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Primary sourceDocument26 April 1564

Shakespeare baptismal record

26 April 1564

The 1564 Stratford parish register entry recording the baptism of 'Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere', the earliest surviving record of Shakespeare's life.

This parish register entry is the earliest surviving record documenting Shakespeare's existence.

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Close crop of a handwritten parish register entry on aged, brownish paper. Faded brown ink reads 'Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere' with a line number '26' at left, and a partial line above.
Parish register entry recording the baptism of William Shakespeare, 26 April 1564. Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.

About this source

What it is

This is a handwritten entry in the parish register of Stratford-upon-Avon, dated 26 April 1564. It reads, in Latin, 'Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere' — William, son of John Shakespeare.

Why it matters

No birth certificates existed in Elizabethan England, so this church record is the earliest documented trace of William Shakespeare's life. It confirms his family and approximate date of birth, anchoring the start of his biography in verified fact rather than legend.

Look closer

  • Why would a church, rather than a government office, keep this kind of record in the 1500s?
  • What does the use of Latin tell you about who kept these records and why?
  • What does this document NOT tell us about Shakespeare's early life?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of William Shakespeare on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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