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Family tree: guide to birth certificates
How to use the General Register Office to find birth certificates when researching your family tree and family history.
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This guide explains:
- how to find your ancestors鈥� birth certificates
- how much it costs to order a birth certificate
- what information you鈥檒l find on a birth certificate
- how to order birth certificates online, by phone and by post
- information about PDF records
- information about our online view digital image service
The guide also includes tips on what to do if you can鈥檛 find your ancestors in the General Register Office鈥檚 public index of every birth recorded in England and Wales since 1837.
Updates to this page
Published 22 January 2016
Last updated 6 July 2023
show all updates
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Updated to include the online view service.
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New guide to birth certificates leaflet.
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First published.