International Institute of Genealogical Studies

English: Civil Registration Records Including Wales

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Obtaining birth, marriage and death certificates is an essential element of good genealogical research. This course will provide practical details needed to understand the system of civil registration; how to use indexes, both in microform and online, and how to interpret certificates. Numerous examples are used from birth, marriage, death, and overseas certificates to illustrate the care that must be taken when reading the documents, and deciphering the information. The course is aimed at those needing a thorough understanding of this original source. Note that it is important to remember that when dealing with information found in England and Wales, vital statistics are not the same as civil registration.

Course Content

Module 1

Introduction

• List of Abbreviations

Civil Registration System

• What is Available?

• Counties, Districts & Parishes

Birth, Marriage & Death and Christening, Marriage & Burial

• Birth & Christening

• Marriages

• Deaths & Burials

Module 2

Using Indexes

Availability of Indexes

• Index Books

• Online Indexes

• General Register Office

• FreeBMD

• Other Websites

Indexes for Lundy Island

Indexes for Isle of Man

Indexes for Channel Islands

• Guernsey

• Jersey

Understanding Different Editions of the Indexes

• The Quarters

Understanding Index Collation

• How It Was Done

• Problems Encountered

• Problems Reading the Indexes

How to Transcribe from the Indexes

Examing Birth, Marriage, Death & Overseas Indexes

Birth Indexes: • No Birth Registration; • Late Birth Registration; • Christened before birth?; • Double Registration; • Twins & Multiple Births; • Too Many Children of the Same Name; • No Name at Birth; • ‘Wrong’ Name Registered; • Mother’s Maiden Surname; • Illegitimate Births; • Foundlings; • Abandoned Children Register; • The Thomas Corum Register; • Adoptions; • Parental Order Register; • Stillbirths; • First Children in a Family

Marriage Indexes: • Prohibited Degrees; • Remarriage to the Same Spouse; • Bigamy; • Divorce Records

Death Indexes: • General Problem Solving

Overseas Indexes: • Obtaining an Overseas Certificate; • Other Collections of Overseas Events

Can’t find on the index?: • Unregistered Events; • Registered but not on National Index?; • Different Spelling; • Not in the Expected Place; • Not in the Expected Year, or Range of Years; • Transcription Errors on the Indexes; • Different Editions of the Indexes; • Know the area but no access to indexes?; • Just Not There!

Module 4
Information on Certificates & Its Use

Source of Certificate: • Certificates Found at Home; • Certificates from General Register Offices; • Certificates from Local Register Offices; • Codes in Top Right Hand Corner

Spelling & Illiteracy Problems: • Incorrect Interpretation of Original; • Semi-Literate or Careless Informant; • Illiterate Informant

Birth Certificates: • Short Form Birth Certificate; • Long Form Birth Certificate; • Special Situations; • His, Hers & Ours; • Siblings’ Certificates; • Adoption; • Overseas Birth Certificates; • Comparison of Christening & Birth Information


Marriage Certificates: • Rites & Ceremonies; • Authorized Buildings & Persons; • Notice of Marriage, or Licence; • Register Office Marriage; • Persons Conducting & Registering the Ceremony; • Signatures of Parties; • Signatures of Witnesses; • Additions & Corrections; • Overseas Marriage Certificates

Module 5
Information on Certificates & Its Use…Continued


Death Certificates: • Overseas Death Certificates; • Killing Them Off; • Comparison of Death & Burial Information


Welsh Certificates
Isle of Man Certificates


Channel Islands Certificates: • Guernsey

Module 6
Reliability of Information

Have you hot the right certificate?: • Requesting Wrong Certificate; • Sent Wrong Certificate; • Errors on Certificates; • Incorrect Information Given to Registrar; • Incorrectly Recorded by Registrar; • Error Corrected Later; • Transcription Errors on Certificates

Is civil registration an original source with primary information?: • The Sawyers Case

Obtaining a Certificate: • Finding the Modern Office; • Obtaining Isle of Man Certificates; • Obtaining Channel Islands Certificates; • How to Send Money

Using the Local Register Offices: • Advantages; • Hints for Successful Searches through Register Offices; • Disadvantages of Using Register Offices

Special Help!: • Guild of One-Name Studies; • FreeBMD; • Cheshire Index Initiative; • Campaign for Historicity

Recommended Reading & Resources
Forms