Search the GRO’s birth and death indexes
For serious research you need to know when your ancestors were born and died. Follow Richard Holt’s tips to…
For serious research you need to know when your ancestors were born and died. Follow Richard Holt’s tips to…
The General Register Office (GRO) is a vital resource for family historians tracing ancestors in England and Wales. You can search its online birth and death indexes for free – covering 1837-1934 and 1984-2023 (births) and 1837-1957 and 1984-2023 (deaths). These offer more detail than other commercial services and volunteer-run sites such as FreeBMD (www.freebmd.org.uk). Notably, the mother’s maiden name is provided for all births before September 1911, and the age at death in records before Mar...