Civil Registration

Civil registration commenced on 1st July 1837. Local registrars were appointed to register births, marriages and deaths. Many churches were registered for the purpose of compiling marriage registers. If a church was not registered, the local registrar was required to attend and register the wedding. Each quarter a copy of the registers was sent to the Registrar General. Indexes of all the registers were produced (originally hand written) and a copy is available for consultation at the Family Records Centre (FRC) in London. For many years these registers were at St Catherine House and acquired the name St Cath indexes. Microform copies of these registers may be found in many locations. Birmingham Central Library have a copy on microfiche (there is a small fee payable) for the period 1837 to 1996.

There is only one register office in Birmingham at the beginning of the 21st century but in earlier times there were several. The indexes refer to these districts (each church was allocated to a district) and so it is important to know which district registers are held in Birmingham

Address

The Register Office
Holliday Wharf
Holliday Street
Birmingham
B1 1TJ

Telephone (UK) 0121 675 1000
Outside UK (+) 44 121 675 1000

Email :- register_office@birmingham.gov.uk

Registration and Census District (1852 - 1946) 6d

Credit card orders accepted. Please quote the name and address of the card holder, type of card, card number, start date and end date. Postage charges will be added to the cost of certificates.

Registration Districts for Churches in the following Areas

When consulting the indexes of Births Deaths and Marriages, the following tables show the area covered by the relevant  registration district:

For the period 1837 to 30th September 1924

Birmingham Registration District Aston Registration District Kings Norton Registration District Solihull Registration District West Bromwich Registration District
Birmingham Central, Winson  Green, Ladywood, Hockley, Summerfield Acocks Green, Aston Ashted, Aston Brook, Boldmere, Bordesley Small Heath, Bordesley Green, Ward End, Deritend, Duddeston, Erdington, Hall Green Hay Mills, Lozells, Nechells, Saltley SparkBrook, Sparkhill Stechford, Washwood Heath Balsall Heath, Bartley Green, Selly Oak, Bournville Kings Heath, Cotteridge, Edgbaston, Harborne, Kings Norton, Moseley, Northfield, Quinton, Selly Hill, Stirchley, Yardley Wood Sheldon, Yardley Birchfield, Hampstead Handsworth, Perry Barr

For the Period 1st October to 30th September 1932

Tamworth Registration District
Boldmere, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Minworth

For the Period 1st October 1924 to 30th September 1932

Birmingham North Registration District Birmingham South Registration District
Aston, Ashted, Aston Brook, Birchfield, Birmingham Central, Bordesley, Bordesley Green, Deritend, Duddeston, Erdington, Hampstead, Handsworth, Hay Mills, Hockley, Lozells, Nechells, Perry Barr, Pype Hayes, Saltley, Stechford, Summerfield, Ward End, Washwood Heath, Winson Green, Witton. Acocks Green, Balsall Heath, Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Hall Green, Harborne, Kings Heath, Kings Norton, Moseley, Northfield, Quinton, St. Martins Birmingham, St. Mary Birmingham, SparkBrook, Sparkhill, Selly Hill, Selly Oak, Sheldon, Small Heath, South Yardley, Stirchley, Yardley, Yardley Wood.

After 1st October 1932 Birmingham North and Birmingham South became Birmingham

For the period October 1932 to April 1974 - All Sutton Coldfield areas became Sutton Coldfield Registration District

From April 1974 ALL became Birmingham Registration District

[Last updated: 14 October 2006 ]