Registration certificates we provide

We can provide you with copies of registration certificates for events that took place in the East Riding of Yorkshire from 1 July 1837, providing you can supply enough information for us to trace the register entry.

We cannot provide copies for events that took place outside of the East Riding of Yorkshire, instead, you must apply to the district in which the event took place.

Read about the information you will need to provide

Read about accessing certificates for entries, not in the East Riding

Read about accessing certificates for records prior to 1837

Please note: some non-registration websites offer to provide copy certificates. They will make the application on your behalf and may charge very high handling fees.

Birth certificates for people who were adopted

We do not hold any adoption birth entries. If you would like to buy a copy certificate of an adopted person please apply to the General Register Office (external website).

Certificates from outside the East Riding

The General Register Office website (government website) allows you to purchase certificates from areas all over the county:

General Register Office (external website)

You may also want to apply to our neighbouring registration districts:

Hull City Council (external website)

York City Council (external website)

North Yorkshire County Council (external website)


Leeds City Council (external website)


North Lincolnshire Council (external website)

Certificates dated before 1 July 1837

We only hold registers containing entries for births, deaths and marriages in the East Riding dating back to 1 July 1837.

For information on records before this date visit the East Riding Archives (external council website).

East Riding of Yorkshire family history archive service at Champney Treasure House has a number of records from:

• parish and church records
• census information
• cemetery records
• information on wills
• some general register office (GRO) indexes
• archive and local studies information.

The GRO index

The General Register Office Index (sometimes called the St Catherine's Index) is an index since 1837 of all births, deaths and marriages listed alphabetically in date order. This index is available at most major libraries (but none in the East Riding).

Read more about the GRO Index at the General Register Office website:

General Register Office (GRO) (external website)

Find more information and get help on tracing your family tree

Firstly, try to find out all the information you can from relatives, such as names, dates, address, occupations and religions.

Try to find any relevant documentation such as wills, birth, marriage and death certificates. Obtain further information from various sources. There are many publications and websites to help.

Take notes, try to draw up a rough family tree, confirm the earliest event that you are certain of and apply for a birth certificate. This will give you further family information and dates. There are some useful tools that are free of charge that may help you:

Visit the Yorkshire BMD website to search for births, marriages and deaths in the region.

Visit the Find my past website

There are also many local family history societies who will be willing to help (see guide below for more information).

Read our useful guide:

Family History leaflet (pdf 67kb)

or, visit our family history page.