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Northumberland Registration Service holds the original registers for the county from 1837 to the present day. Order a copy certificate for a birth, death, or marriage here.

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Northumberland Registration Service holds the original registers for the county from 1837 to the present day.

PLEASE NOTE: To apply for your copy certificate, you will need to give us specific details and pay the correct fee.

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The birth, death, marriage or civil partnership must have taken place in Northumberland between 1837 and the present day. We will need the following information:

Birth

Where and when the birth took place
The full name of the person
Any supporting information, e.g. parents’ names, to identify entries with the same name

Death

The name of the deceased
The date of death
The place of death

Marriage

The name of church, chapel, register office or licensed venue
The date of wedding
The name of both of the married parties

Civil partnership

The name of both of the partners
The date of partnership
Where the civil partnership ceremony took place

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If an entry for a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership isn’t held at any of our Register Offices, we will try our best to advise you of the county that may hold an entry you are looking for.

PLEASE NOTE: Some marriage registers used by the Church of England, or other places of worship, may not have been completed. These registers will therefore remain at the church. In these cases, we can supply the name and address of the person who holds the marriage entry.

Please make sure the birth, death, marriage or civil partnership you are researching has taken place in Northumberland since 1837.

Family history

Have you ever had any interest in researching your family tree? Whether you have started the research, or don’t have a clue where to begin, our experienced registrars are here to help.

Once we receive your application form and payment, we will send you a confirmation receipt with an expected completion date. If you need the information quickly, you can use our ‘express research service’ for an extra charge.

Make sure you provide your telephone number and email address so we can contact you if we need any extra information.

You can find the family history research application form here

We will either post or email you our results, which will include further research suggestions to help you complete your family tree.

We will also explain how you can purchase copies of birth, death or marriage certificates of your ancestors.

If you already have the details, click here to purchase the relevant certificate

We only hold records of events that occurred in Northumberland but our team can provide application details for those ancestors whose records are held outside the county.

For advice and assistance with researching your family history, please contact us on 0345 600 6400.

Additional resources

For further information, you may wish to use one of the following services:

The National Archives
Northumberland Archive Service
The Census - these are available to the public 1801-1901
Parish registers
Bishop's transcripts - from approximately 1600 onwards
Inscriptions on gravestones

Searching for a grave

If you are searching for graves prior to 1900 then please contact the Northumberland County archives service:

Via email at collections@woodhorn.org.uk
Visit the Northumberland Archives website here

If you are searching for a grave after 1900, contact the cemetery you believe the person is buried in.

PLEASE NOTE: cemeteries may not have all records as some have been destroyed over the years by fire or floods.

Some older cemeteries, which are now closed, may be managed by parish or town councils.

Find contact details here.

If you have all the information we require, you can order and pay for a copy certificate in the following ways:

PLEASE NOTE - how our service is impacted by COVID-19

If you have recently registered a death via a telephone appointment, you do not need to order certificates using the priority service. Please use the standard service (fee - £11 per certificate). We will be monitoring the orders and will be producing the certificate on the same or next working day, and will be sending them out first class.

We are currently unable to offer a collection service, as the Council is restricting public access to our buildings. All certificates will be sent out through the post.

Online:

Order a copy certificate here.

Via telephone:

Call us on 0345 600 6400
Make sure you have a credit/debit card handy

Fees and timescales

Fee per certificate	Timescale
£11	Standard service Orders are processed within five working days. Your certificate will either be posted out to you second class, or will be available for collection from County Hall, Morpeth, or any main Register Office. You will be given a call when your certificate is ready for collection.
£35	Priority service Orders are processed within 24 hours of order receipt (Mon-Fri). Your certificate will either be posted out to your first class, or will be available for collection from County Hall or any main Register Office. You will be given a call when your certificate is ready for collection.

Applications from abroad:

Payments should be in pounds sterling by a cheque drawn with a UK address, accompanied by international reply paid coupons.
Please allow 28 days for delivery.

PLEASE NOTE: if you require additional copies of a certificate at a registration appointment, a fee of £11 is payable per certificate.

Collection points for certificates:

County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF
Register Office, Hexham House, Gilesgate, Hexham, NE46 3NH
Register Office, The Library Building, Walkergate, Berwick Upon Tweed, TD15 1DB
Register Office, 27 Fenkle Street, Alnwick, NE66 1HW

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