Nature of Source
The Protestation Returns of 1641-1642 were lists of English males over the age of 18 who took an oath of allegiance to the Protestant parliament. This oath was initiated in May 1641 by members of Parliament and was later extended to all adult males in January 1642. The oath sought to unite Protestants against Catholic influence and strengthen parliament against feared threats from Royalists but primarily from Roman Catholics.
The key features of the Oath include:
- The oaths were used as a means to identify and establish the number of Catholics in England and potentially levy a higher tax on them.
- Those who refused to sign the oath were also recorded and were deemed unfit for public office and marked as recusants.
- Local ministers or churchwardens recorded the names as people left church services and returned the oaths to Parliament.
- Coverage is incomplete, with only about one-third of English parishes covered and very little Welsh coverage.
- For family history research, the returns effectively acted as a census of all adult males and are used as a tool for surname distribution analysis.
Wording of the Protestation Oath
“I, [Name], do in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow and protest to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my Life, Power and Estate, the true reformed Protestant Religion, Expressed in the Doctrines of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations, within this Realm, contrary to the same Doctrines, and according to the Duty of my Allegiance, His Majesties Royal Person, Honour and Estate, as also the Power and Privileges of Parliaments, the Lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and every person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful Pursuance of the same; and to my power, and as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose and by all good ways and means endeavour to bring to condign punishment all such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Counsels, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, do any Thing to the contrary of any Thing in this present Protestation contained; and further, that I shall in all just and honourable ways, endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace betwixt the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland; and neither for Hope, Fear nor any other Respect shall relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.”
However, the initiative ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642.
Other Oaths of Loyalty Containing Lists of Names
- Collection in Aid of Distressed Protestants in Ireland (1642): Charitable initiative which contains lists of individuals organised in support of Irish protestants subjected to widespread persecution. Surviving records in series SP 28 or E 179 held at The National Archives.
- Vow and Covenant (1643): This was an oath of loyalty to Parliament limited to members of the House of Commons taken in June 1643 during the English Civil War. The pledge of loyalty was in response to a royalist plot and aimed to support the fight against the royalists.
- Solemn League and Covenant (1643): The covenant raised during the English Civil War aimed to unite England, Scotland and Ireland under a presbyterian-parliamentary system. The oath was open to all subjects of these countries over the age of 18. Surviving material is held in series SP 28 or E 179 held at The National Archives.
- Free and Voluntary Present to the King (1661): Financial measure taken by the Parliament of England to raise funds for the restored King Charles II. The records of these voluntary contributions mainly from more wealthy individuals can be found in series E 179 at The National Archives or at County Record Offices.
Gibson’s Hearth Tax, Other Later Stuart Tax Lists and The Association Oath Rolls provides a comprehensive county-by-county breakdown of surviving tax lists, including their locations in various archives and repositories.
Also see
Association Oath Rolls
Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy
Sacrament Certificates (Oath of Allegiance)
Where Found
House of Lords Library
The Parliamentary Archives. The Parliamentary Archives hold surviving returns of the Protestation Returns from 1641 to 1642 for about one-third of English counties.
County Record Offices
Local archives hold returns kept at a local level. Local history societies and Family History Societies may have transcribed and published their own Protestation Returns.
The London Archives
City of London Rolls held in the City Of London Sessions records including lists of papists. Other lists of oath takers and papists are also available at the archives covering various London districts.
Period Covered
1641 – 1642
Genealogical Value
- Names of adult males over the age of 18 who took the oath
- Names of those who refused to sign the oath, often Roman Catholics
- Parish where the oath was taken
- Occupations occasionally given
Further References
- De Jong, Gwyn. Index to Oxfordshire Protestation Oath Returns 1641-42; Oxfordshire Family History Society, 1993
- Gibson, Jeremy & Dell, Alan. Protestation Returns 1641-42 and Other Contemporary Listings: Federation of Family History Societies, 2004 (The book covers the Collection in Aid of Distressed Protestants in Ireland; Subsidies; Poll Tax; Assessment or Grant; Vow and Covenant; Solemn League and Covenant. The book is available in preview at Google Books)
Websites
UK Parliament
Parliamentary Archives: Protestation Returns. Use this guide if you can trace your ancestors back to 1642, and you know which country and parish they live in. You might also find this guide useful is you’re interested in a locality generally.
Parliamentary Archives Blog
The Protestation Returns, Lancashire and Recusants, by Miriam Gibson.
Online Databases
UK Parliament
Parliamentary Archives: Protestation Returns. Search all digitised Protestation Returns held by the archives. The Returns are organised by country, then town or parish. To find a Return, search our online catalogue using the search box at the top of this page. Enter the parish or county your ancestor lived in. Then use the left-hand toolbar to narrow your results. Select ‘Protestation Returns’ from under the subheading ‘Category’.
Findmypast
Protestation Returns 1641-1642. Search for men over the age of eighteen who took the oath of allegiance to the Protestant religion from records held in the Parliamentary Archives
Cornwall OPC Database
Protestation Returns. The source for this transcription is ‘Cornwall Protestation Returns 1641″ from a transcript (circa 1914) by Reginald Morshead Glencross
Society of Genealogists Data Online
Coventry Protestation Oath Return 1642. Search the protestation return for the City and the County of the City of Coventry.
Trinity College Dublin Library
1641 Depositions Online. Fully searchable digital edition of the 1641 Depositions comprising transcripts and images of all 8,000 depositions, examinations and associated materials in which Protestant men and women of all classes told of their experiences following the outbreak of the Catholic Irish Rebellion in October, 1641.
CD Roms
Lincolnshire Family History Society
Lincolnshire Protestation Returns 1641/2. The returns have been completely transcribed. County coverage is good, with Kesteven being the least represented area. A few returns include women, and some give occupations or relationships.
