The General Register Office is responsible for the civil (compulsory state) registration of births, marriages and deaths in Northern Ireland. It maintains the historic records and produces certified copies on request.

Marriage certificates are very useful as they give the names of the bride’s and groom’s fathers. Death certificates are less useful as they only list the name of the person present at death, whose relationship to the deceased is often not stated. Birth certificates give the names of the parents (including the mother’s maiden name).

Birth Certificates

In Ireland civil registration of births commenced on 1st January 1864.

Birth certificates provide:

• date and place of birth
• forename(s)
• sex
• forename(s), surname and dwelling place of father
• forename(s), surname and maiden surname of mother
• rank or profession of father
• signature, qualification and residence of informant
• when registered
• signature of registrar
• baptismal name, if added after registration of birth, and date.

Marriage Certificates

In Ireland civil registration of marriages commenced on 1st April 1845, with Roman Catholic marriages commencing later on 1st January 1864. Pre-1922 records are available from local district council offices and records from 1st January 1922 are available from the General Register Office.

Marriage certificates provide:

• date of marriage
• forenames and surnames of bride and groom
• ages (it is common for the age column to state merely “full age” ie over 21)
• condition (i.e. bachelor, widow, etc.)
• rank or professions
• residence(s) at time of marriage
• fathers’ forenames and surnames (in many cases it will be noted if the father is deceased)
• ranks or professions of fathers
• church in which the marriage was performed
• names of two witnesses (commonly family members which may provide clues to family linkages)
• name of clergyman.

Death Certificates

In Ireland civil registration of deaths commenced on 1st January 1864.

Death certificates provide:

• date and place of death
• forename(s) and surname
• sex
• condition (i.e. married, etc.)
• age last birthday
• rank, profession or occupation
• certified cause of death and duration of illness
• signature, qualification and residence of informant
• when registered.

Other records held by the General Register Office are:

Register of Still Births

Records of still births occurring in Northern Ireland on or after 1st January 1961. However the registers are not open for public search.

Adopted Children Register

Records of persons adopted under orders made by Courts in Northern Ireland on or after 1st January 1931.

Marine Register of Births

Records of births at sea of children who were registered on or after 1st January 1922 and one of whose parents was born in Northern Ireland.

Marine Register of Deaths

Records of deaths at sea of persons born in Northern Ireland where death was registered on or after 1st January 1922.

Service Department Registers

Records of births, deaths and marriages registered on or after 1st January 1927 by way of the Army Act of 1879.

Consular Returns of Births

Records of births of children of Northern Ireland parents born abroad and registered by British Consuls on or after 1st January 1922.

Consular Returns of Deaths

Records of deaths of Northern Ireland persons registered by British Consuls abroad on or after 1st January 1922.

Consular Returns of Marriages

Records of marriages of Northern Ireland persons registered by British Consuls on or after 1st January 1923.

High Commissioner’s Returns of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Records of births, deaths and marriages of Northern Ireland persons registered by the British High Commissioner in Commonwealth countries on or after 1st January 1950.

Foreign Marriages

Certified copies of certificates (with translations) relating to marriages of persons from Northern Ireland in certain foreign countries according to the laws of these countries, without the presence of a British Consular Officer.

War Deaths

Records of deaths of persons born in Northern Ireland who died on war service between 1939 and 1948.