Lea Genealogical Records

Lea 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.

Lea Baptisms (1813-1855)

Digital images of baptism registers, searchable by a name index. These records detail relationships between parents and their children and may detail where they lived and how they made a living.

Lea Baptisms (1583-1812)

Digital images of baptism registers, searchable by a name index. They list parents' names - their occupations, residence and sometimes other details.

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.

Lea 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.

Lea Marriages (1815-1855)

Digital images of marriage registers, searchable by a name index. Details may include residence, marital status, parents' names and witnesses.

Lea Banns Records (1800-1812)

The Banns register of Lea gives details on those who intended to marry. They record an individual's real parish of residence if they moved to a parish temporarily for the purpose of a marriage.

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.

British Marriage Records (1392-2011)

A collection of indexes and transcripts of marriage records that cover over 160 million people. Includes digital images of many records.

Lea 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.

Lea Burials (1813-1858)

Digital images of burial registers, searchable by a name index. Lists the deceased's name, residence and age. Some records may contain the names of relations, cause of death and more.

Lea Burials (1583-1812)

Digital images of burial registers, searchable by a name index. They record the date someone was buried, their age & residence.

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.

Lea 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.

Gloucestershire Wills & Administrations (1801-1858)

An index to 14,195 wills proved by the Consistory Court of Gloucester. The index includes the testor's name, residence, occupation document type and reference.

1901 British Census (1901)

The 1901 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.

1891 British Census (1891)

The 1891 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.

Newspapers Covering Lea

Gloucester Citizen (1877-1945)

A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the Gloucester area. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.

Cheltenham Looker-On (1833-1920)

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

Hereford Times (1832-1867)

Local news; notices of births, marriages and deaths; business notices; details on the proceedings of public institutions; adverts and a rich tapestry of other local information from the Hereford district. Every line of text from the newspaper can be searched and images of the original pages viewed.

Cheltenham Chronicle (1809-1950)

A searchable newspaper providing a rich variety of information about the people and places of the Cheltenham district. Includes obituaries and family announcements.

Gloucester Journal (1793-1950)

Local news; notices of births, marriages and deaths; business notices; details on the proceedings of public institutions; adverts and a rich tapestry of other local information from the Gloucester district. Every line of text from the newspaper can be searched and images of the original pages viewed.

Lea 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.

Diocese of Gloucestershire Wills & Inventories (1541-1858)

Digital images of over 85,000 wills and inventories, searchable by a name index. The records may provide information on possessions, land held and family relationships.

Wills Proved by the Consistory Court of Gloucester (1660-1800)

An index to wills proved in the Consistory Court of Gloucester. The index includes the testator's name & residence.

Wills Proved by the Consistory Court of Gloucester (1541-1650)

An index to wills proved in the Consistory Court of Gloucester. The index includes the testator's name & residence.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Admon Index (1559-1660)

An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.

Lea 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.

Lea Military Records

Herefordshire WWI Memorials (1914-1918)

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

Herefordshire WWII Memorials (1914-1918)

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

Prisoners of War of British Army (1939-1945)

A searchable list of over 100,000 British Army POWs. Records contains details on the captured, their military career and where they were held prisoner.

British Prisoners of World War II (1939-1945)

Details on around 165,000 men serving in the British Army, Navy and Air Force who were held as prisoners during WWII.

British Army WWI Medal Rolls (1914-1920)

Index and original images of over 5 million medal index cards for British soldiers It can be searched by individual's name, Coprs, Unit and Regiment. Due to the loss of many WWI service records, this is the most complete source for British WWI soldiers

Home Office Prison Calendars (1868-1929)

Records of over 300,000 prisoners held by quarter sessions in England & Wales. Records may contain age, occupation, criminal history, offence and trial proceedings.

Central Criminal Court After-trial Calendars (1855-1931)

Over 175,000 records detailing prisoner's alleged offences and the outcome of their trial. Contains genealogical information.

England & Wales Electoral Registers (1832-1932)

Digital images of ledgers recording those registered to vote, searchable by an index of 220 million names. Entries list name, address, qualification to vote, description of property and sometimes age and occupation.

Prison Hulk Registers (1802-1849)

From the late 18th century many prisoners in Britain were kept on decommissioned ships known as hulks. This collection contains nearly 50 years of registers for various ships. Details given include: prisoner's name, date received, age, year of birth and conviction details.

England & Wales Criminal Registers (1791-1892)

This collection lists brief details on 1.55 million criminal cases in England and Wales between 1791 and 1892. Its primary use is to locate specific legal records, which may give further details on the crime and the accused. Details may include the accused's age, nature of crime, location of trial and sentence. Early records can contain a place of birth.

Lea Taxation Records

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.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures (1710-1811)

An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.

Red Book of the Exchequer (1066-1230)

A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.

Index to Death Duty Registers (1796-1903)

An index to wills and administrations that incurred a death duty tax. The index can be used to order documents that give a brief abstract of the will and details on the duty. It can be used as a make-shift probate index.

Lea Land & Property Records

Herefordshire Field Names (1839-1846)

An index to fields and their owners, extracted from tithe apportionments.

The Red Book (1240-1274)

An account of the Hereford bishopric estates in the 13th century.

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.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

UK Poll Books and Electoral Rolls (1538-1893)

Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.

Lea Directories & Gazetteers

Directory of Herefordshire (1934)

A directory of the county's settlements, followed by listings of their principal residents, men of commerce and professionals.

Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire (1934)

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 Herefordshire (1934)

A directory of residents and businesses; with a description of each settlement, containing details on its history, public institutions, churches, postal services, governance and more.

Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire (1917)

A collection of directories detailing the history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents of Herefordshire.

Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire (1913)

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

Lea Cemeteries

Herefordshire Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Herefordshire'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.

Lea 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.

Lea Histories & Books

Herefordshire Placenames (1086-1916)

A dictionary of places in Herefordshire listing variations in the rendering of place names.

Herefordshire's Past (90000 BC-1875)

A series of articles covering the period from the Palaeolithic period up until the late 19th century.

Herefordshire Church Photographs (1890-Present)

Photographs and images of churches in Herefordshire.

Herefordshire Monuments (4000 BC-Present)

A database containing 1,000 of movable and immovable artifacts and buildings found or located in Herefordshire.

Visit Herefordshire Churches (1035-Present)

Profiles of parish churches in Herefordshire, with interior & exterior photographs and details for visiting.

Lea 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.

Lea Occupation & Business Records

Stationer Apprentices from Herefordshire (1605-1625)

A list of Herefordshire boys who were apprenticed to the Company of Stationers in London. Includes father's names.

Lost Pubs of Herefordshire (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.

Railway Employment Records (1833-1963)

A rich collection of records documenting those who worked for railway companies that were later absorbed by the government. Records include: staff registers, station transfers, pensions, accident records, apprentice records, caution books, and memos. Records may include date of birth, date of death and name of father.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Lea

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.

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

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

Lea Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

Herefordshire Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Herefordshire'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.

Knights of England (1127-1904)

The most comprehensive listing of Knights of the Crown, listing details where known to the order, date, place and reason for elevation.

Lea Church Records

Lea Parish Registers (1583-1812)

The parish registers of __PLACE__ are the primary source for birth, marriage and death details before civil registration (1837). A full index to names with original images of the registers are available between 1583 and 1812. Parish registers can assist tracing a family as far back as 1583.

Gazetteer of Herefordshire Chapels (1670-2000)

Short profiles and references to the geographic location of chapels in the county.

Hereford Diocese Clergy (1275-1900)

Lists of the Bishop of Hereford and position holders of its subordinate bodies.

Hereford Bishops' Registers (1275-1387)

A transcription of registers that record the affairs of the diocese, such as governance, ordination, judicial matters, visitations, confirmations etc.

The Red Book (1240-1274)

An account of the Hereford bishopric estates in the 13th century.

Biographical Directories Covering Lea

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.

Lea Maps

Maps of Herefordshire (1610-1900)

Digital images of maps covering the county.

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.

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.

Parish Maps of Britain (1832)

Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.

Lea 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

THE LEA is a parish and village on the Ross and Gloucester road, on the Gloucestershire border, 4 ½ miles southeast from Ross, 11 ½ north-west from Gloucester, 18 ½ from Hereford, in the Southern division of the county, St. Briavel’s (Gloucestershire) hundred, Ross county court district, union and petty sessional division, rural deanery of The Forest (north), archdeaconry of Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Part of Lea was in Gloucestershire until 1844, and the township was divided into Lea Hereford and Lea Gloucester, but by the Acts 7 & 8 Vic. cap. 61, and 2 & 3 Wm. IV. cap. 64, it was added to Herefordshire for all purposes. Mitcheldean Road station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester section of the Great Western railway is in this parish, 128 miles from London. The church of St. John the Baptist is a building of old red sandstone, in the Transition Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, north porch and a western tower with spire containing 3 bells: the east window is stained: there is a very old chest about 600 years old in the church; the church was restored in 1854, at a cost of £800, and has 123 sittings. The register dates from the year 1581. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £200, including 2 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the vicar of Linton, and held since 1892 by the Rev. Henry Edward Hodson M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford. The charities are now (1895) of £7 yearly value, arising from 2 houses left in 1675 by Mr. Thomas Nourse. Maynard Willoughby Colchester-Wemyss esq. of Adsett Court, Westbury-on-Sevem, is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is red sandy loam; subsoil, marl and rock. The chief crops are wheat and roots. The area is 793 acres; rateable value, £1,986; the population in 1891 was 224.

Parochial School, with house for mistress (mixed), for 80 children; average attendance, 59.

Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire (1895)

Most Common Surnames in Lea

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Greytree Hundred
1Bennett181:108.65%77
2Little91:2023.08%471
3Morgan81:230.55%11
3James81:230.92%17
3Lodge81:2366.67%1,231
6Close71:2650.00%1,092
6Christopher71:2610.94%284
6Manaton71:26100.00%1,884
9Taylor61:310.55%13
9Thomas61:310.55%14
9Edwards61:310.64%16
9Parker61:312.53%63
9Price61:310.33%5
9Gatfield61:3135.29%948
15Yemm51:3722.73%775
15Boobbyer51:37100.00%2,425
17Morris41:460.32%12
17Dobbs41:466.78%305
17Chinn41:4666.67%2,121
20Hughes31:610.51%26
20Jackson31:611.71%95
20Powell31:610.15%4
20Wilks31:613.33%201
24Smith21:920.11%6
24Davis21:920.24%19
24Hunt21:921.87%170
24Hodges21:920.50%37
24Drew21:921.00%81
24Wintle21:9211.11%894
24Guise21:9233.33%2,121
24Gutsell21:9266.67%3,197
24Shott21:9218.18%1,309
24Ronalds21:92100.00%3,674
24Boroughs21:92100.00%3,674
35Cooper11:1830.46%72
35Jenkins11:1830.16%25
35Palmer11:1830.43%65
35Wells11:1836.25%985
35Hawkins11:1831.15%205
35Pratt11:1832.00%362
35Baldwin11:1830.47%74
35Brookes11:1830.52%83
35Aston11:1832.38%437
35Drinkwater11:1833.33%593
35Rosser11:1833.33%593
35Maddocks11:183100.00%4,436
35Loveday11:183100.00%4,436
35Brace11:1830.62%106
35Handy11:1836.67%1,034
35Kington11:1835.56%894
35Bennell11:18312.50%1,687
35Cadle11:18312.50%1,687
35Muck11:183100.00%4,436