One-place Study - Methods

Methods

One-place studies exploit manuscript ecclesiastical and civil records to explore the microhistory of the villagers and their lives. In Europe, such records usually date back to about 1600 and include:

  • Church records of christenings, marriages and burials
  • Voter or citizenship rolls
  • Records of wills and deceased estates
  • Land tenure records
  • Tax lists
  • Muster lists for militia service

The internet has stimulated amateur one-place studies, especially in England, since websites allow large volumes of historic material to be published easily. One-place studies of urban parishes are less common, since urban populations were migratory and analysis is more difficult when few of the families remain present for the whole period under study.

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