The first step in requesting a certificate from a local Register Office is to determine the current address of the office which will hold the relevant registers for your ancestor. You will find this fairly up-to-date listing of local Register Offices in England and Wales very useful in this regard.

When you write to the Register Office, be sure to include as much information as possible. They are usually most happy to conduct a search for you, but they need something reasonable to go on. Include full names, the date of the event (or at least the approximate year), the location, names of the parents, etc. Any information that you do have can help to fill in the gaps of what you are missing. Local registers do not have any need for the GRO index number.

Please enclose a check (cheque), postal order, or bank draft payable in pounds sterling. Checks in other currencies will be returned to you. If you are within the UK you should include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. If you are outside of the UK, you will be more likely to get a timely response if you enclose three international reply coupons. Many offices do not have postage requirements, but some do. It is also a courtesy which will usually cause the register office to look more favorably upon your request.

The local register office may be unable to help you if you are requesting a marriage certificate and do not know the precise parish in which the marriage occurred, as many of these offices do not have annual marriage indexes. This is particularly true of those offices serving larger towns and cities. Therefore, unless you can provide them with the name of the church or building in which the marriage took place, you will probably find it necessary to request the record from the General Register Office.

Civil Registration FAQ