Libraries and leisure

Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies hold the national indexes of births, marriages and deaths on microfiche from September 1837 to 2003.

From the information on these indexes, it is possible to order a certificate online from the General Register Office at www.gro.gov.uk or telephone 0845 603 7788. Certificates also available from local register offices. It is better to get a marriage certificate from the General Register Office if you are not sure exactly where it took place.

What do the indexes show?

Births 1837-1911, child's surname and first names, from 1912 onwards, mothers's maiden name. Marriages 1837-1911, there are two entries for each individual. You can cross reference the marriage to see if the page and volume number are the same. Deaths 1837-1865, names only. 1866-1969 the age at death is given. From 1970 onwards, the date of birth is shown. The indexes are also available to use for free on the www.ancestry.co.uk website.