Ordering Certicates

Certificates of birth, marriage and death contain useful information that will allow you to trace back your line.
When you start your family history research it is crucial that you obtain accurate primary source material. This will allow you to verify and document your family tree.

Certificates are obtained in a number of ways, depending on the country and which "life event" took place.

Dates The civil registration of these "life events" began at different times in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland: Births & Deaths Marriages England and Wales 1837 1837 Scotland 1855 1855 Ireland 1864 1845

Material covering the years 1698-1968 for India and related countries i.e. Aden, Burma, China (Macao and Whampoa), Kuwait, Pakistan, St Helena, Straits Settlements (Penang, Singapore, Malacca) and Sumatra see Oriental and India Office Collections.

If you are trying to find documentation of a birth, marriage or death occurring earlier than the above dates, you will need to find out about records kept by churches, chapels or synagogues - see the topic Religious Records.

What information is there on a Birth certificate?

• Child's forenames
• Sex
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Mother's full name and maiden name
• Father's full name and occupation if married to the mother
• Name, address and relationship to child of the person who registered the birth.
• In Scotland the following additional information would be given:
• Time of birth
• Date and place of parents' marriage.

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What information is there on a Marriage certificate?

• Date of Marriage Place of Marriage
• Whether by banns, licence or certificate
• Name and age of bride and groom
• Occupations of bride and groom
• Marital status of bride and groom
• Current address of bride and groom
• Names and occupations of the fathers of the bride and groom
  names of witnesses
• In Scotland the following additional information would be given: Mother's name and maiden name
• For regular marriage - name of officiating minister (or registrar from 1940) For irregular marriages - date of conviction (to 1939), decree of declarator or sherriff's warrant

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What information is there on a Death certificate?

• Full name of deceased
• Date of death
• Place of death
• Given age
• Cause of death
• Occupation (or name and occupation of husband if the deceased was a married or widowed woman)
• Name, address and family relationship (if any) of the person who reported the death.
• In Scotland the following additional information would be given: Marital status, Spouse's name
  Sex, Father's name and rank or profession, Mother's name and maiden name

Order your certificate from the members area and one of our experienced researchers will carry out the search on your behalf - your satisfaction is guaranteed.

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