{"id":12561,"date":"2023-07-06T11:29:16","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T11:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/?page_id=12561"},"modified":"2023-10-03T09:50:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T09:50:04","slug":"researching-family-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/legal\/citizenship\/researching-family-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Researching Family History UK through General Register Office"},"content":{"rendered":"

RECORDED EVENTS<\/strong>: The GRO stores a list of events recorded in England and Wales (and some from abroad).<\/p>\n

Thus, accessing their database can be helpful while researching your family history and your family tree.<\/p>\n

You can order many different types of certificates from the General Register Office. You can get birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership, and death certificates.<\/p>\n

The GRO records registered in England and Wales date back to July 1837. Try researching parish records if you want to trace back even further.<\/p>\n

It is best to check the General Register Office record list<\/a> to see what information they hold. You will find that some of the records start at a later date than 1837 (e.g. for adopted children and for civil partnerships).<\/p>\n

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Ordering a Certificate from GRO<\/h2>\n

You can order a range of different certificates through the online ordering service<\/a>. They will send your certificate to you by postal methods and they cost \u00a311 each.<\/p>\n

There is no requirement to have the GRO index reference number to make an order. But, the process is usually faster when you have it.<\/p>\n

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Ordering a PDF Copy Online<\/h2>\n

You can also get PDFs using the same online ordering service. Historical birth and death certificates cost \u00a36 each. But, you will need the GRO index reference number of the certificate to order a PDF. They will send you an email that informs you when the PDF is ready for download. As a rule, the process takes less than five (5) working days to complete.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: Ordering a PDF online is the cheapest option. But, you would not be able to use a copy of a certificate as proof of identity for official purposes.<\/p>\n

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GRO Index Reference Numbers<\/h2>\n

The General Register Office<\/a> is part of Her Majesty’s Passport Office. They oversee civil registration in England and Wales. They also maintain the national archive of all births, marriages and deaths dating back to 1837.<\/p>\n

Knowing the GRO index reference number makes it easier to research your family history or family tree. All births, adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships, and deaths, registered in England or Wales, have one.<\/p>\n

Finding Index Reference Numbers Online<\/h3>\n

The GRO Index of historic births and deaths is available for online research. You can also try the FreeBMD (Births, Marriages, and Deaths) website. It allows you to view index reference numbers for free.<\/p>\n

First founded in 1998, FreeBMD is a UK-based charitable organisation. They established the resource centre as a charity in 2003. It offers a free transcription of the indexes to Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales (1837 to 1983).<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: You can also use a commercial company to help you research family history in the United Kingdom. But, there will be a fee to pay and their prices vary.<\/p>\n

Finding Index Reference Numbers in Person<\/h3>\n

Several other organisations allow you to search for index reference numbers for free, such as at:<\/p>\n