Daily AncestorChristening
Christening means baptism, especially of an infant, at which the child was given a Christian name; in records it is the same event as a baptism.
The word comes from Old English and is related to christen, and it stresses the naming of the child. A family may speak of a christening while the register itself says baptized.
Genealogy indexes often use christening for any baptism entry. Like a baptism date, a christening date only gives the latest possible birth date.
As seen in a recordEpiscopal parish register, 1790s to 1850s
Christened, Wm. Henry, son of Robt. & Sarah Gaines, Aug. 30, 1801
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Christening." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/church/christening. Last checked 2026-10-03.