Great Britain Vital Records Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is scheduled to become available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search.

Collection Time Period
This index covers events from 1571 through the mid 1900s.

Record History
For over 30 years, volunteer indexers extracted this information from microfilm copies of the original records. In 2001, some of the entries were published on 16 CDs by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the “British Isles Vital Records Index: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.” This index is an index of the births or christenings; marriages; and deaths or burials throughout Great Britain. The index is not necessarily complete for any particular place or region.

Why This Record Was Created
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored the indexing of this collection to help individuals find information about their ancestors.

Record Reliability
Church records and civil registration were official records and are some of the most reliable sources of information available for those who were born, married, or died in Great Britain.

Record Description
The index is an electronic database of information transcribed from original records.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in birth or christening index entries may include: • Name of the child • Gender • Names of the parents • Birth date • Birthplace • Christening date (if the source is a church record) • Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

The key genealogical facts found in marriage index entries may include: • Name of bride and groom • Names of the parents • Marriage date • Marriage place • Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

The key genealogical facts found in death or burial index entries may include: • Name of the deceased • Gender • Names of the parents • Name of the spouse (if married) • Death or burial date • Death or burial place • Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

How to Use the Record
Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors. The information could help you identify family relationships and lineages as well as direct you to original records of your ancestors, which may contain additional information.

In birth or christening records, if a surname is not listed for the child, the indexer often assigns the father’s surname to the child. This surname may not be correct. So if you are looking for a birth or christening, search by the given name of the child, adding parents' names and as much locality information as is permitted.

Related Websites
This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.

Sources of this Collection
Each entry in this index has a source listed. The index may be a compilation of records from a variety of sources, including the following: • Family Records • Church Records • Civil Registration

How to Cite Your Sources
Instructions for citing this source can be found at: Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)

What’s this?
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