This register is unique in that it is the only existing complete parish register for the section of Virginia south of the James River extending from Brunswick to Princess Anne counties. It is alphabetically arranged by family name and includes names, dates of births, and less frequently, deaths, names of parents, and the names of all sponsors at christenings (those who were godparents, usually being relatives). There is a separate index to sponsors, which, when calculated with the main entries in the text, pushes the total number of persons named to approximately 11,000.