Main heading

What information will I find?

• Since 1st July 1837, all births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales have been recorded - at least in theory - by local Registrars.
• The information is recorded in civil registers and includes names, dates, addresses and occupations. Birth certificates usually include the names of both parents and the mother’s maiden name. Marriage certificates usually give the name of the bride’s and groom’s fathers and their occupations.
• These records are kept in local offices, but, every quarter, Registrars send copies to the Registrar-General.

Where can I get a certificate?

• If you know that a birth, marriage or death occurred in a particular registration district you can contact the particular register office either for a certificate if you have precise details, or for an appointment to conduct a search of the indexes, for up to six hours on any one day. It may take a few days to arrange a search owing to limited accommodation. There is a fee for this service. Copy certificates are cheaper from the local Registrar than from the GRO postal applications service.
• You can apply for copy certificates from local register offices or the General Register Office (GRO).

Register Office Southport and Registrar General, Office for National Statistics (all areas)
General Register Office
PO BOX 2
Southport
Merseyside
PR8 2JD

There is a charge for copies from the Register Office in Southport