Birth, Marriage and Death Records - Complete Index 1837-2005

 

BMD Help / Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question regarding the BMD records please look here first before emailing us.

For more general information regarding the BMDs please see the More Info page.

For further questions covering issues with TheGenealogist where the data is hosted please visit their Help section here.

Q. I'm unable to find my entry within the BMD records - I can find the right page in the right period, but my entry just isn't there.

A. We publish BMD data held and maintained by the General Register Office (GRO), part of the Office of National Statistics (ONS). If you feel this data is incomplete, wish to question an entry or have any general enquires concerning the BMD data itself (not our presentation of it though) please contact the GRO directly using the information here https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/contact_us.asp.

Q. When I search the name I want does not appear in the results. Does this mean it isn’t there?.

A. The search results show the range of names that should be found on the images given. This is done by taking the first name on the sheet and the first name on the following sheet. As the names are alphabetical you will probably find the name you require within that range.

Q. When I view an image the search page disappears and I can’t do anymore searches without logging in again.

A. Please make sure your screen resolution is set high enough to show the whole window. Normally 800 x 600 should be sufficient. The search page should be behind the new window opened by the view image link. So selecting the window from the taskbar at the bottom of the screen should bring the search window into view.

Q. I get a message saying my ‘session has expired’. What should I do?

A. Your ‘session’ is the time you are logged into the website and using the data. After about half an hour or so your session will time-out and expire. This is a security measure and also means old sessions don’t stack up when people forget to logout. If your session does expire, simply go back to your subscription list and you’ll be prompted to log in again.

Q. What are birth dates within deaths?

A. The latest death entries (1984 onwards) include the birth date of the person whose death is registered, so we have a facility to search these dates. If you want to find the death record of someone whose birth date is the only data you know, you can use this facility.

Q. When I try to view images nothing comes up on the screen.

A. Please ensure you have the latest version of Adobe® Reader® downloadable free of charge from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

All image-based services require this plug-in to operate.

If you have the latest version of Adobe® Reader® please try The Genealogist Help Wizard.

 
 
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