What Are Tithe Maps and Apportionments?

Tithe maps and apportionments are a remarkable but often overlooked resource for British family historians. Created in the 1830s and 1840s, they provide a detailed snapshot of rural England and Wales at a time when most of our ancestors lived and worked on the land. Unlike census returns, which list people in households, tithe records focus on land and property. They tell you who owned a piece of land, who occupied it, what it was used for, and even its name. For anyone tracing ancestors who farmed, laboured, or owned property in the countryside, these records can be transformative.

The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836

For centuries, tithes were payments made to the Church of England, traditionally one-tenth of the produce of the land. By the early nineteenth century, this system was increasingly impractical. Farmers resented paying in kind, and the amounts varied wildly. The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 changed everything: it replaced tithes in kind with a fixed money payment, known as the tithe rent charge. To calculate who owed what, commissioners needed to know the size, use, and value of every parcel of land. The result was a nationwide survey, parish by parish, producing a map and an accompanying apportionment. Not every parish was included—some had already commuted their tithes, and many urban areas were exempt—but for most rural parishes, the records are gold.

What You Will Find in the Records

The apportionment is the written schedule that accompanies the map. For each numbered plot, it lists:

• Landowner – the person entitled to the tithe rent charge, often a local squire or the church.
• Occupier – the person actually farming or using the land. This is where your ancestor may appear.
• Description of land – such as arable, pasture, meadow, orchard, or woodland.
• Field name – evocative names like “Long Croft”, “Great Meadow”, or “Kiln Field” that can hint at past uses.
• Acreage – the size of the plot.
• Tithe rent charge – the amount payable.

The map itself shows the plots drawn to scale, with numbers that correspond to the apportionment. Together, they let you see exactly where your ancestor lived and worked.

Using Tithe Records in Your Family History

If you know your ancestor lived in a particular parish, the tithe apportionment is an excellent next step. Search for their surname in the occupier or landowner column. You may discover that they rented a smallholding, farmed several fields, or owned land outright. If your ancestor was an agricultural labourer, they probably won’t appear by name, but you can still see who owned the land they worked on—often the local squire or a prosperous farmer. Tithe records are especially useful for bridging the gap before the 1841 census and civil registration in 1837. They can also help you trace land ownership over time. By comparing tithe maps with later Ordnance Survey maps, you can see how fields were merged, buildings added, or roads rerouted.

Practical Tips for Finding and Reading Tithe Maps

The original tithe maps and apportionments for England and Wales are held at The National Archives in series IR 29 (apportionments) and IR 30 (maps). Many county record offices also hold local copies, and a growing number are available online through various genealogy websites and archive collections. When you find a map, don’t be overwhelmed by its size. Use the apportionment to identify the plot numbers you need, then locate those numbers on the map. Handwriting can be tricky, and abbreviations are common—for example, “a.” for arable or “p.” for pasture. It’s also worth checking the tithe file for any correspondence or altered apportionments. Remember that tithe maps were not always perfectly accurate, and they reflect the landscape at the time of commutation, not later changes.

Bringing Your Ancestors' Landscape to Life

Tithe records do more than list names. They reveal the social fabric of a parish: who were the major landowners, how many smallholders there were, and what crops were grown. Field names can be ancient, offering clues to medieval farming or lost features. For family historians, these details add colour and context to dry dates and places. You can walk the fields your ancestors farmed, see the hedgerows they knew, and understand the rhythms of their working lives. So next time you hit a brick wall, turn to tithe maps and apportionments. They might just open a window onto your ancestors’ world.