Births, Marriages & Deaths

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Births, Marriages & Deaths

Find out where and when your ancestors were born, married and died in Genes Reunited's complete set of birth, marriage and death records. Our collection includes both England & Wales birth, marriage and death index for 1837-2006 as well as an extensive collection of Parish records dating back as far as the 16th century.

Bring to life the crucial events that shaped your ancestors' lives. With our powerful search tools, there's no better place to find your elusive ancestors. When you search, your results will appear as a list of individual names making it easy to find who you're looking for. Search for free – you'll only need to pay to view original records and transcripts.

Birth marriage and death records in England & Wales – key dates...

Births & Parish Baptisms

  • 1 July 1837 - Introduction of General Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths in England and Wales
  • Pre-1875 - an estimated 6 to 10% of births NOT registered
  • 1875 more rigorous enforcement of compulsory registration
  • September quarter 1837 to June quarter 1911 -- only first two full forenames, subsequent initials, registration district and reference number
  • September quarter 1911 to present -- only first forename, subsequent initials, registration district and number but also includes mother's maiden surname.

Marriages, Banns & Divorces


  • September quarter 1837
  • December quarter 1911 -- only first two full forenames, subsequent initials,
  • registration district and ref number
  • March quarter 1912 to September quarter 1962 -- if female was previously
  • married, index shows maiden name and married name
  • March quarter 1912 to present day -- surname of spouse added

Deaths, Parish Burials, Wills & Probate

  • 1875 enforcement of compulsory registration
  • September quarter 1837 to June quarter 1911 -- only first two full forenames, subsequent initials, registration district and reference number
  • September quarter 1911 onwards - only first forename, subsequent initials, registration district and number
  • September quarter 1837 to December quarter 1865 -- no age given
  • March quarter 1866 to March quarter 1969 -- age at death given
  • June quarter 1969 to present -- exact date of birth given