Civil Records
Top Tips
- Civil records are births, marriages and deaths.
- Non-Catholic marriages were registered from April 1845.
- Universal registration of all births, marriages and deaths began in 1864.
- A percentage of all births, marriages and deaths were not registered; you may find a church record of an event but no corresponding civil record.
- Organised by Superintendent Registrars’ Districts.
What they contain?
Births
A birth record contains the date and exact place of birth, child’s name, surname, address, occupation of father, mother’s maiden name and details of the informant.
Marriages
A marriage record includes the date and place of marriage, the names of the parties, their ages (often just ‘Full’ or ‘Minor’), current marital status, occupations, addresses, fathers’ names and fathers’ occupations.
Deaths
A death record provides minimal information, usually the name, age, marital status and occupation of the deceased and the place and cause of death. It will also give the name of the informant, in most cases a relative.
Not all our county genealogy centres have indexed civil records. Please check the SOURCES list for each county to see what is available.
There are databases of indexes (only) to civil records available at no charge to the user at:
You can find out more about researching civil records in person, charges and ordering online at: The General Register Office of Ireland – https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/General-Register-Office.aspx
The General Register Office of Northern Ireland – http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/general-register-office-for-northern-ireland (If you are researching ancestors from counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh or Tyrone)