Tracing family tree beyond the 19th century

[whataboutbob]

For years I knew virtually nothing about my father's family, but lots about my mum's. Didn't know the origins of my surname, paternal grandfather was born abroad and didn't have any records in UK except 1 census return. Dad now has dementia so sadly couldn't give me any info, but I remembered he once said his grandfather was buried in the Pere Lachaise. That was the key. I found consular return of his death in Paris, with dob. Then traced his family all the way back to a village in Norfolk in the early 19th. It's been like finally completing a puzzle.
The more you think of it, the more addictive it becomes. After all, your surname comes from just one long ago male ancestor, you have many many more and as I checked records it was obvious London in the 19th century was one big melting pot of people pouring in from all corners of the country and beyond (there are also germans and scots in there).
But as the 1st census was done in 1821 (I think) how do you work back before that? There also seems to be a west country branch. Do you have to go to the local county records offices? Or could you access say Parish records for Devon in the 18th century online?
Thanks if you've read so far! Any advice gratefully welcomed.

definitely addictive, it's great. Whereabouts in Norfolk did you trace back to (nosy and have lots of DH's tree linking back to various parts)? London is crazy I agree!

Before the census/BMD records, yes, parish records. I think some have been added to Ancestry (not a member at the mo, too £££) and probably other sites. Family history societies for the county you're interested might have resources, e.g. I bought a CD of data for the main parishes I needed from Cambs FHS which has allowed me to read them without travelling anywhere. I've only been to one records office so far, but did manage to track DH's Smith family back to 1750 in a few hours :)

I really want to do some more on our joint tree but baby DD and 3.5 yo DS are somewhat restricting opportunities at the moment...

I am totally addicted to Ancestry for personal reasons, but you can find so much withso little info as I can testify to.
Parish records are good, but even these can be difficult as the further back you go the more likelihood of spelling mistakes and errors being recorded. If your joe or joseph was registered as john or even in the earlier censuses and their surname spelt incorrectly it can take ages tofinally find themand link them up.
Having lost many a month to this I had to take a short break, but I'm back again.
Anybody needing justification for an Ancestry account, I have mine for my birthday each year and also dd has started to show an interest so its educational too. I only have the middle one though as the world membership is just a bit too expensive for me to justify.

The first census was 1841 in England and Wales, but parish records are available for earlier dates. The Mormon site familysearch.org is free and a good source for parish records, but otherwise you need a subscription to ancestry or findmypast, unless you can travel to the records office.

It is highly addictive

Thanks everyone for your interest and suggestions. Nothing wrong with being nosey Blanket, I am so myself which is why all this started! The village is in the Norfolk broads, it's called Ludham and seems to be a cute village with its own website which includes family history and a plan of the cemetery with graves mapped out, and I found my 5 generations back grandfather and grandmother's graves. I'm embarrassed to say i have never had any interest in Norfolk and might never have gone there, but now bro' and I have talked about doing a trip to the village sometime.
I'm lucky in that I live about an hour away from Kew by bike, so will go there and try and access parish records. There are also very knowledgeable members of staff there, whom you can ask for advice.
It is all quite interesting, and gives insights into social history. The picture I get is Dad's 19th C ancestors were mostly from quite modest origins (tobacconists, bill posters, chandlers, military men, cotton workers) but there was an obvious drive to move to large cities, acquire education and move up. For instance dad's grandfather, whose own Norfolk grandfather was a gardener (peasant?!) had a father who was a schoolmaster, and put himself through Cambridge ending up Times correspondent in Paris.I see it as a sort of internal emigration, similar to the immigrants who are pouring into London today- doing modest jobs but investing in their kids' education, as a way of reaching the middle classes.

I think parish records can take you back to the 1500s. I have a branch going back to a small farming community between the 1500s - 1800s (they then moved as a result of the Industrial Revolution and the food riots) and the amount of cousin marriages is shocking! For about 200 years many of my direct line married members of another family. The same surname crops up again and again.

Anyway, I think before the 1500s is very hard to trace unless you have aristocrats in that particular branch, as I read somewhere that Elizabeth I brought in a law that meant parishes had to record births/deaths/marriages etc., but they were patchy before then. Probate records might be an option if your ancestors held land.