Information required to order a certificate

The General Register Office cannot issue a certficate if full details are not supplied when the certificate application is made. The application must include full name(s), place of event (district or street and town) and date or year of event.

Birth certificates

Full name of person whose birth certificate is required.
Date and place of birth (district or street and town).
Names of parents (including mother's maiden name.)
Mother's address at time of birth.

Adoption certificates

Full name of person whose birth certificate is required.
Date and place of birth.
Names of adoptive parents.
Name of Court which made the order and date of order.

Marriage certificates

Full names of the married couple and bride's maiden name.
Date and place of marriage.

Please note that for marriages before 1922 searches are not possible without the district and place of marriage being known.

Civil partnership certificates

Full names of both partners and any other surnames used before this partnership.
Date and place of civil partnership.

Death certificates

Full name of deceased.
Date and place of death (district or street and town).
The usual address of the deceased if different from place of death.

Please note that deaths before 1922 cannot be traced if the district where the death was registered is not known.

For deaths within the last three years the applicant must indicate whether the coroner was notified.

What happens if the exact date is not known?

We can undertake a search provided we are given sufficient information about the person concerned. If insufficient information is provided this will inevitably lead to delays, the possibility of extra fees being incurred or the entry not being found. Searches will be made in the year quoted plus the two years either side unless a wider search is requested. A further fee will be required for every additional five years searched.