Baptism Records?

[MrsS2012]

Me again.. just a quick one... from your experiences if a family had one child baptised.. was it normal to have all the children baptised?
I'm just looking for records on my grandad and I have found a baptism record for his older brother and sister but nothing for the rest of the siblings. I just wondered if this was normal or if I'm not looking properly? I can't see why they would baptise two of them and not the rest?

[BillyF]

This does sometimes happen.

My grandmother was one of 11 children, born in 4 different places.

The eldest, born in a small village, was baptised aged 4 with 3 of her siblings in another small village; then the next 3, including my grandmother, all born in a small town, don`t appear on the parish records but I think were probably non- conformist. The family then moved to another small village where the remaining children were baptised. My grandmother always said she was born in the first village!!

I also have several others where some of the children in a family were baptised but not others. I`m sue you`ll find that this is the case for a lot of Rootschatters.

[CaroleW]

was it normal to have all the children baptised?

Not necessarily.  Lots of instances of some - not all -children baptised.

You also have to factor in that not every baptismal record has been transcribed

[BillyF]

When I started researching this family there was nothing online, so most of it was done at the library or the local archives. Then it (Lincstothepast, that`s another story))was put online and the actual PRs could be viewed.

 It`s frustrating when you can find some of the family but not all.

[MrsS2012]

They were all born and raised in the same area… I was mainly looking as think I may have found an additional sibling who nobody knew about.. a baptism record may have confirmed it.. as it is I’ve had to dig into my pockets and order a birth certificate haha. I try to avoid this where possible as it gets so expensive! But never mind!

[Ayashi]

Also- not all children were christened soon after birth. I've had some done in batches, including three children and their cousin christened on the day of their grandfather's funeral. My 2xgt grandfather was nine years old when he was done, alongside his two younger sisters.

One of my families was Methodist (Wesleyan or Primitive originally, I forget, then United Free later on). I have an original copy of a certificate showing that my great grandmother was christened but have not found the entry online. I have found one of her sisters, however. I don't doubt the rest were done, perhaps excluding the three infant losses, but I have no other records of it happening.

[MrsS2012]

Also- not all children were christened soon after birth. I've had some done in batches, including three children and their cousin christened on the day of their grandfather's funeral. My 2xgt grandfather was nine years old when he was done, alongside his two younger sisters.

One of my families was Methodist (Wesleyan or Primitive originally, I forget, then United Free later on). I have an original copy of a certificate showing that my great grandmother was christened but have not found the entry online. I have found one of her sisters, however. I don't doubt the rest were done, perhaps excluding the three infant losses, but I have no other records of it happening.

Yes I’ve noticed this too! I know a few of my ancestors were baptised as children rather than babies alongside their brothers and sisters! I did make a point of checking the other entries just in case there was another Jennings nestled in there but haven’t found anything. Doesn’t matter too much but it’s interesting because it tells you where the family lived and what the fathers occupation was at the time!

[Guy Etchells]

There are various groups or faiths that believe a person has yo be able to make a rational decision before being baptised and so these groups practice adult baptism rather than infant baptism,
In the UK perhaps the largest of these are the Baptists.
Cheers
Guy

[MrsS2012]

There are various groups or faiths that believe a person has yo be able to make a rational decision before being baptised and so these groups practice adult baptism rather than infant baptism,
In the UK perhaps the largest of these are the Baptists.
Cheers
Guy

Useful to know, thank you