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Records, Registers and Census

Births, deaths, and marriages only started being recorded by the government in 1837 – this is known as Civil Registration. To trace your family back to previous centuries you will need to look at Parish Records and Census Returns.

 

Census Returns

Census returns are detailed returns of all those occupying every house in every street, and they are made every ten years.

 

These returns are very useful documents to aid a family history search.

 

Census returns are currently available for the years of 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1891 and 1901.

 

They can be consulted for the County of Glamorgan and most of Monmouthshire at the Glamorgan Records Office Cardiff:

 

The 1901 Census is now available online:

 

1901 Census

 

Census Online Team

Public Record Office

Kew

Richmond

Surrey

TW9 4DU

  • 020 8392 5200

 

Archives Council of Wales Website

Parish Registers

Parish registers hold records of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, some of which have survived since 1538 when Ministers and Clergy were first introduced to recording such events.

 

Registers for the Glamorgan Parishes can be consulted in the Glamorgan Records Office Cardiff:

 

Some local libraries also hold Parish Records for their area.

Records

The Vale of Glamorgan Register Office, Barry holds records of all births, deaths and marriages that took place in this district from 1837 onwards.

 

Please Note: There may be occasions where boundaries have moved over the years and consequently register entries have moved in and out of the district. If in doubt please contact us before visiting or writing to us. However, the following summary of records held may be of some general guidance.

 

 

Birth and Death Entries

Records
 District/Sub-District Dates Register Office
 St Nicholas 14 August 1837 - 31 December 1934

Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

 Penarth

03 April  1897 - 31 March 1990

01 April  1996 - Date

 

Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

 Barry

01 January 1920 - 31 March 1990

01 April 1996 - Date

Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

Cowbridge

April 1837 to 31 March 1974

April 1974 to 31 March 1990

01 April 1996 - Date

Bridgend
Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

 

Please Note: Most Vale of Glamorgan birth and death entries between 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1996 are held by Cardiff. Please ring to confirm, as there may be exceptions to this general rule.

 

 Marriages

Marriages
 Place of Marriage Dates Register Office
Register Office 1837 - 1934 Cardiff
Register Office marriages (for people residing in Barry/ Penarth/ Vale of Glamorgan and East Glamorgan

1934 - 1974

Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

Register Office (and where registrar attended churches

1974 - 31 March 1996

Cardiff

All parish churches and approved premises  for Barry, Penarth and the Vale of Glamorgan

  Vale of Glamorgan, Barry

 

You can apply for a copy certificate of these entries onlie, by post, telephone or in person at the Vale of Glamorgan Register Office, Barry.

 

APPLICATION FOR BIRTH, MARRIAGE, DEATH CERTIFICATE

 

Standard Copy Certificates 

Cost: £12.50 

 

Certificate ready for collection after 3.00 pm/2nd class post on 15th working day

Priority Copy Certificate

Cost: £38.50 

 

Certificate ready for collection after 3.00 pm/1st class post on next working day 

 

 

Please make all cheques or postal orders payable to: 'Superintendent Registrar'

 

Telephone applications require a card payment and the cardholdler will need to be present to make the payment.

 

When applying for a certificate it is necessary to give the approximate, if not precise details of the birth, marriage or death.

 

Providing the information is full and accurate, we will issue a certificate within the timescales above. However, if only limited information can be given, we may require additional time to manually search through the indexes, or request that you obtain further details before any search can be undertaken. If we are unable to trace the entry you have requested, we will return your cheque or postal order to you.

 

If multiple certificates are required, we advise that you send separate cheques for each entry.

Searching Local Indexes

Unfortunately the Registration Service does not have sufficient staff to undertake searches of a protracted nature

 

If such a search is required, it is necessary for you or your agent in person to conduct the general search.

 

Whilst the registers themselves are not available to the public, you are able to access the indexes to the registers held at the Register Office by way of requesting a General Search. This search must be booked in advance with the Superintendent Registrar.

 

Duration: 6 consecutive hours in one day

Cost: £20.00 (The cost of an index search is set by statute and reviewed annually)

 

Vale of Glamorgan Register Office, Barry

Civic Offices

Holton Road

Barry

CF63 4RU


Office Hours

Monday - Thursday:  8:30am - 4.30pm

Friday: 8:30am - 4:00pm