Genealogy Chat

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Sorry if this has been asked before, but just had a search and can't find the answer. How accurate is the BMD index on Ancestry UK? I am looking for marriages/births of my grandads siblings and can't seem to find anything. I also know my dads DOB (1934) and I can't even find this? Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Kind regards Trudy

Are you looking at the whole page- sound silly but has happened before Jess

Sorry Jess - don't understand - am searching by clicking on 'England and Wales Registration' from the front page of Ancestry, then entering his details and clicking 'search' and nothing is coming back.

Trudy - ancestry's BMD index doesn't go as far as 1934. It is a copy of FreeBMD's and only goes up to about 1910, so you will have to look at 1837 online or go to a records office or large library and look at the GRO indexes on microfiche - or go to the Family Records Centre in London, to find your dad's birth reg. If the other events you are looking for are after 1910, the same applies. If before, they could be spelt differently from how you expect, or could not have been transcribed by FreeBMD yet. (It is not complete pre-1910 either.) I think Jess thought you were asking about 1837 online! Kate.

The records for BMD on Ancestry are a direct copy of what is on FreeBMD (though a few months behind). FreeBMD records are transcripts of the GRO indexes and are getting quite good coverage now, but only up to around 1910. Ancestry mislead you into thinking the records go up to the 1980's and maybe they will one day! For later records (after about 1910) you need the payperview site 1837online. You have to subscribe to this (min £5) and then you have credits to search the GRO indexes which are complete on the site up to 2003. Obviously for the Victorian period you would look at Ancestry/FreeBMD first and if there's a gap then check 1837online. Good Luck Sarah

Thanks everyone - wondered if it was a date issue. Will do some more research and try and tie the years down a bit before spending too much on 1837. Thanks again Trudy

My first marriage was in August 1986 and that is on Ancestry Sue xx

Mine too Sue! It seems funny to see my name in lights, so to speak. My second son's birth is on there in 1996 too, but not my first as he was born in Scotland!

Yes, ancestry do have BMD records from 1984 onwards because that is when the government computerised them. But you won't find much between 1910 and 1984 on ancestry. Kate

The other site to try is familyrelatives.org This covers 1866 - 2002