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Discover your family story in detail-rich Lancashire records online

What’s your connection to the Red Rose County? Find out with essential and exclusive Lancashire archives online at Findmypast. Peruse parish registers from Lancashire County record office. Delve into Liverpool and Salford church records you won’t find anywhere else online. Wherever your Lancashire story begins, endless discoveries await.

Lancashire’s long history in a nutshell

Dating back to the 1100s, historically, Lancashire is home to the two biggest cities in North West England – Liverpool and Manchester.

The red rose emblem of the ancient House of Lancaster gives the county its famous nickname. The County Hall at Preston was established in 1882 and is still home to Lancashire County Council today. 

Lancashire thrived during the Industrial Revolution. Hundreds of mills, factories and collieries formed all over the county and, by the 1830s, around 85% of the world’s cotton was manufactured there. Did your ancestor drive one of the first electric trams in Blackpool, spin cotton in Burnley or work the land in rural Ribble Valley? 

Steeped in culture and heritage, Lancashire has its own dialect, a rich sporting history, particularly in cricket and football, as well as numerous claims to fame. Britain’s first passenger railway opened between Manchester and Liverpool in 1830, while an Austrian immigrant invented Jelly Babies whilst working at Fryers of Lancashire sweet shop in 1864. 

In 1974, Greater Manchester and Merseyside became distinct metropolitan counties. 

The flag of Lancashire featuring its red rose emblem

Only at Findmypast

Discover hidden family stories in Lancashire records you won’t find anywhere else online

1921 census records: Vintage photo of two men on a bicycle

The 1921 Census of England and Wales

How well do you really know your Lancashire relatives? Uncover secrets and stories in this century-old snapshot of their lives.

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Catholic church archives

The Catholic Heritage Archive

Unearth Catholic connections with exclusive Lancashire church records from the dioceses of Liverpool and Salford.

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Vintage sketch of workhouse inmates: search workhouse records

Oldham Workhouse records

If your Lancashire ancestor fell on hard times, they may have wound up at this long-since-demolished Manchester institution.

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Surprising discoveries at every turn

"When I began researching my husband's family tree with Findmypast, I quickly found his ancestors migrating from Ireland to Liverpool to escape the Potato Famine. It's been a real eye-opener, and he is absolutely over the moon that he now knows his family’s origins."

Jan Pridham

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Lancashire’s local family history records

Trace your Lancashire ancestors from cradle to grave with our extensive collection of must-see family records.

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Millions of digitised Lancashire newspaper pages

From birth, marriage and death announcements to scandalous stories you won’t find anywhere else, old Lancashire newspapers hold a treasure trove of family discoveries.

Discover local records from every corner of England

If your lineage lies beyond Lancashire, delve into our extensive collection of historical resources covering every county, city, town and village in England. Where will your past take you?

Choose an English region from the map or drop-down list to dig deeper into local record collections and learn about the history of your ancestral home.

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