English Civil Registration Records

Neil D. Holden

Civil registration began in England (and Wales) on 1 July 1837. From this date onward every birth, marriage and death should have been recorded. However, compliance in the early years of civil registration was not 100%, particularly in the period up to 1875. Even after 1875, registration is not 100% complete. Even so, civil registration records are often critical in determining who our ancestors were.

• Birth Records - Records the date and place of birth. In addition, the parents' names are recorded including, importantly, the maiden name of the mother.  
• Marriage Records - Records the date and place of marriage. Information includes the ages of the two parties, their residences, their occupations, their fathers, and even their fathers' occupations. 
• Death Records - Records the date and place of death. Information includes cause of death and age at death.

There are many resources available online that can assist people researching their English ancestry. The following represents some of the best resources found online:

• 1837 to 1983 - Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes (index images)
• England and Wales Civil Registration Index, 1837-1983 (partial index) 
• FreeBMD (free partial index) England and Wales Birth Index, 1984-2000 (complete)
• England and Wales Marriage Index, 1984-2000 (complete)
• England and Wales Death Index, 1984-2000 (complete)
• Registration Districts in England and Wales (details registration boundaries)
• Births Marriages and Deaths at Sea, 1854-1890 (complete)

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