These registers of baptisms, marriages and burials are available in
the Devon Record Office for most, but not all, Devon parishes, in
some cases going back to the 16th century. The majority of the
original registers deposited are at the Headquarters Office in
Exeter but those for Plymouth and some West Devon parishes are at
the West Devon Record Office and those for North Devon parishes are
at the North Devon Record Office. The registers of the remaining
parishes are in the hands of the incumbents. The Record Office will
endeavour, where possible, to direct enquiries to the present
custodians of a parish's registers. Most pre-1837 registers are now
available on microfiche only but all three offices have a set of
the microfiche. Service Points at Appledore, Brixham, Colyton, Holsworthy, Honiton, Kingsbridge, Okehampton, Tavistock, Tiverton, Torquay and Totnes have microfiche of the registers of parishes in
their areas (see separate leaflets).
2. Bishop's Transcripts
These are contemporary copies of the Parish Registers. They are
available at the Devon Record Office for almost all Devon and
Cornwall parishes, but they do not generally give coverage for
every year. They are most complete during the second half of the
18th century and at the beginning of the l9th. There are large gaps
in the series of 17th century transcripts. After 1812 individual
sheets may be in a severely damaged condition, often unusable.
There are no transcripts before the late 16th century, and none
after about 1850. The pre-1812 transcripts are available on
microfilm at all three offices. Transcripts for most Cornish
parishes between 1742 and 1771 are at the Cornwall Record Office,
County Hall, Truro.
3. Wills
The vast bulk of the Devon wills were destroyed during the last
war. E.A. Fry's Devonshire Wills and Administrations lists
some of the wills destroyed in the Probate Registry, but gives no
details of the terms of individual wills. Before the l9th century
there is little chance of an individual will's survival, though
there is in the Devon Record Office a card index of copies of wills
deposited, together with a series of abstracts of selected wills
and of testamentary disputes. There are 75 wills, 1555-1765, among
the records of the Orphans' Court of the City of Exeter, and some
earlier wills are included among the City Archives. For the period
1796-1812, copies of Devon wills are available at the Public Record
Office, Chancery Lane, London WC2A lLR. From 1812-1857, there is a
complete series of copies at the Devon Record Office. Since 1858,
wills have been registered at the Principal Registry, Somerset
House, London, WC2R lLP. For other surviving wills and finding aids
see Wills and their Whereabouts by A.J. Camp, or Wills
and Where To Find Them by J.S.W. Gibson.
4. Census Returns
Detailed individual returns for all available censuses are kept at
the Public Record Office. There are no detailed returns at the
Devon Record Office, but there are microfilm copies of the Devon
returns for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1881 and microfiche copies
of the 1891 returns in the Westcountry Studies Library, Castle
Street, Exeter. Please telephone Exeter 384216 for an appointment
on the microfilm readers and to check the availability of census
records in North and West Devon.
5. Voters' Lists
A series for Devon is kept at the Devon Record Office from 1832 to
the present day. Voters' Lists up to 1900 are available on
microfiche only. They are arranged by parish and are not indexed.
It is important to remember that until 1928 the vote was limited to
men who owned property of a certain value. See separate 'Guide to
Sources' sheet available. Some copies of Voters' Lists are
available in the Westcountry Studies Library.
6. Civil Registration
The registration of births, marriages and deaths by civil
authorities began in 1837. Birth, marriage and death certificates
after this date are available from the General Register Office, St.
Catherine's House (in person), from Smedley Hydro, Southport (by
post) or from Local Registrars' Offices. The Devon Record Office
cannot supply copies of certificates.
AVAILABILITY
7. The Search Room
The records and indices in the Devon Record Office and its branches
are open to public inspection in the Search Rooms during office
hours. It is advisable to check the availability of
records by letter or telephone before visiting the office.
8. Postal Enquiries
Exeter: There are professional genealogists on the staff, who have
access to sources both in the Record Office and in the Westcountry
Studies Library. The fee is £12 for 30 minutes' work or
£20 for one hour's work (both sums include V.A.T.). Payment can be made by Visa, Delta, Mastercard, Eurocard, Switch and Solo - name, address, card number and expiry date and, in the case of Switch Solo cards, issue number, should be sent by post, telephone or fax but not e-mail.
Barnstaple: There are no genealogists on the
staff but it may be possible for a member of staff to undertake
research in documents which are available only in this office. The rates are as at Exeter. Please apply in writing to the
relevant office. The office cannot guarantee to answer a lengthy
series of enquiries from any individual person.
Plymouth: The Plymouth & West Devon Record Office does not offer a research service of any kind, but does make available a list of archive researchers (record agents) who will accept commissions to make searches in their holdings. Their copying charges are detailed in their Photocopying and Digital Imaging Service web pages.
9. Photocopies
Where the records have been filmed, confirmatory copies of entries
in parish registers or bishop's transcripts may be obtained by
post, if the exact date is known, for £1.20 each. Copies of
other documents may be obtained, in person or by post, provided
that photocopying will not damage the documents, at a cost of 30p
per A4 sheet, 40p per A3 sheet, or 30p per print-out from microfilm
or microfiche. An application form and copyright declaration must
first be obtained from the Office and completed. Only one copy of
each entry can be supplied.
Devon Record Office
Great Moor House
Bittern Road
Sowton
EXETER
Devon
EX2 7NL
Tel: 01392 384253
North Devon Record Office,
Tuly Street,
BARNSTAPLE
Devon
EX32 7EJ
Tel: 01271 388607/8
Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
Unit 3, Clare Place,
Coxside,
PLYMOUTH
Devon
PL4 OJW
Tel: 01752 305940
Leaflet transcribed, 5 Feb 2011, by Brian Randell, updated 10 May 2008
Note: The information provided by GENUKI must not be
used for commercial purposes, and all specific restrictions
concerning usage, copyright notices, etc., that are to be found on
individual information pages within GENUKI must be strictly adhered
to. Violation of these rules could gravely harm the cooperation
that GENUKI is obtaining from many information providers, and hence
threaten its whole future.
Devon Record Offices 
Contents & Search