Wales, West Glamorgan, Electoral Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The records cover the years 1839 to 1925.

Record Description
This collection contains electoral registers and Burgess Rolls for the Borough of Swansea in West Glamorgan. The records contain the names and addresses of those who registered to vote.

Before 1884 the registers are arranged by polling district and then alphabetically by surname. After 1884 they were arranged by polling district and then by street.

Record Content
The registers are arranged in columns and give the following information:


 * Given name and surname of each voter
 * Place of abode (residence)
 * Nature of qualification (what qualified the individual to be included in the register)
 * Name of property or street
 * Sometimes handwritten notes may have been added, giving such information as who the person voted for, when the voter died, or the removal of the voter.

How to Use the Records
The electoral registers may help you determine the residence of an individual and how long that person lived there. You may also be able to determine your ancestor’s social status and to locate other records in which that person might appear.

Record History
In 1832, the Reform Act created electoral registers. These registers recorded individuals who qualified to vote in the national elections for representation in parliament. The qualifications changed over the years. There were also electoral registers that covered local elections. Boroughs of large cities had their own electoral registers and qualifications for being listed in the registers. In 1878, boroughs combined their registers for the national and local elections. Other places combined their registers by 1885. Registration was suspended and no electoral registers were created during the World Wars from 1916 to 1917 (1915 to 1917 for Scotland) and 1940 to 1944. In the early years, registers only covered about 7 percent of the population. By 1867, they covered about 11 percent. Until 1918, the registers list only men because women were not allowed to vote. Until 1971, the registers listed only those 21 years of age or older.

Why the Record Was Created
Electoral registers were created to determine who could vote. If an individual’s name did not appear in the register, he or she could not vote.

Record Reliability
Since the government required the electoral registers, the reliability of the records would be high with respect to the place of residence and the name of the individual.

Related Web Sites
West Glamorgan Archive Service

Related Wiki Articles
FamilySearch's Resources for the United Kingdom and Ireland

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of information for This Collection
“Wales, West Glamorgan, Electoral Registers 1839-1925,” FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org) West Glamorgan Archive Service, Swansea, Wales. FHL digital images, 142 digital folders. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the following article: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.