Jewish records
After civil registration started in 1837, two Parliamentary commissions were set up to collect registers of places of worship outside the Established Church. Most Jewish communities refused to submit their registers.
Most are still held by synagogues, Jewish institutions or Jewish burial societies. The London Metropolitan Archives (LMA)
holds some records from the Federation Synagogues.
You can also find records by using the National Register of Archives which is maintained by the The National Archives: Historical Manuscripts Commission. The National Register of Archives contains information on the nature and location of manuscripts and historical records that relate to British history.
To search visit The National Register of Archives and follow the instructions below:
- In the “category” drop down menu select “religious faiths - non-Christian”
- In the “subcategory” drop down menu select “Judaism”
- In the “county” drop down menu select a county.
Or
- In the “category” drop down menu select “Societies and associations”
- In the “subcategory” drop down menu select “religious”
There is a wealth of information on the Moving Here website - including a section on tracing Jewish roots, a catalogue of digitised material that can be searched and downloaded free of charge and the opportunity for you to add your story.
