Preston Genealogical Records

Preston 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 Mildred, Preston Baptism Records (1598-1866)

Baptism registers are the primary source for birth documentation before 1837, though are relevant to the present. They record the date a child was baptised, their parents' names and more.

Kent Baptism Transcripts (1538-1874)

Over 130,000 extracted baptism from 207 parishes in Kent. The names of those involved can be searched via an index and are connected to images of the transcription notebooks.

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.

Preston 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 Mildred, Preston Banns Records (1829-1879)

Banns registers record details of those who wished to marry. They sometimes contain information not listed in marriage registers, notably the bride and groom's parish of residence. Banns also record marriages that were intended that did not go ahead and serve as a filler when a marriage register has been lost or damaged.

St Mildred, Preston Banns Records (1829-1879)

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 Mildred, Preston Marriage Records (1598-1928)

Brief notes on marriages occurring in St Mildred, Preston from 1598 to 1928.

Kent Marriage Transcripts (1538-1874)

Over 55,000 extracted marriages from 207 parishes in Kent. The names of those involved can be searched via an index and are connected to images of the transcription notebooks.

Preston 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 Mildred, Preston Burial Records (1598-1903)

Burial records for people buried at St Mildred, Preston between 1598 and 1903. Lists the deceased's name, residence and age.

Kent Burial Transcripts (1538-1874)

Over 100,000 extracted burials from the registers of 207 parishes in Kent. The names of those involved can be searched via an index and are connected to images of the transcription notebooks.

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.

Preston 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 Preston

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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston Directories & Gazetteers

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.

Kelly's Directory of Kent (1922)

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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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 Preston

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.

Preston 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.

Preston Church Records

Preston Parish Registers (1598-1928)

The parish registers of Preston are a collection of books documenting baptisms, marriages and burials from 1598 to 1928.

Kent Parish Register Transcripts (1538-1874)

Over 180,000 extracted entries from the registers of 207 parishes in Kent. The names of those involved can be searched via an index and are connected to images of the transcription notebooks.

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.

Biographical Directories Covering Preston

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.

Preston 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.

Preston 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

About a furlong from Faversham is the village of Preston; the church contains several ancient monuments, particularly a fine alabaster tomb, erected in the year 1629, by the first, or great, Earl of Cork, in memory of his parents, Roger Boyle, Esq. and Joan his wife.

Topography of Great Britain (1829) by George Alexander Cooke

PRESTON (next Wingham) is a small parish, standing on rising ground, above the marshes of the lesser Stour and is 2 ½ miles south-east from Grove Ferry station on the Ashford and Margate section of the South Eastern and Chatham railway, 6 north-west from Sandwich, and 8 north-east from Canterbury, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Preston, lathe of St. Augustine, Wingham petty sessional division, Eastry union, county court district of Sandwich, and in the rural deanery of East Bridge and archdeaconry of Canterbury. The Stour forms the western boundary of the parish. The church of St. Mildred is of flint, chiefly of Early English character, and has a tower of the 13th century containing 5 bells: several of the windows are stained: the church was restored in 1857, and has 280 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £301, in the gift (for this turn) of and held since 1900 by the Rev. Walter Delmar Lindley M.A. who is also rector of and resides at Elmstone: the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury are the lay impropriators. The rectorial tithes are of the yearly value of £515. The Congregational chapel was erected in 1825 and enlarged in 1836. The charities are of about £40 yearly value and include a sum of £12 10s. yearly, left in 1826 by the Rev. John Gregory, formerly vicar of Preston; another of £32 yearly, left in 1524 by Thomas Watts, also a former vicar, and £12 yearly, given by Robert Wyborne, yeoman, of Preston, in 1712. George Elgar Toomer esq. of 1 Beaumont terrace, Dover, who is lord of the manor, Miss Wraith of Eastbourne, and J. M. Vinson esq. of Preston Court, are the principal landowners. The soil is loam; subsoil, gravel. The chief crops are hops, wheat, barley and oats and market produce. The area is 1,487 acres of land and 2 of water and 3 of tidal water; rateable value, £2,600; the population in 1901 was 495 Preston Street and Preston Forstall are in this parish.

Parochial School, Preston Street (mixed), built for 114 children; average attendance, 92.

Kelly's Directory of Kent (1903)

Most Common Surnames in Preston

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Preston Hundred
1Griggs161:283.39%332
2Gibbs151:301.72%150
3Deverson141:3210.07%1,201
4Johnson131:350.39%12
4Martin131:350.26%6
6Fagg121:381.38%151
7Dunn111:411.66%222
7Redman111:414.06%636
9Sayer101:451.66%253
9Bushell101:451.57%236
9Dilnot101:4511.63%1,816
9Shaxted101:4514.29%2,157
13Pace91:5017.31%2,715
14Williams81:560.22%9
14Ralph81:561.17%213
14Austen81:560.69%109
14Collard81:561.84%366
14Rye81:561.74%342
14Belsey81:562.29%484
14Solley81:565.97%1,234
14Elvery81:5617.78%3,032
22Fulton71:6417.95%3,392
22Kennett71:640.96%196
22Beake71:6420.00%3,697
25Cook61:750.24%24
25Long61:750.65%140
25Stannard61:755.71%1,528
25Howland61:751.44%387
25Sladden61:752.99%874
25Danton61:753.95%1,105
25Ellender61:756.32%1,650
25Stanard61:7560.00%9,168
25Couzins61:7524.00%4,779
34Cox51:900.28%53
34Arnold51:900.48%127
34Setterfield51:901.43%484
34Sawkins51:907.94%2,350
34Kenton51:9015.63%3,974
39Bennett41:1130.21%42
39Slater41:1131.38%596
39Simmonds41:1130.61%229
39Jenner41:1130.37%124
39Couzens41:11322.22%6,047
39Hougham41:1133.88%1,542
39Age41:11380.00%15,677
46Palmer31:1500.17%53
46Kemp31:1500.17%52
46Fuller31:1500.20%73
46Daniels31:1500.59%301
46Prior31:1500.72%383
46Paine31:1500.46%226
46Culver31:1501.47%865
46Savin31:1504.17%2,102
46Drayson31:1502.33%1,267
46Impett31:1502.46%1,327
56Brown21:2250.03%2
56Hunt21:2250.13%68
56Knight21:2250.09%27
56Miles21:2250.14%81
56Wall21:2250.50%412
56Norton21:2250.42%330
56Bean21:2250.38%291
56Harriss21:2252.30%1,795
56Goodson21:2255.00%3,324
56Minter21:2250.60%517
56Shilling21:2250.55%469
56Keel21:2254.08%2,842
56Beeching21:2250.74%639
56Hambrook21:2250.74%639
56Vinson21:2254.76%3,197
56Gambrill21:2250.94%838
56Cullin21:22514.29%7,263
56Dadds21:2253.33%2,432
56Measdy21:22511.76%6,318
56Kemt21:225100.00%24,019
76White11:4500.03%8
76Adams11:4500.05%43
76Wells11:4500.05%32
76Armstrong11:4500.41%737
76Frost11:4500.21%316
76Waters11:4500.07%85
76Giles11:4500.12%159
76Carpenter11:4500.13%182
76Hills11:4500.05%34
76Hatton11:4500.57%990
76Beer11:4500.20%308
76Newport11:4500.53%930
76Gillingham11:4501.56%2,324
76Langham11:4501.54%2,291
76Stockley11:4502.50%3,324
76Eason11:4500.82%1,327
76Cleary11:4502.56%3,392
76Buss11:4500.27%461
76Hilder11:4500.45%815
76Goldfinch11:4500.29%484
76Spong11:4502.63%3,455
76Folwell11:4501.85%2,637
76Culmer11:4501.08%1,689
76Saffery11:4501.45%2,183
76Holmans11:4502.04%2,842
76Highsted11:4503.45%4,259
76Hecter11:450100.00%28,817