What records do I need to get started with family history?

As the building blocks of your family tree, BMD records are the best place to start with your research. They reveal key facts about your ancestors’ lives: when and where they were born, details of their marriages, and where they were eventually laid to rest.  

In Britain and Ireland, these essential records come from either the church or from the government.  

Since 1538, each Church of England parish has recorded the baptisms, marriages and burials that have taken place within its jurisdiction. These records take the form of parish registers, which have been digitised to create records that you can easily search online today. 

Civil BMDs, on the other hand, are records taken by the government – a comprehensive account of all births, marriages and deaths. In England and Wales, these cover from 1837 to the present day. Scottish civil registration started in 1855, while its Irish equivalent began in 1864 for Catholics and 1845 for non-Catholics. 

Search known relatives within BMD records to learn more about their lives and build a clearer picture of their families. Who were their parents? Where did they grow up, and where are they buried? 

Taken every ten years, a census is the government’s way of surveying the population and establishing a lasting record of some key facts – everyone's names, ages, addresses, occupations and more.  

Historical censuses – available in Britain from 1841 to 1921 – offer a valuable insight into what your family was doing at a particular point in time. Once you’ve got the names and birthdates of your ancestors, search census records to understand what their household looked like, from the breadwinner to the youngest of the brood. 

However much you know to begin with, BMDs and census records should help you to build up a picture of your family history beyond your known relatives.  

To understand your ancestors’ lives in more detail, you can search other genealogy records, including:  

• Military records, from conscription papers to medals and awards  
• Old newspapers – you'll find millions of digitised pages online 
• Travel and migration records, including passenger lists 
• Crime records, which reveal if your relative had a brush with the law 

To ensure you don’t lose track of the information that you uncover, it’s best to store your research within a family tree. You can build your family tree online in just a few steps. You’ll begin by adding your name and date of birth, then build out the branches with your parents’ and grandparents’ details. 

Armed with essential family history records and an accurate family tree, you’ll be able to shed light on the experiences of your ancestors, from their day-to-day lives to the historic moments they lived through.