Bekesbourne Genealogical Records

Bekesbourne 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.

St Peter, Bekesbourne Baptism Records (1558-1912)

Baptism registers document the baptism and sometimes birth of people in and around St Peter, Bekesbourne. They list parents' names - their occupations, residence and sometimes other details.

Kent Bishop's Transcripts (1560-1911)

Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Kent Parish Registers (1538-1911)

Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.

Kent PR Index (1538-1870)

An index to around 40,000 various parish register extracts for Kent.

Bekesbourne 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.

St Peter, Bekesbourne Banns Records (1754-1928)

The Banns register of St Peter, Bekesbourne 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.

St Peter, Bekesbourne Banns Records (1754-1928)

Registers of those who intended to marry. An intended marriage was called for three weeks at church, so parishioners could voice objection to the marriage. Contains details on an individual's parish of residence.

St Peter, Bekesbourne Marriage Records (1558-1928)

An index to marriages in St Peter, Bekesbourne listing the date of marriage and the names of the bride and groom.

Canterbury Diocese Marriage Licences (1751-1837)

Abstracts of marriages licences granted by the Diocese of Canterbury. These records can contain more details than marriage records, including details such as age, occupation, residence and names of parents or guardians.

Bekesbourne 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.

St Peter, Bekesbourne Burial Records (1558-1934)

Records of burial for people buried at St Peter, Bekesbourne between 1558 and 1934. Details include the deceased's name, residence and age.

Kent Bishop's Transcripts (1560-1911)

Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Kent Parish Registers (1538-1911)

Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.

Kent PR Index (1538-1870)

An index to around 40,000 various parish register extracts for Kent.

Bekesbourne 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.

Kent Hearth Tax (1664)

A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.

Kent Register of Electors (1570-1907)

Browsable images of Kent electoral rolls poll books, which list those eligible to vote as well as lists of freemen, apprentices, burgess records and militia musters.

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.

Newspapers Covering Bekesbourne

Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald (1909-1929)

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

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald (1867-1904)

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 Whitstable district. Every line of text from the newspaper can be searched and images of the original pages viewed.

Dover Express (1858-1949)

A database allowing full text searches of a newspaper covering local news, family announcements, obituaries, court proceedings, business notices and more in the Dover area.

Kent & Sussex Courier (1873-1939)

A conservative-oriented newspaper reporting on local news, births, marriages and deaths in the two counties.

Kent & Sussex Courier (1873-1950)

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

Bekesbourne 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.

Wills & Admons at Canterbury Probate Registry (1396-1650)

An index to probates and administrations held at Canterbury Probate Registry. Contains details on the testator, type of grant, residence, occupation and reference to order the original.

Tyler's Index to Kent Wills (1460-1882)

Abstracts and references to 10,000s of wills and probate documents, primarily from East Kent.

Diocese of Rochester Wills and Probate (1662-1784)

Browsable images of inventories. Also includes freeman papers for Queenborough.

Archdeaconry of Rochester Wills and Probate (1635-1857)

Browsable images of administrations, inventories and wills.

Bekesbourne Immigration & Travel Records

Prisoners Transported from Kent (1851-1852)

A small list of convicts transported to the colonies.

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.

Bekesbourne Military Records

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (1914-1920)

A great deal of information relating to the regiment, including a thorough history, biographical details, photographs, information on honours etc.

West Kent Queen's Own Yeomanry (1794-1909)

A general history of the yeomanry, including extracts from original records

Victoria County History of Kent, Vol. 3 (43-1900)

A volume from the most respected work concerning English history. It covers military history, country houses, industry, roads and a transcription of Domesday entries relating to Kent.

QORWKR Battalion Orders (1914-1916)

A finding aid for records detailing orders relating to ordinary rank men in the Royal West Kent Regiment.

Kent Voluntary Aid Detachments (1914-1918)

Details of voluntary aid workers in Kent during WWI.

Kentish Prison Hulk Registers (1811-1843)

Registers recording details of around 9,000 prisoners held in ships stationed in Kent. Records describe a convict's name, age, place of birth, physical description, offence, conviction, sentence, discharge and conduct report.

Kent Workhouse Records (1777-1911)

Over 70,000 browsable pages detailing the administration of poor law unions in Kent. Records contain details on births, marriages & deaths; punishments; admissions and discharges and more.

Kent Quarter Sessions Index (1657-1804)

A name index to 1,000s of people mentioned in legal records relating to crime and administration. The records include settlements, removals and bastardy orders.

Kent Quarter Sessions & Court Files (1558-1899)

Legal records covering a variety of issues from land to bastardy.

Act Books of the Archbishops of Canterbury (1663-1859)

An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.

Bekesbourne Taxation Records

Poll Book for the County of Kent (1832)

A list of those who voted in the election, stating their residence and for who they voted.

Kent Hearth Tax (1664)

A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.

Kent Land Tax Assessments (1689-1832)

Browsable images of registers that record owners and occupiers of land. Useful for tracing succession of freehold and tenancies.

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.

Bekesbourne Land & Property Records

Poll Book for the County of Kent (1832)

A list of those who voted in the election, stating their residence and for who they voted.

Kent Land Tax Assessments (1689-1832)

Browsable images of registers that record owners and occupiers of land. Useful for tracing succession of freehold and tenancies.

Kent Register of Electors (1570-1907)

Browsable images of Kent electoral rolls poll books, which list those eligible to vote as well as lists of freemen, apprentices, burgess records and militia musters.

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.

Bekesbourne Directories & Gazetteers

Canterbury & District Directory (1917-1918)

A court, street, resident, trade and professional directory of Canterbury and its district.

Kelly's Directory of Kent (1938)

A directory of settlements in Kent detailing their history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.

Kelly's Directory of Kent (1938)

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 Kent (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 Kent (1930)

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.

Bekesbourne Cemeteries

Kent Monumental Inscriptions (1500-1920)

Transcriptions of thousands of memorials and headstones found in Kent.

Kent Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Kent'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.

Bekesbourne 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.

Bekesbourne Histories & Books

History & Topographical Survey of Kent (1189-1801)

A sprawling work containing a detailed history of the county and each parish.

Victoria County History: Kent (1086-1900)

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

Victoria County History of Kent, Vol. 3 (43-1900)

A volume from the most respected work concerning English history. It covers military history, country houses, industry, roads and a transcription of Domesday entries relating to Kent.

Kent Church Photographs (1890-Present)

Photographs and images of churches in Kent.

Kent Church Photographs (1851-Present)

Photographs of parish churches in Hampshire, with architectural details and extracts from the 1851 ecclesiastical census.

Bekesbourne 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.

Bekesbourne Occupation & Business Records

Canterbury Teaching and Medical Licences (1568-1646)

A calendar to licences granted by Diocese of Canterbury to teachers, physicians and apothecaries.

Smuggling in Kent (1697-1830)

Articles detailing several smuggling gangs that operated in the county.

Smuggling on the South East Coast (1675-1871)

An introduction to smuggling in on the east coast of England, with details of the act in various regions.

Smuggling on the East Coast (1600-1892)

An introduction to smuggling on the east coast of England, with details of the act in various regions.

Kent Pub Histories (1820-Present)

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

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Bekesbourne

Victoria County History: Kent (1086-1900)

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

Pedigrees of Kent Families (1066-1840)

Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Kent's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.

Tyler's Kent Families (1500-1900)

A collection of pedigrees, family notes and historical extracts relating to Kent and its families.

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.

Bekesbourne Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

Victoria County History: Kent (1086-1900)

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

Pedigrees of Kent Families (1066-1840)

Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Kent's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.

Kent Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Kent'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.

Bekesbourne Church Records

Bekesbourne Parish Registers (1558-1934)

The parish registers of Bekesbourne are the primary source for birth, marriage and death details before civil registration (1837). Unindexed original images of the registers are available between 1558 and 1934. Parish registers can assist tracing a family back numerous generations.

Visitations of the Archdeacon of Canterbury (1557-1679)

Extracts relating to the ecclesiastical history of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury.

Kent Church Photographs (1851-Present)

Photographs of parish churches in Hampshire, with architectural details and extracts from the 1851 ecclesiastical census.

Kent Bishop's Transcripts (1560-1911)

Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Kent Parish Registers (1538-1911)

Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.

Biographical Directories Covering Bekesbourne

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.

Bekesbourne Maps

Maps of Kent (1522-1922)

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.

Bekesbourne 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

Bekesbourne, which is a member of the town and port of Hastings, in Sussex. William de Beke formerly held this manor in grand serjeantry, by the service of finding one ship for the King whenever he passed the seas. Philipot says, the branch of the Stour was navigable to this place in the reign of Edward III. There was a chantry in the church, founded in 1314, by James de Bourne, the revenues of which were afterwards given to the hospital of Eastbridge, in Canterbury. The archbishops of Canterbury had here a small but elegant palace, which was nearly destroyed in the civil wars of the 17th century. The remaining buildings were subsequently converted into a dwelling-house, which is now occupied as a private residence. The gateway of the palace was pulled down within these few years.— It was built of brick, and had, in the middle of its front, the arms of Cranmer. On the inside of the gateway was a stone, on which was A. D.—T. C.— 1552; and underneath was the Archbishop's motto, Bosce Teipsum.

The parish of Bekesbourne lies pleasantly among small enclosures, sheltered with trees and woodland, especially the western part of it, and stretching eastward to the high downy country. It is but small, being about a mile and a half in length, and not more than half a mile broad. The soil is mostly fertile near the valley, and well suited for hops, of which there are several plantations.

Topography of Great Britain (1829) by George Alexander Cooke

BEKESBOURNE is a parish and village, on the Little Stour, with a station on the South Eastern and Chatham railway, 3 miles east-south-east from Canterbury and 59 from London by road and 64 by railway, in the Eastern division of the county, lathe of St. Augustine, Bridge hundred and union, petty sessional division and county court district of Canterbury, rural deanery of East Bridge, and archdeaconry and diocese of Canterbury, and is also partly in the city and county of the city of Canterbury. This parish is a member of the Cinque port of Hastings and was formerly a borough. The church of St. Peter is in the Norman, Early English and later styles, and has a tower containing 6 bells: in the church are memorials to the families of Palmer, Hales, Fagge, Eden and Gardner and various memorial windows: the church was restored in 1882—8 at a cost of about £3,000, and has 150 sittings, about 100 being free. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a vicarage, net income £200, with residence, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and held since 1698 by the Rev. Albert Richard Pritchard M.A. of Lincoln College, Oxford. In this parish is the Sanatorium of the Bridge Rural District Council. The Old Palace, an ancient house, formerly a country residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury, is now in the occupation of Col. Evelyn Campbell Money. George Bowdler Gipps esq. of 23 Prince Edward mansions, Palace court, London W., who is lord of the manor, and the Marquess Conyngham are the principal landowners. The soil is clay, gravel and chalk; subsoil, chalk. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and hops. The area is 1,115 acres; assessable value, £1,953; the population in 1901 was 330.

National School (mixed), for 70 children; average attendance, 70.

Kelly's Directory of Kent (1903)

Most Common Surnames in Bekesbourne

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Bridge and Petham Hundred
1Munns191:189.74%897
2Sladden121:285.97%874
3Johnson111:310.33%12
4Wright91:370.39%26
4Kemp91:370.51%52
6Davis81:420.30%18
6Hoare81:421.62%311
6Brett81:421.37%258
6Fairbrass81:424.40%948
6Bushel81:4224.24%3,879
6Sidders81:425.84%1,212
12Matcham71:487.53%1,689
12Gimber71:4813.21%2,676
12Piett71:48100.00%12,184
15Taylor61:560.11%3
15Stone61:560.45%90
15Marsh61:560.27%30
15Jarvis61:560.53%115
15Ryder61:568.11%2,053
15Hopper61:560.88%211
15Whale61:565.88%1,555
15Kennett61:560.82%196
15Gambrill61:562.82%838
15Foad61:563.70%1,050
15Ruet61:56100.00%13,712
26Jones51:670.12%7
26Wilson51:670.18%16
26Cox51:670.28%53
26Adams51:670.27%43
26Russell51:670.19%19
26Stringer51:671.59%555
26Bean51:670.95%291
26Russ51:6717.86%4,379
26Ongley51:675.88%1,836
35Sutton41:840.29%84
35Preston41:841.80%808
35Cannon41:842.15%935
35Stedman41:841.18%509
35Ede41:843.77%1,505
35Newing41:841.23%536
35Axten41:8466.67%13,712
42Carpenter31:1120.39%182
42Uden31:1121.21%718
42Ellender31:1123.16%1,650
42Code31:11227.27%8,577
46Smith21:1680.01%1
46Brown21:1680.03%2
46Gardner21:1680.28%201
46Austin21:1680.16%101
46Clements21:1680.32%245
46Terry21:1680.13%74
46Beer21:1680.40%308
46Pilcher21:1680.21%138
46Munt21:16820.00%9,168
46Cloke21:1680.84%745
46Wildish21:1681.19%1,017
46Sherrard21:1688.33%4,913
46Benefield21:1684.65%3,140
46Tonbridge21:168100.00%24,019
46Carpent21:168100.00%24,019
61Cooper11:3360.04%21
61Butler11:3360.07%75
61Reynolds11:3360.08%102
61Walsh11:3360.34%594
61Bartlett11:3360.16%240
61Dodd11:3360.20%303
61Knott11:3360.16%248
61Mahoney11:3360.52%903
61Wiles11:3360.24%380
61Spratt11:3360.41%727
61Rye11:3360.22%342
61Baggott11:33611.11%9,942
61Aylett11:3361.47%2,209
61Brenchley11:3360.21%324
61Mullard11:33633.33%20,830
61Roland11:33616.67%13,712
61Neame11:3360.50%878
61Billiness11:33650.00%24,019
61Chanelle11:336100.00%28,817