The International Genealogical Index was started back in the 1960s by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormons. It was originally on microfiche which required the use of a microfiche reader to view it. It contained a transcript of parish registers for those parishes where the minister was willing to allow access to his registers. For the UK, it was split into counties and then organised by surnames / forenames/ dates and type of record, e.g. baptism or marriage – it contained few burials..

Some Gloucestershire parishes were not included on the original IGI but have now been added. The whole is now the basis for the Family Search website. Although the fiche have been superceded, it is worth a look if you can get access as some of the early records are not on the website.