British Crown Dependencies
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel near the French coast. They include the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey that have been administered separately from each other since the late 13th century. Technically they are not part of the United Kingdom. Their respective capitals are St Peter Port and St Helier. The inhabited islands of the Channel Islands are Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou (Brechou) and Lihou. All of these except Jersey are in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
The islands were annexed to the Duchy of Normandy in 933 and came under the control of England at the time of the conquest in 1066. Since then, the Channel Islands have been governed as possessions of English Crown apart from brief periods of occupation by France 1338–45 and 1461–68 and Germany 1940–45.
1569 brought the islands formally into the diocese of Winchester although the islanders were then Calvinist and the episcopacy was not restored until 1620 in Jersey and 1663 in Guernsey.
The starting dates for civil registration varies:
| Jurisdiction | Births |
Non-conformist marriages |
Anglican marriages | Deaths |
| Alderney |
1850 |
1850 |
1919 |
1850 |
| Guernsey |
1840 |
1840 |
1919 |
1840 |
| Jersey |
1842 |
1842 |
1840 |
1842 |
| Sark |
1925 |
1925 |
1919 |
1915 |
The Channel Islands are included in the census returns for England and Wales.
Of interest is the fact that the islands are not part of the EEC.
For online help with family history research check out Jerripedia.
 GENUKI (Genealogy UK and Ireland) is a major free resource of information for family history researchers. For detailed information on the Channel Islands go to GENUKI.
 Isle of Man
The Isle of Man is a British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea. Technically it is not part of the United Kingdom. In 1266, the island became part of Scotland after previously being under the control of the Norse. After a period of alternating rule by the monarchs of Scotland and England, the island came under the feudal overlordship of the English Crown in 1399. With the Isle of Man Purchase Act 1765 the parliament purchased the feudal rights of the Dukes of Atholl as Lords of Man and gave them to the British Crown. The Atholls still retained their manorial rights, the patronage of the bishopric, and certain other privileges until these were sold to Britain in 1828 for the sum of £417,144.
As far as church records are concerned the Isle of Man was part of the Province of York. The first parish registers began in 1598 but have numerous gaps until 1610 when the then Bishop, John Phillips*, issued an order requiring the ministers under him to keep a register book recording the christenings, marriages, and burials. Currently Manx National Heritage is the custodian for the historical church records.
Civil registration commenced in 1878 for births and deaths and 1884 for marriages. Voluntary registration of births and deaths was available from 1849.
The Isle of Man was included in the census returns for England and Wales.
GENUKI (Genealogy UK and Ireland) is a major free resource of information for family history researchers. For detailed information on the Isle of Man go to GENUKI.
* It is claimed that Bishop John Phillips was instrumental in creating a written version of the Manx language.
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