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Information recorded on birth certificates

The following information indicates what you should expect to see in each column of the birth certificate and provides an explanation as to why some of the information is recorded in the format that it is. Download the birth certificate help sheet (pdf, 179k), a specimen birth certificate to be used in conjunction with the text below.

On 1st April 1969 the law relating to birth registrations was amended resulting in a change to the format of a birth certificate. The information below relates to births registered before 1st April 1969.

Column 1: When and where born

  • the time of the birth is entered for multiple births
  • in early registrations, this is likely to be just the town and village, not a full address

Column 2: Name, if any

  • the name given to the child at birth, which may not be the name by which they were known
    throughout their life
  • a line should be drawn through this column if no name was given at registration. The name may be recorded in column 10 if given after registration, either in baptism or not in baptism

Column 3: Sex

  • boy or girl

Column 4: Name and surname of father

  • name and surname of father if recorded

Column 5: Name, surname and maiden name of mother

  • if married once only, her maiden name is preceded by the word ‘formerly’
  • if married more than once, the surname the mother had immediately before her last marriage is preceded by the word ‘late’ and then followed by ‘formerly’ and her maiden name
  • if the mother was using and known by 2 different names at the time of the birth these names would be recorded with the word ‘otherwise’

Column 6: Occupation of father if recorded

  • the current or last known occupation of the father

Column 7: Signature, description and residence of informant
The following informants may register a birth:

  • mother
  • father of a child of a marriage. The father of a child whose parents were not married can register the birth, if he attends the registration at the same time as the mother and they both sign the register as joint informants
  • the occupier of the house in which the birth occurred
  • if the birth occurred in an institution, the governor, keeper, master, matron, or superintendent may register the birth
  • a person present at the birth
  • a person in charge of the child

Column 8: When registered

  • the date of registration may be different from the date of birth and determines in which quarter the entry appears in the GRO Indexes
  • the registration of a birth should be within 42 days of the birth and will be recorded by a registrar
  • if a registration occurs after 3 months of the birth but within 12 months, the birth will be registered by a registrar in the presence of the superintendent registrar
  • if the registration is being made after 12 months, the authority of the Registrar General must be obtained

Column 9: Signature of Registrar

Column 10: Names entered after registration

  • any names given up to 12 months after the date of the initial registration, by baptism or on a certificate of naming, are entered in this column
  • if no additional names are added, a line is marked through this box by this office to prevent any unauthorised changes