Daily AncestorRector
A rector is the priest in charge of an Episcopal or Anglican parish, chosen by the vestry; in American Catholic usage it can also mean the priest in charge of a parish.
In the Episcopal Church the vestry elects the rector and the bishop approves the choice. The rector kept or signed the parish register, so his name helps date entries and identify which church a record came from.
Rectory is the rector's house. A minister called curate or assistant served under him.
As seen in a recordEpiscopal parish register, 1790s to 1900s
Married by the Rev. Saml. Hart, rector of this parish
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Rector." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/church/rector. Last checked 2026-10-03.