Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Since 1837, every birth, marriage and death in England and Wales had to be registered
- Certificates began in Scotland in 1855, and most of Ireland in 1864
- However, it took several decades for compliance to reach 100%
- Parish registers in local archives have records of births, marriages and deaths before 1837
Census
Census records can also be a way of checking data, or discovering previously unknown relatives. A census has been taken every ten years since 1801 with the exception of 1941
Record Sheets
BBC Family History record sheets
What's my history? 