UK Civil Registration Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates
This information has been copied from the website of the Society of Genealogists as a guide for family research.
Introduction
The records of civil registration in England & Wales, which commenced on 1 July 1837, relate to the birth, marriage and death of an individual. In Scotland records began in 1855 and in Ireland in 1864 (n.b. Irish non-Catholic marriages were recorded from 1845).
In England & Wales, up to that time, the government had relied very much on the church to register its population but it realised that it was not a complete record i.e. not a full listing of the population. Therefore, a single tier registration system was introduced, based on the administrative poor law unions, which had been set up in 1834, and previously the administrative hundreds. These became the registration districts. Births, not baptisms, & deaths, not burials, were recorded as well as marriages. Parish and nonconformist baptism & burial registers were still completed at the same time that the new civil registration system began. The Act also permitted marriages to be performed in Register Offices and outside the confines of the Anglican Church. Many nonconformist chapels were authorised to perform marriages. Since 1837 there has been much fine tuning of the system and various new regulations and legislation have been introduced from time to time.
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. Use Church Records in these cases. There was in fact a loophole as the act was not fully understood and people genuinely thought that to have a child baptised was to register that child. The 1874 Act made registration compulsory within a 6 week period and imposed a fine for non-compliance.
The records of civil registration in England & Wales, which commenced on 1 July 1837, relate to the birth, marriage and death of an individual. In Scotland records began in 1855 and in Ireland in 1864 (n.b. Irish non-Catholic marriages were recorded from 1845).
In England & Wales, up to that time, the government had relied very much on the church to register its population but it realised that it was not a complete record i.e. not a full listing of the population. Therefore, a single tier registration system was introduced, based on the administrative poor law unions, which had been set up in 1834, and previously the administrative hundreds. These became the registration districts. Births, not baptisms, & deaths, not burials, were recorded as well as marriages. Parish and nonconformist baptism & burial registers were still completed at the same time that the new civil registration system began. The Act also permitted marriages to be performed in Register Offices and outside the confines of the Anglican Church. Many nonconformist chapels were authorised to perform marriages. Since 1837 there has been much fine tuning of the system and various new regulations and legislation have been introduced from time to time.
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. Use Church Records in these cases. There was in fact a loophole as the act was not fully understood and people genuinely thought that to have a child baptised was to register that child. The 1874 Act made registration compulsory within a 6 week period and imposed a fine for non-compliance.
Birth Certificates
These are considered to be prime evidence of someone's existence. They contain valuable information, particularly parents’ names. The information recorded on a birth certificate is :
• Registration District & Sub District
• Register number
• 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
However, a common occurrence was the illegitimate child. It was implied, though not always the case, that the omission of the father’s name from the certificate suggested illegitimacy. From 1875 the reputed father HAD to be present at the registration to consent to his name being added. Illegitimacy may also be proved by a subsequent marriage of the parents but in such circumstances you cannot assume that this husband was in fact the father of the illegitimate child, unless there is some other known clue to confirm this. When a time is given, this may indicate a multiple birth, so look for another child born on the same day!
When extracting the information from a birth certificate, pay special attention to the address as this will very often lead you to census returns, directories and poll books or the workhouse records. This aspect will be discussed in greater detail elsewhere. Pay particular attention also to the registration and sub-district as this may give you additional clues enabling you to locate other family members.
These are considered to be prime evidence of someone's existence. They contain valuable information, particularly parents’ names. The information recorded on a birth certificate is :
• Registration District & Sub District
• Register number
• 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
However, a common occurrence was the illegitimate child. It was implied, though not always the case, that the omission of the father’s name from the certificate suggested illegitimacy. From 1875 the reputed father HAD to be present at the registration to consent to his name being added. Illegitimacy may also be proved by a subsequent marriage of the parents but in such circumstances you cannot assume that this husband was in fact the father of the illegitimate child, unless there is some other known clue to confirm this. When a time is given, this may indicate a multiple birth, so look for another child born on the same day!
When extracting the information from a birth certificate, pay special attention to the address as this will very often lead you to census returns, directories and poll books or the workhouse records. This aspect will be discussed in greater detail elsewhere. Pay particular attention also to the registration and sub-district as this may give you additional clues enabling you to locate other family members.
Marriage certificates
In 1837, the format of the marriage register changed and significantly more information is recorded. Such registers remain unchanged to the present day. The information recorded is :
• Registration District
• Place of Marriage
• Register entry number
• Names of Parties
• Age of Parties
• 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 Ages on a marriage certificate can be inaccurate or at the very least suspect. No exact age may be shown and it may simply be recorded that bride or groom was "of full age". This implies an age in excess of 21 years. That statement may have been false to avoid a minor having to obtain parental consent. Where an actual age is given, it is usually reasonably accurate but it may also have been altered for a variety of reasons.
Be wary of an address which is the same for both parties. This was often used to avoid paying two sets of banns fees if one or the other party resided in a different parish. Marriages usually took place in the parish of the bride.
The absence of a father’s name and occupation usually meant he was unknown, although the columns may have been left blank as a matter of course. This may be a good clue to two possibilities, that of illegitimacy or that the father was dead at the time of the marriage. In the latter case, the name was usually filled in and the word deceased written alongside it. The inclusion of the name of the father without the word deceased did not automatically mean that he was alive at the time of the marriage.
In 1837, the format of the marriage register changed and significantly more information is recorded. Such registers remain unchanged to the present day. The information recorded is :
• Registration District
• Place of Marriage
• Register entry number
• Names of Parties
• Age of Parties
• 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 Ages on a marriage certificate can be inaccurate or at the very least suspect. No exact age may be shown and it may simply be recorded that bride or groom was "of full age". This implies an age in excess of 21 years. That statement may have been false to avoid a minor having to obtain parental consent. Where an actual age is given, it is usually reasonably accurate but it may also have been altered for a variety of reasons.
Be wary of an address which is the same for both parties. This was often used to avoid paying two sets of banns fees if one or the other party resided in a different parish. Marriages usually took place in the parish of the bride.
The absence of a father’s name and occupation usually meant he was unknown, although the columns may have been left blank as a matter of course. This may be a good clue to two possibilities, that of illegitimacy or that the father was dead at the time of the marriage. In the latter case, the name was usually filled in and the word deceased written alongside it. The inclusion of the name of the father without the word deceased did not automatically mean that he was alive at the time of the marriage.
Death Certificates
These carry the least information from a genealogical point of view but they are nevertheless important sources particularly with regard to genetic diseases and for the location of wills and other probate documents. They have undergone greater changes in format than the other certificates. Death Certificates usually include the following information:
• Registration District & Sub District
• Register number
• 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, the only information requested was date and place of death, name, age, sex, occupation, and cause of death. From the middle of 1969, the 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.
Although up to 1874, the onus of registering a death was placed on the registrar, the information was provided by an informant. Later it was the responsibility of the next of kin or closest relative of the deceased to ensure the death was registered. Also the Births & Deaths Registration Act meant that the registration had to be supported by a medical certificate. You will find causes of death described in various ways, some often simplistically, e.g. fever, turn of life, water on the head, decline etc.
Beware of inaccurate ages on death certificates. Often informants were not sure how old someone was and so they guessed. The Coroner is usually the informant in the case of a violent or unusual cause of death where an inquest took place. If a death certificate reveals such information, then look further for local newspaper reports of the inquest and also see if a Coroner’s report has survived. Such information will usually be quite revealing.
Scotland Use of the Term Illegitimate
The use of the term “illegitimate” in column one of the birth and death registers was discontinued after 1918. The Registrar General for Scotland issued guidance to registrars that it should no longer be used for new entries. For pre-1919 records an official extract (or certificate) of a birth or death entry that contained the term had to be typed and “illegitimate” omitted. It remains in the register entry which can be viewed as a digital image if the record is over 50 years old.
Step Children Adoptions
It was common practice in the years before 1930 for children to simply assume the surname of a step-father without a formal adoption taking place. The adoption act came into force in 1930 to give records and new birth certificates to adopted children but prior to that there was no formal adoption process to go through. The adoption may have been legalised after 1930 in which case the child would have an entry in the Adopted children’s register. We can check this for you if you like if you give us the names they was born as and the name they assumed.
These carry the least information from a genealogical point of view but they are nevertheless important sources particularly with regard to genetic diseases and for the location of wills and other probate documents. They have undergone greater changes in format than the other certificates. Death Certificates usually include the following information:
• Registration District & Sub District
• Register number
• 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, the only information requested was date and place of death, name, age, sex, occupation, and cause of death. From the middle of 1969, the 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.
Although up to 1874, the onus of registering a death was placed on the registrar, the information was provided by an informant. Later it was the responsibility of the next of kin or closest relative of the deceased to ensure the death was registered. Also the Births & Deaths Registration Act meant that the registration had to be supported by a medical certificate. You will find causes of death described in various ways, some often simplistically, e.g. fever, turn of life, water on the head, decline etc.
Beware of inaccurate ages on death certificates. Often informants were not sure how old someone was and so they guessed. The Coroner is usually the informant in the case of a violent or unusual cause of death where an inquest took place. If a death certificate reveals such information, then look further for local newspaper reports of the inquest and also see if a Coroner’s report has survived. Such information will usually be quite revealing.
Scotland Use of the Term Illegitimate
The use of the term “illegitimate” in column one of the birth and death registers was discontinued after 1918. The Registrar General for Scotland issued guidance to registrars that it should no longer be used for new entries. For pre-1919 records an official extract (or certificate) of a birth or death entry that contained the term had to be typed and “illegitimate” omitted. It remains in the register entry which can be viewed as a digital image if the record is over 50 years old.
Step Children Adoptions
It was common practice in the years before 1930 for children to simply assume the surname of a step-father without a formal adoption taking place. The adoption act came into force in 1930 to give records and new birth certificates to adopted children but prior to that there was no formal adoption process to go through. The adoption may have been legalised after 1930 in which case the child would have an entry in the Adopted children’s register. We can check this for you if you like if you give us the names they was born as and the name they assumed.
Printable copy of Civil Registration Records
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/statutory-registers/deaths
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/adoption-records
List of old and new street names Glasgow Scotland
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/statutory-registers/deaths
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/adoption-records
List of old and new street names Glasgow Scotland
GRO UK - Using Quarters
How to understand the date methods used on The General Registers Office to signify dates.
For example, a death will be documented as GRO Reference: 1850 D Quarter in TRURO UNION Volume 09 Page 312.
Means is that this person died in D Quarter which is October, November and December.
For example, a death will be documented as GRO Reference: 1850 D Quarter in TRURO UNION Volume 09 Page 312.
Means is that this person died in D Quarter which is October, November and December.
| The Quarter | Contains Registrations in:- | |
|---|---|---|
| MARCH | the months of January, February and March | 1st Quarter or M Quarter |
| JUNE | the months of April, May and June | 2nd Quarter or J Quarter |
| SEPTEMBER | the months of July, August and September | 3rd Quarter or S Quarter |
| DECEMBER | the months of October, November and December | 4th Quarter or D Quarter |
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/search-help.shtml
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/distvolpage.html
https://www.gro.gov.uk
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/distvolpage.html
https://www.gro.gov.uk
Family Records Search Resources in Europe
The great thing about genealogy research is that there are many resources that are focused on specific countries that your family may be from. This site has put together resources and information about 46 different countries, so you can easily get started.
https://ourpublicrecords.org/europe-family-records/
https://ourpublicrecords.org/europe-family-records/
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© 2013 - Suzanne Nagel.
© 2013 - Suzanne Nagel.
