Early church codes
You might notice a two letter code on the documents you find when researching family ancestry. Here you can match the code to the church where the birth, marriage or death was recorded.
Acquiring early church records
In 1856 the registry acquired the Supreme Court's copies of the 1834 to 1835 baptism, marriage and burial registers from ministers of denominations other than Church of England.
Learn more about how early church records were added to our collection.
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
AA | Baptist | Sydney, St Andrews, Bathurst Street |
AB | Baptist | Field of Mars |
AC | Baptist | Sydney, St James |
AD | Baptist | Co. Cumberland ('abodes' mostly Pennant Hills and Parramatta) |
AE | Baptist | Sydney, Macquarie Street |
AF | Baptist | Sydney, St Lawrence's |
AG | Baptist | Sydney (parish not stated) |
AH | Baptist | Parramatta |
AI | Baptist | Melbourne (VIC) |
AJ | Baptist | Sydney, St Phillip's |
| Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
CA | Church of England | Sydney, St Phillip's |
CB | Church of England | Parramatta, St John's |
CC | Church of England | Windsor, St Matthew's |
CD | Church of England | Castlereagh |
CE | Church of England | Richmond |
CF | Church of England | Liverpool, St Luke's |
CG | Church of England | Norfolk Island |
CH | Church of England | Hexham, Newcastle, Christ Church |
CI | Church of England | Campbelltown, St Peter's (Co. Aird) |
CJ | Church of England | Sydney, St James' |
CK | Church of England | Port Macquarie, St Thomas (Co. Ayr) |
CL | Church of England | Kelso |
CM | Church of England | Wilberforce |
CN | Church of England | Sackville Reach |
CO | Church of England | Moreton Bay (QLD) |
CP | Church of England | Sydney (parish not stated) |
CQ | Church of England | field of Mars, Marsfield, Ryde |
CR | Church of England | Cobbitty, Narellan |
CS | Church of England | Pitt Town |
CT | Church of England | Black Creek; Bulwarra; Cloden; East Maitland; Hinton; Hunter District; Maitland; Morpeth; West Maitland |
CU | Church of England | Brisbane, St John's (QLD) |
CV | Church of England | Berrima; Bong Bong; Sutton Forest; All Saints (Co. Camden) |
CW | Church of England | Abercrombie District, Bathurst |
CX | Church of England | Castle Hill; Dooral/Dural |
CY | Church of England | Lower Hawkesbury |
CZ | Church of England | Illawarra; Jervis Bay |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
EA | Hebrew | Sydney |
EB | Hebrew | Port Macquarie |
EC | Hebrew | Maitland; West Maitland |
ED | Hebrew | Illawarra |
EE | Hebrew | Windsor |
EF | Hebrew | Bathurst |
EG | Hebrew | Parramatta |
EH | Hebrew | Shoalhaven |
EI | Hebrew | Singleton |
EJ | Hebrew | Bungonia; Goulburn |
EK | Hebrew | Melbourne (VIC) |
EL | Hebrew | Moreton Bay (QLD) |
EM | Hebrew | Paterson; Scone |
EN | Hebrew | Yass |
EO | Hebrew | Tamworth |
EP | Hebrew | Queanbeyan |
EQ | Hebrew | Western NSW |
ER | Hebrew | Richmond River District |
ES | Hebrew | Albury |
ET | Hebrew | Tumut |
EU | Hebrew | Manning River District |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
GA | Independent (Congregational) | Ebenezer; Lake Macquarie |
GB | Independent (Congregational) | Sydney, Pitt Street |
GC | Independent (Congregational) | Melbourne, Collins Street (VIC) |
GD | Independent (Congregational) | Parramatta |
GE | Independent (Congregational) | Alexandria, South Head |
GF | Independent (Congregational) | Sydney, St Phillip's Mariners' Church |
GG | Independent (Congregational) | Petersham |
GH | Independent (Congregational) | Maitland, West Maitland |
GI | Independent (Congregational) | Sydney, St Lawrence's |
GJ | Independent (Congregational) | Brisbane (QLD) |
GK | Independent (Congregational) | Ipswich (QLD) |
GL | Independent (Congregational) | Newcastle |
GM | Independent (Congregational) | Saluafala, Island of Upolu, Samoa |
GN | Independent (Congregational) | Sydney, St James' |
GO | Independent (Congregational) | Wollongong |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
IA | Wesleyan Methodist | Sydney |
IB | Wesleyan Methodist | Field of Mars, Parramatta |
IC | Wesleyan Methodist | Lower Hawkesbury |
ID | Wesleyan Methodist | Macdonald River |
IE | Wesleyan Methodist | Sackville Beach |
IF | Wesleyan Methodist | Portland Head |
IG | Wesleyan Methodist | Bathurst, Hill End |
IH | Wesleyan Methodist | Windsor |
II | Wesleyan Methodist | Mudgee |
IJ | Wesleyan Methodist | Wollongong |
IK | Wesleyan Methodist | Maitland; West Maitland |
IL | Wesleyan Methodist | Melbourne (VIC) |
IM | Wesleyan Methodist | Geelong (VIC) |
IN | Wesleyan Methodist | Camden |
IO | Wesleyan Methodist | Kempsey; Port Macquarie |
IP | Wesleyan Methodist | Hunter River District; Newcastle |
IQ | Wesleyan Methodist | Co. Argyle; Goulburn; Gunning; Yass |
IR | Wesleyan Methodist | Alexandria |
IS | Wesleyan Methodist | Brisbane; Co. Stanley; Ipswich; Moreton Bay (QLD) |
IT | Wesleyan Methodist | Queanbeyan |
IU | Wesleyan Methodist | Surry Hills |
IV | Wesleyan Methodist | Newtown |
IW | Wesleyan Methodist | Armidale, New England District |
IX | Wesleyan Methodist | Bowenfels |
IY | Wesleyan Methodist | Bega; Moruya |
IZ | Wesleyan Methodist | Albury |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
JA | Presbyterian | Sydney, Scots Church |
JB | Presbyterian | Sydney, St Andrew's Scots Church |
JC | Presbyterian | Wollongong |
JD | Presbyterian | Wiseman's Ferry |
JE | Presbyterian | Balmain |
JF | Presbyterian | Newcastle |
JG | Presbyterian | Alexandria; Paddington |
JH | Presbyterian | Murrurundi; Scone |
JI | Presbyterian | Bathurst |
JJ | Presbyterian | Jervis Bay, Shoalhaven (Co. St Vincent) |
JK | Presbyterian | Sydney, St Stephen's (Macquarie Street) |
JL | Presbyterian | Hawkesbury District |
JM | Presbyterian | Pitt Town; Wilberforce |
JN | Presbyterian | Parramatta |
JO | Presbyterian | Windsor, St Matthew's |
JP | Presbyterian | Sydney, St Lawrence's |
JQ | Presbyterian | Sydney, St James' |
JR | Presbyterian | Butterwick; Hinton; Middlehope; Seaham |
JS | Presbyterian | Portland Head |
JT | Presbyterian | Port Macquarie, St Andrew's |
JU | Presbyterian | Cos. Of St Vincent, Murray and Auckland (Itinerant) |
JV | Presbyterian | Richmond |
JW | Presbyterian | Houghton |
JX | Presbyterian | Yass |
JY | Presbyterian | Bungonia; Goulburn |
JZ | Presbyterian | Co. Cook |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
KA | Primitive Methodist | Sydney |
KB | Primitive Methodist | Maitland |
KC | Primitive Methodist | Houghton |
KD | Primitive Methodist | Newcastle |
KE | Primitive Methodist | Camden; Liverpool; Penrith; Narellan; Picton |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
LA | Roman Catholic | Sydney, St James' |
LB | Roman Catholic | Adelaide (SA) |
LC | Roman Catholic | Windsor, St Matthew's |
LD | Roman Catholic | Sydney, St Mary's |
LE | Roman Catholic | Campbelltown, St John's |
LF | Roman Catholic | Yass |
LG | Roman Catholic | Bathurst; Kelso; St Michael's, Co. Bathurst |
LH | Roman Catholic | Parramatta, St Patrick's |
LI | Roman Catholic | Liverpool |
LJ | Roman Catholic | Mulgoa; Penrith |
LK | Roman Catholic | East Maitland; Maitland; West Maitland |
LL | Roman Catholic | Newcastle; Raymond Terrace |
LM | Roman Catholic | Macdonald River, St Joseph's (Co. Hunter) |
LN | Roman Catholic | Brisbane Water; East Gosford; Gosford; Kincumber |
LO | Roman Catholic | Goulburn |
LP | Roman Catholic | Berrima; Sutton Forest |
LQ | Roman Catholic | Illawarra; Wollongong |
LR | Roman Catholic | Melbourne, St Francis (VIC) |
LS | Roman Catholic | Geelong (VIC) |
LT | Roman Catholic | Hartley |
LU | Roman Catholic | Moreton Bay (QLD); New England District |
LV | Roman Catholic | Brisbane (QLD) |
LW | Roman Catholic | Cooma; Monaro; Manaroo District; Queanbeyan; Twofold Bay |
LX | Roman Catholic | Co. Cook |
LY | Roman Catholic | Appin, St Bede's |
LZ | Roman Catholic | Port Macquarie (Co. Macquarie) |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
MA | Church of England | Australian Agricultural Company; Dungog; Eldon; Stroud; Uffington |
MB | Church of England | Port Stephens |
MC | Church of England | Bungonia; Goulburn; St Saviour's (Co. Argyle); Goulburn Plains; Lake Bathurst; Marulan |
MD | Church of England | Dapto; Wollongong |
ME | Church of England | Melbourne, St James' (VIC) |
MF | Church of England | Sydney, St Lawrence's |
MG | Church of England | Mulgoa, St Thomas |
MH | Church of England Cabramatta | Denham Court, St Mary's |
MI | Church of England | Gundaroo; Gunning; Yass |
MJ | Church of England | Canbury (Almost certainly Canberra); Lake George; Queanbeyan |
MK | Church of England | Brisbane Water |
ML | Church of England | Alnwick; Butterwick; Clarence Town; Middlehope; Raymond Terrace; Seaham |
MM | Church of England | Montefiores, Wellington District |
MN | Church of England | Cook's River; Petersham |
MO | Church of England | Inverary |
MP | Church of England | Lower Portland Head |
MQ | Church of England | Bringelly |
MR | Church of England | Oakville; Whittingham; Wollombi |
MS | Church of England | Sydney, Holy Trinity (Garrison Church) |
MT | Church of England | Mangrove Creek, Upper Mangrove |
MU | Church of England | Hunters Hill |
MV | Church of England | Macdonald and Colo River |
MW | Church of England | Penrith |
MX | Church of England | Appin |
MY | Church of England | Camden; St John's; Oaks; Picton; Stonequarry |
MZ | Church of England | Merriwa; Muswellbrook; Paterson |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
NA | Church of England | Scone |
NB | Church of England | Monaro/Maneroo/Manaro |
NC | Church of England | Cydesdale, South Creek, St Mary Magdalene's |
ND | Church of England | Prospect, St Bartholomew's |
NE | Church of England | Aruleun, Braidwood |
NF | Church of England | Ashfield; Balmain; Burwood; Concord |
NG | Church of England | Belfast, Port Fairy, Portland (VIC) |
NH | Church of England | Binalong |
NI | Church of England | Clarence River District |
NJ | Church of England | Gulgong, Mudgee |
NK | Church of England | Albany, King George's Sound (WA) |
NL | Church of England | Sydney, St Andrew's |
NM | Church of England | Houghton |
NN | Church of England | Althorpe; Brougham; Invermain; Rowan |
NO | Church of England | Geelong (VIC) |
NP | Church of England | Gosford; Kincumber |
NQ | Church of England | Camberwell; Falbrook; Jerry's Plains; Warkworth; Wombo |
NR | Church of England | Carcoar |
NS | Church of England | Armidale, St Peter's |
NT | Church of England | Alexandria; Paddington |
NU | Church of England | Willoughby |
NV | Church of England | Camperdown; Newtown |
NW | Church of England | Jamberoo; Kiama; Shoalhaven |
NY | Church of England | Gordon |
NZ | Church of England | Canberra |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
OA | Church of England | O'Connell Plains |
OB | Church of England | Ipswich (QLD) |
OC | Church of England | Liverpool Plains; Tamworth |
OD | Church of England | Warialda |
OE | Church of England | Gundagai |
OF | Church of England | Albury |
OG | Church of England | Wagga Wagga |
OH | Church of England | Greendale |
OI | Church of England | Enfield |
OJ | Church of England | Darling Downs; Drayton (QLD) |
OK | Church of England | Cooma |
OL | Church of England | Tumut |
OM | Church of England | Sofala |
ON | Church of England | Murrumbidgee District |
OO | Church of England | Pennant Hills |
OP | Church of England | Meroo; Tambaroora (Cos. Wellington and Roxburgh) |
OQ | Church of England | Pyrmont; St Bartholomew's |
OR | Church of England | Cassilis District (Co. Bligh), Merton |
OS | Church of England | Warwick (QLD) |
OT | Church of England | Burnett River, Wilde Bay (QLD) |
OU | Church of England | Redfern, St Paul's |
OV | Church of England | Darlinghurst, St John's |
OW | Church of England | Mount Vincent (Co. Northumberland) |
OX | Church of England | Dubbo |
OY | Church of England | Orange |
OZ | Church of England | Darling/Murray Junction (Wentworth) |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
PA | Presbyterian | Campbelltown, St Peter's |
PB | Presbyterian | Upper Hunter |
PC | Presbyterian | Derbie; Hunter District; Maitland; Morpeth; Paterson; Singleton |
PD | Presbyterian | Kangaroo Point; Moreton Bay; Tambool (QLD) |
PE | Presbyterian | Armidale, New England |
PF | Presbyterian | Campbellfield, Melbourne (VIC) |
PG | Presbyterian | Illawarra District, Kiama |
PH | Presbyterian | Murrumbidgee and Murray District |
PI | Presbyterian | South Counties (itinerant), Liverpool Plains, |
PJ | Bowenfels | Vale of Clwydd (Rev Colin Stewart - Itinerant) |
PK | Presbyterian | Geelong (VIC) |
PL | Presbyterian | Gordon |
PM | Presbyterian | Portland (VIC) |
PN | Presbyterian | Whittingham |
PO | Presbyterian | Broulee |
PP | Presbyterian | Upper Hume River District |
PQ | Presbyterian | Will-Will-Rook (VIC) |
PR | Presbyterian | Brisbane (QLD) |
PS | Presbyterian | Field of Mars |
PT | Presbyterian | Sydney, St Phillip's |
PU | Presbyterian | Carcoar, Lachlan District |
PV | Presbyterian | Tumut |
PW | Presbyterian | Sutton Forest |
PX | Presbyterian | Wagga Wagga |
PY | Presbyterian | Sydney, German Reformed Church |
PZ | Presbyterian | Manning River District |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
QA | Presbyterian | Clarence Town, Dungog, Stroud |
QB | Presbyterian | Cos. Of Durham and Gloucester |
QC | Presbyterian | Sydney, Scots Church (Pitt Street) |
QD | Presbyterian | Gayndah (QLD) |
QE | Presbyterian | Warwick (QLD) |
QF | Presbyterian | Sydney (parish not stated), Woolloomooloo |
QG | Presbyterian | Ipswich (QLD) |
QH | Presbyterian | Meroo, Tambaroora, Western Gold Fields (Co. Wellington) |
QI | Presbyterian | Braidwood, Bungendore |
QJ | Presbyterian | Bligh District |
QK | Presbyterian | Mudgee |
QL | Presbyterian | Terrys Meadows |
QM | Presbyterian | Albury |
QN | Presbyterian | Berrima |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
RA | Australian Methodist | Sydney, Pitt Street |
SA | [Society of] Friends | Hobart (TAS) |
SB | [Society of] Friends | Sydney |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
TA | Israelite | Pitt Town |
TB | Israelite | Sydney |
TC | Israelite | Wollombi |
TD | Israelite | Liverpool |
TE | Israelite | Penrith |
TF | Israelite | New South Wales |
TG | Israelite | Maitland |
TH | Israelite | Mundamah |
TI | Israelite | Dural |
UA | United Evangelical | North Brisbane (QLD) |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
VA | Roman Catholic | Moreton Bay (QLD) |
VB | Roman Catholic | Burragorang, St Paulinus' |
VC | Roman Catholic | Singleton (inc. New England), St Augustine's, Co.Northumberland |
VD | Roman Catholic | Port Macquarie and New England |
VE | Roman Catholic | Carcoar; Cowra; Erroll; Orange |
VF | Roman Catholic | Clarence River District, Co. Clarence |
VG | Roman Catholic | Patrick's Plains |
VH | Roman Catholic | Ipswich (QLD) |
VI | Roman Catholic | Whittingham |
VJ | Roman Catholic | Sofala |
VK | Roman Catholic | Far South Coast, Co. Dampier |
VL | Roman Catholic | Araluen; Braidwood |
VM | Roman Catholic | Eldon |
VN | Roman Catholic | Broulee, Moruya |
VO | Roman Catholic | Kiama |
VP | Roman Catholic | Armidale |
VQ | Roman Catholic | Petersham, St Thomas' |
VR | Roman Catholic | Wellington |
VS | Roman Catholic | Balmain |
VT | Roman Catholic | Albury (Co. Goulburn) |
VU | Roman Catholic | Norfolk Island |
VV | Roman Catholic | Sydney (Parish not stated) |
VW | Roman Catholic | Picton |
VX | Roman Catholic | Hawkesbury, Lower Hawkesbury |
VY | Roman Catholic | Sydney, St Patrick's |
VZ | Roman Catholic | Liverpool Plains |
|
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
XA | Wesleyan Methodist | Carcoar |
XB | Wesleyan Methodist | Blayney |
XC | Wesleyan Methodist | Ballina |
XD | Wesleyan Methodist | Balmain |
XE | Wesleyan Methodist | Liverpool Plains, inc. Gunnedah |
XF | Wesleyan Methodist | Glenorchy; Hobart; Port Arthur (TAS) |
XG | Wesleyan Methodist | New Zealand |
XH | Wesleyan Methodist | Macquarie Habour (TAS) |
XI | Wesleyan Methodist | Annandale; Ashfield; Burwood; Glebe |
XJ | Wesleyan Methodist | Hay, Moulamein District (Gospel Car Mission) |
XK | Wesleyan Methodist | Grafton |
XL | Wesleyan Methodist | Nymagee |
XM | Wesleyan Methodist | Ingalaboo (Tonga) |
XN | Wesleyan Methodist | Auburn |
XO | Wesleyan Methodist | Bombala Circuit |
XP | Wesleyan Methodist | Branxton |
XQ | Wesleyan Methodist | Brunswick |
XR | Wesleyan Methodist | Chippendale |
XS | Wesleyan Methodist | Cobargo; Tilba |
XT | Wesleyan Methodist | Cooma |
XU | Wesleyan Methodist | Glen Innes Circuit |
XV | Wesleyan Methodist | Leichhardt; Stanmore Circuit |
XW | Wesleyan Methodist | Macleay River |
XX | Wesleyan Methodist | Manning River Circuit |
XY | Wesleyan Methodist | Molong Circuit |
XZ | Wesleyan Methodist | Morpeth |
Code | Denomination | Parish/Circuit/District |
|---|---|---|
YA | Church of England | Canterbury |
YB | Church of England | Bega; Bombala; Eden |
YC | Wesleyan Methodist | Rockely River |
YD | Wesleyan Methodist | Tamworth Circuit |
YE | Wesleyan Methodist | Wagga Wagga |
YF | Wesleyan Methodist | Orange |
YG | Wesleyan Methodist | Randwick |
Acquiring early church records
In 1856 the registry acquired the Supreme Court's copies of the 1834 to 1835 baptism, marriage and burial registers from ministers of denominations other than Church of England.
In 1879 the Clergy Returns Transfer Act was passed, requiring that the the Church of England Bishop in Sydney hand over copies of the 1825 to 1855 baptism, marriage and burial registers to the Registry.
Mr Kerrison James who held the records was paid 4000 pounds compensation for the loss of the records. When opened, the crates containing the registers were found to also contain earlier registers going back to 1787.
In 1912 the Registrar General wrote to all church authorities asking for access to their pre-1856 registers so that registry and church records could be reconciled. The registrar also asked for access to the 1856 to 1895 church marriages registers.
The registry's early church records were consolidated into 158 volumes of approximately 50,000 entries, with each given a unique number or early church code.
Some early marriage records recorded only the details of the two people marrying with no details of the parents even though they appeared in the Church registers. These registrations were amended with a note explaining the change.
The registry's records from the early days of NSW are not complete and the reconciliation of records and amendments to marriage registrations was never finalised. Records still held by the churches can sometimes fill in the missing details on a marriage certificate or provide baptism records where there is no civil registration for the birth.