Getting started
5. Order certificates
Unfortunately, it's not always possible to be certain that an entry in the indexes is for the person you're researching. You may find several entries for a common name within a single quarter. Some may also have the same registration district.
The amount of information in the indexes, although highly useful, is fairly limited. Until 1969 there are no dates of birth or complete middle names in the indexes. The birth, marriage and death indexes are, in essence, a finding aid to enable you to order certificates for the events. These certificates are a genealogist's main resource in extending their family tree.
Certificates hold a wealth of information about your ancestors.
Birth certificates can tell you:
- When and where a person was born
- Their father’s name (where acknowledged). Illegitimate births may not state the father’s name
- Mother's name
- Father's occupation.
Marriage certificates can tell you:
- The date that the marriage took place
- The bride and groom's full names
- Their ages (note: age given is as stated by bride/groom, and may not be accurate)
- Condition at marriage, i.e. widowed, divorced, or single
- Their profession
- Their residence
- The bride and groom's fathers' names. If a father's name is followed by 'deceased', then search backwards from the date of marriage to find a death certificate for him.
- The bride and groom's fathers' occupations
- Names of witnesses - often family members.
Death certificates can tell you:
- When and where a person died
- Their age
- Their occupation
- The cause of death
- Details of the informant (often a family member).
Findmypast.com provides a link to the General Register Office's website, where you can order certificates. Once you've found the record you're looking for, click on the 'order BMD certificates' link at the top right hand corner of the page, next to 'help & advice ' (you will need to be signed in to see the link) .
This will take you to the page where you can find further details on ordering certificates from the GRO. When ordering, simply fill in the information for the certificate that you wish to order from the entry on findmypast.com. All the information you'll need appears in the birth, marriage and death indexes.
Additional information, such as a father's name or mother's maiden name (if known), can be used when ordering a certificate to ensure it relates to the correct person.
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