £1 a year, bequeathed by Dr. Busby, is given in books, and his trustees also give £14 a year to the poor, besides supporting the school. The trustees of Dr. Busby are lords of the manor and sole landowners. The soil is mixed; subsoil, gravel and stone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and roots. The area is 669 acres of land and 9 of water; assessable value, £868; the population in 1891 was 86.

School, built in 1847, for 30 children; average attendance, 24, & supported by the trustees of Dr. Busby.

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire (1899)

The parish church of Wylien, about a mile and a half south from Newport Pagnell, is a small brick building, erected in 1680, at the expence of Dr. Busby, formerly master of Westminster school, who gave a library for the vicar, and endowed the vicarage with the great tithes. He appointed 22 lectures on the catechism to be preached annually in this church, and vested the advowson in trustees, directing that they should nominate from time to time, a student of Christ-Church in Oxford, who had been educated at Westminster school.

Topography of Great Britain (1829) by George Alexander Cooke

Most Common Surnames in Willen

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Newport Hundred
1Markham91:104.13%138
2Goodman71:122.86%109
2Clare71:125.26%273
2Feilds71:12100.00%3,038
5Rose61:141.05%25
5Yates61:144.55%276
5Whiting61:144.80%307
5Wickham61:1454.55%2,197
9Garner51:172.89%192
9Stanton51:176.02%451
11Thompson31:291.46%154
12Robinson21:430.43%37
12Payne21:430.42%34
12Chance21:438.00%1,241
12Benthall21:43100.00%5,524
16Barnes11:860.27%56
16West11:860.19%27
16Harding11:860.22%36
16Whitehead11:860.70%241
16Abbott11:860.78%297
16Benson11:863.23%1,052
16Faulkner11:860.42%122
16Healy11:863.03%999
16Scrivens11:86100.00%6,654
16Packwood11:86100.00%6,654
16Landon11:862.44%825