Find your ancestors in Yorkshire & Derbyshire Methodist Baptisms

Was your ancestor baptised in the Methodist Church? Search through thousands of records from the Sheffield district, stretching across two counties from 1795 to 1918.

Each record will provide you with a transcript created from original church records by the Sheffield & District Family History Society. The details in each record will vary, but most will include the following details about your ancestor:

• Name
• Birth year
• Baptism date
• Denomination
• Chapel
• Place
• Father’s name
• Mother’s name
• County and country

Discover more about these records

The Yorkshire & Derbyshire Methodist baptisms comprise baptism records from the densely populated Sheffield district. Sheffield is located in South Yorkshire, traditionally part of West Riding of Yorkshire, and many of its suburbs stretch into Derbyshire. The Methodist Church is a non-conformist church, meaning it does not conform to the established state church, the Church of England. Within the collection, you will find records from eight branches of the Methodist Church: Free Methodist, Methodist, Methodist New Connection, Primitive Methodist, United Free Methodist, United Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist, and Wesleyan Reform Methodist.


The Methodist Church originated in the mid-eighteenth century with the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. Wesley preached outdoors across the country, leading an evangelical revival. At the time of his death, Wesley still claimed to be a member of the Church of England. However, the Methodist movement had moved away from the national church, and four years after his death, the Methodist Church became recognised as a separate church. In 1795, it was authorised to perform marriages and sacraments.