Website of the UK government

Family history

Looking at government registers of births deaths and marriages can be a useful way of tracing your family history. See 'Researching your family history' to find out how to get details of births, deaths and marriages going back to 1837.

• Researching family history (government, citizens and rights section)
• Order a copy marriage/birth/death certificate Opens new window

The National Archives holds additional resources that may help you research your family history. These include details of:

• censuses from 1841 to 1901
  
• wills and military records
  
• non-conformist (non-Church of England) records 
  
• death duties
  
• passenger lists
  
• divorces in the Supreme Court

You can search the descriptions of original records online. Once you have identified the documents you want, you can either make a visit to the National Archives in Kew, Surrey, or ask for copies to be sent to you for a fee. A selection of documents are also available to download from the website for a small fee.

• National Archives guide to researching family history Opens new window

Working with others can also help; use the link below to find courses on family history running near you.

• Find a course

Local history

The best place to begin local history research is often in the area you are interested in. Most county councils, unitary authorities and some large town councils maintain either a record office, an archive service or a local studies library.

• Find out about archives Opens new window

The National Archives’ ARCHON Directory includes contact details for places where records are kept in the United Kingdom. It also contains details of organisations elsewhere in the world that have substantial collections of manuscripts. You can use the ARCHON Directory to find out what services are available in your area.

You can discover more about local history research from the beginners' guides on the National Archives website where there's also information on online resources, events and books available to help you.

• Search the ARCHON directory Opens new window
• Local history research advice on the National Archives site Opens new window

English Heritage holds a public archive of over 10 million photographs, documents plans and reports about the historic environment in England in the National Monuments Record. You can search an index of records online or contact the National Monuments Record by phone or fax. Find out what the collection contains from the link below.

• National Monuments Record Opens new window

Research cemeteries and burial records

Contact your local council for more information on looking up burial records.

• Find out about burial and grave details Opens new window

House history

Looking into the history of your house can be a fascinating project. Two main areas covered by the National Archives are:

• the ownership and occupation of your property 
  
• its building and architectural history
  

The website, which also includes an introduction to these sources, links to relevant organisations and a list of useful books.

• House history guidance on the National Archives website Opens new window

More useful links

• Birth, marriage and death certificates (government, citizen and rights section)