Copies of Certificates and Historical Searches

At Torbay Register Office we hold the records for any birth, death, marriage or civil partnership that has taken place in our district from 1837. If the event you are trying to trace occured elsewhere you will need to apply to the district concerned.

If the event took place in Plymouth you should contact Plymouth Register Office opens in a new window directly. Should the event have taken place elsewhere in Devon (i.e. excluding Torbay or Plymouth) you will need to contact Devon Register Office opens in a new window.

If the entry is traced, the information can only be supplied in the form of a certificate for which a fee is charged.  You can complete our online application forms and we will then post out your certificates to you or alternatively you can send a letter giving the details required (see below).  Postal applications should be accompanied with the fee (cheques/postal orders payable to Torbay Council). If the entry is not found a full refund is made.

Birth Certificate

To obtain a copy of a birth certificate you must provide us with the full name, date of birth, place of birth, fathers name, mothers name (including maiden name).

Apply - Birth Certificate Reprint opens in a new window

Death Certificate

To obtain a copy of a death certificate you must provide us with the full name, date of death, place of death, address at time of death.

Apply - Death Certificate Reprint opens in a new window

Marriage Certificate

To obtain a copy of a marriage certificate you must provide us with the full name of groom, full name of bride(surname before marriage), date of marriage, place of marriage.

Apply - Marriage Certificate Reprint opens in a new window

Civil Partnership Certificate

To obtain a copy of a Civil Partnership certificate you must provide us with the full name of both partners, date and place of Civil Partnership formation (For a full copy of the entry you must also clearly state the full home address of both parties otherwise an extract will be supplied.)

Apply - Civil Partnership Certificate Reprint opens in a new window

Please note that new fees are in effect from the 6 April 2010. Please see our Fees and Charges.

National Index

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) hold a national, central register of birth, deaths and marriages dating back to 1837. The national index references (formerly known as St Catherine's House index) are different from those used in Register Offices so quoting their reference on an application to a Register Office is of no help. However, they do confirm that the event occurred in a particular registration district, although the sub-district is not indicated. It is very helpful for marriages in particular therefore to have a connection to a place, parish or religious denomination.

The registers are fragile documents and cannot be searched or viewed by the public but it is possible for you to search indexes. There is a fee for this and arrangements should be made with the Superintendent Registrar.

Torbay Register Office is open Monday to Friday 0930 - 1630, and can be contacted for general advice about Family History from 1837 onwards. If you plan to visit the office please call to make an appointment.

Sources of Records before 1 July 1837

Before 1 July 1837, the principal means of recording births (or baptisms), marriages and deaths (or burials) were parish registers kept by clergymen of the Church of England. The best way to trace them is to get in touch with the clergy in the area that you are searching.

If you are new to genealogy, interested in background information, or pursuing a complicated link, there are many on-line guides for researching Family History in the United Kingdom.

We hope that you have much success and enjoyment in your research and we look forward to helping you to achieve your aims.




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