These pages give you information about how to register a birth or death in England and Wales, how to go about getting married or form a civil partnership, how to obtain a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a civil partnership certificate or a death certificate, and how to use the services at the Family Records Centre. Please note that although we can make available to you a great many records that will help you trace your family tree, we do not do everything a genealogist might.
These services are provided or overseen by the General Register Office (GRO) which is part of the Office for National Statistics. Some of these services are provided in partnership with other organisations.
The GRO has a responsibility for England and Wales. There are equivalent offices for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Many local authorities also offer other celebratory services including: naming ceremonies, renewal of vows, commitment ceremonies and civil funerals. For further information please contact your local register office.
