Kent

Family history & genealogy records

Trace your Kent family history and ancestors from the 1500s onwards with this list of genealogy and local history links and resources.

BMDs & Parish Records

England BMDs
FreeBMD
Kent Parish Records
Mid-Kent Marriage Index 1754–1911
The work of local historians and genealogists David Hills and Gary Samson. David has painstakingly transcribed the marriage records of seven registration districts in the mid Kent area: East Ashford, West Ashford, Cranbrook, Elham, Hollingbourne, Romney Marsh and Tenterden. Also included are marriages celebrated at Maidstone (All Saints) for this period.

Billion Graves
Kent Monumental Inscriptions
The Kent Archaeological Society website has free access to thousands of memorial inscriptions from hundreds of churchyards all over the county of Kent, England. The records were collected from the 1760s onwards.
Kent Cemetery Photos
Loose, All Saints, Memorial Inscriptions PDF
Tenterden Monumental Inscriptions
In the church and churchyard, from the 1700s to early 1900s.

Census 1841–1921
Search the census records from 1841–1921, plus the 1939 Register all at once.
FreeCen
Good, but not complete, selection of free records to search and view.

Bygone Kent 1892
Genuki Kent
Kent Genealogy
An excellent resource for genealogy in the County of Kent, England. It includes many indexes and transcripts containing over 90,000 names and over 350 links to other useful sites.
Kent Resources Archived
Provides lots of historical material proving help for family historians and genealogists in Kent.
The Weald
The history, genealogy and topography of the Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. This site catalogues the people, places, maps, drawings, engravings, books, writings and numerous lists and directories that are over 70 years old into an integrated database of information about one of the most attractive parts of England. In addition, the site and its many contributors have derived extensive familial relationships and pedigrees which can be of great use for genealogical study and research. Where appropriate, the viewer should verify the information presented by consulting the original sources that are noted at every point on this site.
Historic Canterbury
Lots of records and information for those with ancestors from the town.
Woodchurch Local and Family History
Has an amazing list of online resources including parish records, directories, census, baptisms, monumental inscriptions, burial, banns and much more.
Old Ramsgate Postcards Archived

Ashford Family History Society
Canterbury FHS
Kent Family History Society
Medway Family History Society
North West Kent FHS
Formed in 1978 with the object of aiding and encouraging the study of family history and genealogy in South East London and North West Kent. There are around 1,400 members, whose interests cover the whole of Great Britain and beyond. Amongst its many advantages membership offers a quarterly journal, meetings with talks at each of our three venues, house group meetings, an internet mailing list, a document ordering service; and occasional coach trips to Kew etc.
Kent History Forum
The place to discuss all things history related in Kent. You'll find many others discussing all manner of topics from aircraft to dockyards to POW camps. It's also possible to make family history look-up requests from other users.
RootsChat Kent
Find help or offer to help others with their Kent genealogy.

Kent Surnames
Search more than 9,000 surname listings to see who's researching the name. You can also contact the person for more details.
Kent Common Surnames
View the 200 most common surnames in the County using data from 2014.

Canterbury Probate Records 1396–1858
Henry Plomer indexed all the probate documents up to 1558 before WW1. His work was published in 1920 by KAS and has been retained with corrections as it is still the best record of early probate documents at Canterbury. Indexed from the original documents:- Consistory Court registered wills from 1550–1857 and original wills from 1559–1857, Archdeaconry Court registered and original wills from 1550–1858.
Kent Administrations 1559–1649
Kent Wills & Probate 1328–1890
Kent Will Transcripts
View wills with details from pre 1858.