Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates
A Guide to Using Civil Registration Records
Prior to 1837 The Government relied on The Church to register it’s population but it realised that it was not a complete record so a single tier registration system was introduced and all births, marriages and deaths had to be registered
All births, marriages and deaths are recorded in an index. You need the details from the index before ordering the certificate
Introduction
Civil registration - the need for births, marriages and deaths to be recorded in England & Wales - commenced on 1 July 1837. In Scotland records began in 1855 and in Ireland in 1864 although Irish non-Catholic marriages were recorded from 1845
Prior to 1837 The Government relied on The Church to register its population but it realised that it was not a complete record so a single tier registration system was introduced. The Registration Districts are based upon the old administrative poor law unions which had been set up in 1834, and prior to that the administrative hundreds.
The Act also permitted marriages to be performed in Register Offices and not necessarily in the Anglican Church (as many Nonconformist Chapels were authorised to perform marriages).
Although Civil Registration was introduced in 1837, it was not until 1874 that the registration of a birth became compulsory. Between these dates, children may not have been registered.
The information contained in each certificate is as follows
Civil registration - the need for births, marriages and deaths to be recorded in England & Wales - commenced on 1 July 1837. In Scotland records began in 1855 and in Ireland in 1864 although Irish non-Catholic marriages were recorded from 1845
Prior to 1837 The Government relied on The Church to register its population but it realised that it was not a complete record so a single tier registration system was introduced. The Registration Districts are based upon the old administrative poor law unions which had been set up in 1834, and prior to that the administrative hundreds.
The Act also permitted marriages to be performed in Register Offices and not necessarily in the Anglican Church (as many Nonconformist Chapels were authorised to perform marriages).
Although Civil Registration was introduced in 1837, it was not until 1874 that the registration of a birth became compulsory. Between these dates, children may not have been registered.
The information contained in each certificate is as follows
Birth Certificates
The information recorded on a birth certificate is :
The information recorded on a birth certificate is :
- Registration District & Sub District
- When & where born (time also given if multiple births)
- Name
- Sex
- Name & Surname of Father
- Name & Maiden Name and previous married surnames of Mother
- Occupation of Father
- Description & Residence of informant
- Date Registered
- Details of name/s entered after Registration
The address on a birth certificate can help find the family in census returns, directories and poll books and other records
Marriage Certificates
Civil Marriages on Find My Past
Marriage Certificates
- Registration District
- Place of Marriage
- Names of the couple
- Age of the couple
- Status and Occupation
- Residence at time of marriage
- Father’s name & occupation - for both bride & groom and possibly
- a statement that either was dead by that date
- Method of marriage - banns, licence, certificate etc
- Signature or mark of the couple and witnesses
Civil Marriages on Find My Past
Death Certificates
From 1837, only the date and place of death, name, age, sex, occupation, and cause of death was required. From the mid 1969, information shown includes additionally, date and place of birth, usual address and if the deceased was a married woman, her maiden name. All of which is extremely useful to the family historian..
- Registration District & Sub District
- When & Where Died
- Name & Surname
- Sex
- Age (including statement of parentage in the case of a child)
- Occupation (including that of the husband of a married woman or widow)
- Cause of Death
- Description & Residence of Informant
- When registered
From 1837, only the date and place of death, name, age, sex, occupation, and cause of death was required. From the mid 1969, information shown includes additionally, date and place of birth, usual address and if the deceased was a married woman, her maiden name. All of which is extremely useful to the family historian..
Using the Civil Registration System
Civil Registration birth, marriage and death certificates are available from three sources:-
It is not possible to see the actual certificates immediately and not online. To receive a certificate from the GRO (usually through the post) you must discover the reference details for each event you require.
The birth, marriage or death is indexed nationally. It is maintained in alphabetical order, by year and then by the quarter during which the registration of the event took place. So you will need some basic information before you can order a certificate.
A birth had to be registered within 42 days. As an example if an event took place on 26th September, it may not have been registered until October that year. So the event will appear in the December quarter A death had to be reported within 5 days so that is likely to be included in the index volume for the quarter in which the event took place.
The country is divided up into Registration Districts. Each district has a name and a volume number which shows in which geographical area it was situated. Some of the names can be confusing or might mean nothing to you. For instance the Registration district for Exmouth in East Devon is St Thomas so you need to understand the Registration districts A very useful list of al these districts can be found at the UKBMD website
All of this is irrelevant if you are going to obtain a certificate from a local register office. They will need the name , date of event and other personal details.
Civil Registration birth, marriage and death certificates are available from three sources:-
- General Register Office (GRO) Southport or ordered online through its website
- Local Register Offices or their websites
- Parish Churches & Record Offices – for marriages only
It is not possible to see the actual certificates immediately and not online. To receive a certificate from the GRO (usually through the post) you must discover the reference details for each event you require.
The birth, marriage or death is indexed nationally. It is maintained in alphabetical order, by year and then by the quarter during which the registration of the event took place. So you will need some basic information before you can order a certificate.
A birth had to be registered within 42 days. As an example if an event took place on 26th September, it may not have been registered until October that year. So the event will appear in the December quarter A death had to be reported within 5 days so that is likely to be included in the index volume for the quarter in which the event took place.
- MARCH January, February & March
- JUNE April, May, June
- SEPTEMBER July, August, September
- DECEMBER October, November, December.
The country is divided up into Registration Districts. Each district has a name and a volume number which shows in which geographical area it was situated. Some of the names can be confusing or might mean nothing to you. For instance the Registration district for Exmouth in East Devon is St Thomas so you need to understand the Registration districts A very useful list of al these districts can be found at the UKBMD website
All of this is irrelevant if you are going to obtain a certificate from a local register office. They will need the name , date of event and other personal details.
Search the index by name on Ancestry
Research your family history using the General Register Office
More about Civil Registration at Family Search
Advice and help at the Society of Genealogists
Free BMD is a site which has been transcribing the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales for free
Research your family history using the General Register Office
More about Civil Registration at Family Search
Advice and help at the Society of Genealogists
Free BMD is a site which has been transcribing the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales for free