Births

Index
Name of child, mother’s maiden name (after Sept 1911), district and quarter year in which registration occurred, reference number (volume and page).

Certificate
Name of child, place and date of child’s birth, gender, father’s name and occupation, mother’s name and maiden name, who registered the birth (informant) and their residence, date of registration, signature of registrar and whether the name was entered after registration. (Additional information is given on certificates issued after 1 April 1969).

Click here to see an annotated example of a birth certificate. Move your cursor over the numbers for explanations.

Marriages

Index
Name, surname of spouse (after March 1912), registration district and reference number (volume and page). The index reference number will be the same for both bride and groom, so you can use them to cross-reference the entries, checking that you have found the right marriage before you order the certificate.

Certificate
Date and place of marriage, name and surname, age, condition (marital status of both parties), rank or profession, residence at time of marriage, father’s full name and profession, couple’s signatures, names of witnesses and officiating minister or registrar, religious denomination of the ceremony, whether the marriage was by licence certificate or banns.

Click here to see an annotated example of a marriage certificate. Move your cursor over the numbers for explanations.

Deaths

Index
Name, registration district and a reference number (volume and page). From 1866, age at death.

Certificate
Name and surname of deceased, gender, age, occupation, cause of death, when and were they died, residence and relation to the deceased of the informant, when death registered, signature of registrar (Additional information given on certificates after 1969).

Click here to see an annotated example of a death certificate. Move your cursor over the numbers for explanations.