uk birth certificates

[lasswade]

Hello,

(a) Can I apply for a UK  birth cert. for 1855, and (b) if so, will both parents be listed on it?

Thanks, Bea.

[maddys52]

Yes, you can obtain a UK (England and Wales) birth certificate for 1855, and both parents' names should be listed. If the child was illegitimate though there will usually only be the mother's name.

Some info here:
https://www.familyhistory.co.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/

You can order through the GRO, digital birth certificates can be ordered for only £2.50
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp

Modified to add:
If you are after a birth certificate from Scotland, then you search and order through Scotlands People. You have to buy credits to use when ordering:
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

[Marmalady]

Whereabouts in the UK?
Scottish Registration started later than England & Wales, and has different information on it.

For England & Wales -- yes you can apply for a certificate for 1855 from the GRO.
You can get one in various forms at various prices -- paper, PDF download etc

The Mother will certainly be named -- both her married name plus her maiden name
The Father will certainly be named if she is a married woman -- it will be assumed her husband is the father and so his name & profession is listed
For an illegitimate birth, the father will only be named if he is present at the registration and consents to be entered on the certificate, otherwise the column will be blank.

[Kiltaglassan]

        Deleted

[CaroleW]

Have you checked freebmd /GRO online to confirm there is a birth registration?  Failure to register a birth in England & Wales only became a fineable offence in 1874.

There are many unregistered births prior to 1874

If you find a registration - use GRO online to check for mothers maiden name

www.freebmd.org.uk

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp

[lasswade]

Thank you so much, everyone. Very grateful. Bea.

[BarbW]

Have you checked freebmd /GRO online to confirm there is a birth registration?  Failure to register a birth in England & Wales only became a fineable offence in 1874.

There are many unregistered births prior to 1874

If you find a registration - use GRO online to check for mothers maiden name

www.freebmd.org.uk

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp

Thank you for this, it explains a lot why I have missing birth records for my ancestors illegitimate children, have so far only found 1 registered birth out of 5 known children.  I didn't realise it only became fineable in 1874.

[lasswade]

Thanks all... Bea.

[AntonyMMM]

Have you checked freebmd /GRO online to confirm there is a birth registration?  Failure to register a birth in England & Wales only became a fineable offence in 1874.

There are many unregistered births prior to 1874

If you find a registration - use GRO online to check for mothers maiden name

www.freebmd.org.uk

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp

Thank you for this, it explains a lot why I have missing birth records for my ancestors illegitimate children, have so far only found 1 registered birth out of 5 known children.  I didn't realise it only became fineable in 1874.

Registrars have never been able to fine anyone.

There was a FEE payable for a late registration - from 1837 it was 7s 6d and became payable at 6 weeks, but after the 1874 Act it was reduced to 5s and was only payable at 3 months after the birth.

Fines could only be issued by a court after conviction - people were fined for failing/refusing to register births right from the start in 1837 - but the offences were only committed if the parent(s) had been issued with a notice by the registrar requiring them to register.