Libraries and leisure

Census Returns

Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies has microfilms of all census returns covering Hertfordshire 1841 - 1901. These are available in the Family History Centre.

Ancestry.com is available FREE on public computers in all Hertfordshire libraries.

Ancestry.com is the largest collection of UK family history records on the web, including census returns for England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands from 1841 to 1901.

Also available are the GRO indexes of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales from 1837 to 2005, free to anyone, anywhere. Please note that Ireland is not included.

Recent additions to ancestry include:

England and Wales Criminal Registers 1791-1892
Convict registers
Passenger Lists
Parish registers for London and other counties
Phone books 1880-1984
Gentlemans Magazine 1731 - 1868
British Army Prisoners of War 1939-1945

Some libraries also have the census returns on film for their immediate locality only. It is advisable to ring in advance to check on availability.