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I hope to be able to help you on this page, by trying to point you in the right direction in trying to trace any Birth, Marriage or Death certificates for your ancestors. Because as you know, you can obtain much information from these documents.

The first section deals with the Civil Registration System, this covers certificates from 1837 to the present time, but you can also obtain details of Births, marriages and Deaths that occurred before this date, you can find out how, in the second part of this page.

I do hope you find this useful, and please spare a moment to sign our Guest Book, it would be appreciated, Thank you.

What Details can be found on Certificates?

Prices of copies of Certificates

Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates - 1837 to Present Day.

Birth, Marriage and Death details, Pre 1837.

Here is information that can be found on certificates -

Birth certificates - The most valuable information found on the birth certificate is the mother's maiden surname, from which the parents marriage records can be found more easily, but you also get the fathers name and occupation, plus date and place of the birth.

Marriage certificates - These show you the year, church, parish and county that the marriage took place, as well as the dates, names and surnames of both parties, together with their ages. However before 1855 the age was simply put as 'Full', the certificate also tells you whether they were bachelor, spinster, widow, etc. Residences at time of marriage, and also the names and occupations of both the fathers, together with the names of the witnesses.

Death certificates - These are of least value really, but for an elusive ancestor the age at death could help in estimating their year of birth, After 1866 the age at death is shown, as well as the place where they died, the informant could be a family member. The death certificate does not usually tell you where the deceased is buried

Here are some prices that are charged by the General Register Office, these can be ordered online, but do try to get the GRO Ref No, before you order, this is the number you can find by following the instructions further down this page, it consists of the:

Place -Year - which Qtr - Volume No.- and Page No. 

(eg - Salford 1855 - Dec Qtr - Vol 8b - page 543)

General Register office - Births, deaths and Marriage registration.

Online / Postal / Phone / Fax Fees for events in England and Wales - GRO Office Charges:

The civil registration system commenced in July 1837, This was later expanded in 1927 to also include still births, and adoptions. This is available online and is easily accessible. One of the greatest myths about the Internet is that everything is free. While there are many valuable free resources online, some of the best resources are not.

You should be prepared to invest some money in genealogy.

I have placed a few links to places on the internet where you can search for the details to obtain certificates, you can obtain them from the Register Office that covers the area, or from the General Records Office, there is a link to the GRO in the left border, and I also have a section that I have listed a few Register Office's contact details.

 FREE - Birth, Marriage & Death Records

Also many libraries have a genealogy or family history section. If you are not sure ask the librarian who will assist you in finding that area of the library. Go from the books to microfiche or to microfilm. If you haven't used a microfiche or microfilm reader/printer you might want to get the librarian to assist you. You can also have copies made from most of the readers in the library, you will also find that many libraries have the St. Catherine's Index on film or microfiche, from these you can trace the required information needed to order Birth/Marriage and Death certificates.

Never go to a research facility, such as the library, without a list of specific tasks.  These items should be as specific as possible. If the exact dates of any vital events are unknown, then estimate them from other records or information,  (Such as when searching for a Marriage, if the date is not known, then I usually start the search a couple of years before when the first child was born in the marriage) These dates and approximate locations will help focus your search.

Churches and graveyards are worth visiting since the monumental inscriptions may offer details of births and deaths of previously unknown family members.

You can still search for Births, Marriages and Death details of your ancestors before the civil registration was introduced in 1837. Again you can access some information on the internet, and here I have given you details of a site that I use fairly often, and it is Free. 

The Church of Latter Day Saints

The Church of Latter Day Saints is a good site for genealogy searching. 

Here you can search the International Genealogical Index for your ancestors records by filling in the form with your ancestors details, then click the Search button, and it gives you a list of possible relations, you do need to know certain information before you can be certain that you have the right person, such as Full Name, Possible Dates, Place Names. 

You can also search the 1881 British and Canadian, as well as the 1880 American Census Online FREE Just select the census you wish to search by using the drop down menu, then enter the details and press the search button, you can view family members, the address, and also click to see who is living in the same street, by using the 'next household' button. Very useful site, and it has certainly helped me in the past.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/ 

  Another great Free site where you can search the IGI Batch Numbers 

British Isles and North America

Familia

Very Useful and Informative Site.

Familia is a web-based directory of family history resources held in Public Libraries in the UK and Ireland.

Recent collaboration with the Public Records Office (PRO) has led to closer links between Familia and the PRO's genealogy website to enable you to get to the information you require quickly.

We really do hope that this section of our website has been of use to you, and we wish you well in your research into your ancestors.

[ Home ] - [ Our Ward Family Website ] - [ Where to Search ] - [ Research Forms ]

[Certificates] - [ Register Offices] - [ Abbreviations ] - [ Links Page ]

 [ View Guest Book ] - [ Sign Guest Book ] - [ Contact Us ]

 All Surnames Genealogy Resources

Please note that all the information supplied on ‘Our Ward Family Website’ is for the purpose of 

private study and research only and may NOT be used for commercial purposes.

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