"In a sense these are more birth records than baptismal records, for they register every birth, even though many of the children were stillborn or died before they could be baptised... they give so many details: for every adult male mentioned, including the often numerous baptismal witnesses, the father's name, occupation and residence, and the young person's position in the family; for married women, both the lady's first name and her husband's full name, occupation and residence; for the mother of the child, the maiden name and the mother's home village; for both the mother and the father, we are told whether it is the first or a later marriage." -- Intro.