GRO Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes, 1837-2001, in The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library

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England
Wales
Year range
1837 - 2001


by Timothy Dougherty

In 2004, the Historical Genealogy Department acquired the General Register Office (GRO) vital record indexes for England and Wales. Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths began on July 1, 1837. This collection indexes those events from that date through 2001. This is a premier collection for British research.

From 1837-1983, the index is arranged by year, and then by quarter (March, June, September, and December). Within the quarter, names have been sorted into alphabetical order. Events registered in January or February will be listed in the March quarter, April and May will be included in the June quarter and so on.

It is important to remember that the dates involved are registration dates, not necessarily the date of occurrence. Events are often registered well after they occur. Births, for example, were often not registered until six weeks after they occurred. A December event, therefore, is likely to appear in the March quarter for the following year. If an event is not listed where it seemingly should be, subsequent quarters should be examined.

Events ranging from 1984 through 2001 are indexed alphabetically for the entire year; there is no subdivision by quarter.

The details on the index will vary to a degree, depending on the nature of the event. The birth index includes name of child, registration district, and volume and page number of the complete record. Beginning with the September quarter of 1911, the mother’s maiden name will also be included. The marriage index lists first name and surname of the person married, the registration district, and the volume and page number. From the March 1912 quarter on, surname of spouse is included. Prior to this date, both surnames should be searched for a corresponding match; if you do not know the bride’s name, the only way to find it is by obtaining the certificate. The death index shows name, registration district and the volume and page number. Beginning with the June 1866 quarter, the age at death will also be recorded. Additionally, date of birth will be recorded in the death index entry beginning with the year 1969.

Instructions for obtaining copies of the actual documents can be found on the General Register Office webpage, http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ There are several options, including ordering by phone, internet, postal mail, fax, or visitation. Written correspondence should be addressed to: General Register Office, P.O. Box 2, Southport, Merseyside, England, RP8 2JD. It may be quicker to use a private search agent, and their prices may also be lower. For listings of these search agents, consult the British Family tree magazine or the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives’ website at http://www.agra.org.uk/.

Article taken from the Genealogy Gems[1]: News from the Fort Wayne Library
No. 14, April 30, 2005