Cumberland Archives and Libraries

Cumberland is a historic county (shire) which has become part of Cumbria.

Archives
Cumbria Archive Service has four Archive Centres. The Cumbria Archives Service map shows areas of Cumbria covered by each office. The Archive Service cares for parish registers, other church records, wills, electoral registers, maps and plans, poor law records, title deeds, and photographs. The archives of many families, businesses, local authorities, solicitors, societies and schools also help form a fascinating record of all aspects of life in the county.
 * Cumbria Archive Services Map

Carlisle (Cumberland) Archive and Local Studies Centre Lady Gillford's House Petteril Bank Rd Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 3AJ UK Telephone: 01228 227 284 Email:carlisle.archives@cumbria.gov.uk@undefined Website
 * Original documents from the twelfth century to the present day, relating to the part of the historic county of Cumberland which is north of the River Derwent
 * The areas around Carlisle, Keswick, Penrith and Maryport are amongst those for which material is available.
 * These include:
 * Church of England Parishes
 * Nonconformist Churches
 * Local Authorities
 * Diocese of Carlisle
 * Dean and Chapter of Carlisle Cathedral
 * Schools
 * Businesses and Industries
 * Families and Landed Estates
 * Civil Parishes
 * Solicitors
 * Societies
 * Official records'''

Whitehaven Archive and Local Studies Centre Scotch St. Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 7NL UK Telephone: 01946 506 420 Email:whitehaven.archives@cumbria.gov.uk@undefined Website
 * Original historical documents dating from the twelfth century to the present day relating to the area of West Cumbria bounded by the River Derwent in the North and the River Duddon in the South.
 * The areas around Workington, Cockermouth, and Whitehaven are amongst those for which material is available.
 * These include:
 * Businesses and Industries
 * Church of England Parishes
 * Civil Parishes
 * Landed Estates, Solicitors, Societies.
 * Local Authorities
 * Nonconformist Churches
 * Official records
 * Schools
 * Shipping registers and crew lists

Libraries

 * Links to libraries throughout Cumbria, including Cumberland
 * Cumbria Library Catalogue

Museums

 * List of museums in Cumbria in Wikipedia.
 * Google listing of museums in Cumbria

Record Offices
The General Register Office holds a central copy of all birth, marriage, and death registrations in England. These certificates can be ordered from their website (a login is required but it is free to register and search). However, in some cases research can be more efficient working with the more narrowed-down records of county registry offices.
 * Births, deaths, marriages and ceremonies for all of Cumbria.
 * Order a copy of a certificate

There are six register offices in Cumbria, in Carlisle, Kendal, Barrow, Penrith, Whitehaven and Wigton. Carlisle, Penrith, Whitehaven, and Wigton serve areas once part of Cumberland:
 * Cumbria Register Offices: Clickable map with links to contact information.

Sometimes research might be required to determine where a town or parish was in a former registration district, or even its current district. For a list of the historic and current registration districts and their parishes, in Cumberland, see UKBMD: Registration Districts in Cumberland.