Birth, Marriage and Death Records

BMD Records – England & Wales

When hunting for details of a family member’s Birth, Marriage and Death Records you will find these are mostly free of charge. Although these records are principally for statistical purposes I have found they are the most reliable source of anyone born, married or deceased in the country.  But be aware that these are not an official copy of the actual certificate. 

In England and Wales, you will find these records are kept by the General Register Office which is part of the National Office of Statistics. (ONS). Here, they have been keeping Birth, Marriage or Death records since July 1837 so before that you would need to search Parish Records. This was when it was required by law to record every birth, marriage and death. 

To order a copy of a record you will probably need an index number for which there is a charge. A free database of index numbers can be found on the website FreeBMD. Accessing the index at some libraries and archive centres is also possible.

Scotland’s Records

Scottish BMD records are kept by the Registrar General for Scotland at the New Register House in Edinburgh. Registers of births, marriages and deaths are available from 1855 to the present.  Church Registers and Census returns can be found on the same website. 

You can search the statutory records at  https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Records in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s Birth, Marriage and Death records are recorded by the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI). They can be found at the Nothern Irish government’s website requires registration so you may find it easier searching at https://www.emeraldancestors.com/

Earlier records before this statistical data may be found in local parish registers. These are generally kept in local council archives, however a growing number are being made available by Online Parish Clerks. These are transcribed by volunteers and listed on FamilySearch.org.