David, author of ‘Tracing your Kent Ancestors’, gave us a talk on that subject. He set out, in great detail, the sources available. Not all can be mentioned here- if you want to know more-buy his book! Again and again, he emphasised the importance of going beyond what’s readily available on the internet. Not all sets of such records are complete and transcribers can easily confuse different parishes with similar names. Moreover, original records, such as parish registers, can provide vital additional information, not included in any index.
Where ancestors cannot be found in parish registers, try the Bishop’s Transcripts, of which Kent has the best collection in England, and not yet digitised. They may be more complete and easier to decipher. Don’t underestimate the extent to which people even in the 18th century moved around the country. If using IGI, bear in mind that many baptised infants did not survive to adulthood. Don’t assume all baptisms are of infants. Other parish records, besides registers, can be a goldmine.
With censuses, don’t search rigidly by surname - they are often corrupted. Do compare details for the same person from different censuses - they are not always consistent. With marriage records, women often falsified their age! Witnesses are usually actual or prospective family members.
Don’t assume your ancestor was too poor to leave a will- search online. Even if they didn’t, a relative may have done, mentioning them. Furthermore, there are probate inventories for the mid 17th to mid 18th centuries, detailing the possessions of the deceased. There are many for Kent and all indexed.
Michael Lucas.