News Archive
20 December 2007
Several databases have been updated.
National Burial Index from Oxfordshire Family History Society
This database has been withdrawn at the request of the
Oxfordshire Family History Society.
26 October 2007
The following databases are new:
Several databases have been updated.
30 August 2007
No new databases.
Several databases have been updated.
09 August 2007
The number of records available has increased by 142,919 to 67,256,495.
The Civil BMD record type has been removed and the births, marriages and deaths combined with other record types, notably baptisms for births, and burials for deaths.
The new databases are:
Several databases have been updated.
05 June 2007
Over 336,000 records were added to the service.
The new databases are:
Several databases have been updated.
02 May 2007
An issue affecting some cemetery notice images on Leamington Spa cemetery
has now been resolved.
Images for many Herefordshire churches, but not all, have now been
associated with the marriages occurring in those places.
24 April 2007
Over 384,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
Several databases have been updated.
04 March 2007
Over 225,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers for nine parishes in Montgomeryshire
- Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers for Dunchurch, St Peter in Warwickshire
Several databases have been updated.
- Memorial Inscriptions for Essex, Lincolnshire, Somerset and Warwickshire
- Dorset baptisms, marriages, burials and memorial inscriptions
- Burials for Staffordshire
- Baptisms for Wiltshire
- National Burial Index for Essex, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, West Surrey, and Yorkshire (Huddersfield)
25 December 2006
Over one million records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- East Surrey 1891 Census indexes for Croydon, Godstone, Lingfield and Richmond.
- East Surrey 1851 Census index for Godstone.
- East Surrey Burials for Lambeth.
Several databases have been updated.
- Unfilmed 1851 Census for areas of Manchester, including Chorlton, London Road, Rusholme and Greengate in Salford.
- Memorial Inscriptions for Somerset.
- Dorset baptisms, marriages, burials and memorial inscriptions.
- Derbyshire Civil Registration indexes for Birth, Deaths and Marriages.
- UK people found overseas.
- National Burial Index for Cardiganshire, South Durham, Essex, Herefordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Suffolk, West Surrey, Wiltshire and Yorkshire.
3 November 2006
Nearly 400,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- Hampshire baptisms 1813-1841
- Wrightington, Lancashire RC register
- Irish households in the 1861 census for Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire
and in the 1851 census for Westmorland
Several databases have been updated.
- Unfilmed 1851 Census for areas of Manchester, including Ashton-under-Lyne,
Pendleton, Ardwick, etc.
- Memorial Inscriptions for Somerset.
- Dorset marriages and memorial inscriptions.
- Cemetery Register images for Leamington, Warwickshire.
- Wakefield 1841 census.
- Sundry Birth, Death and Marriage certificates.
23 August 2006
Over 500,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- Start of Northumberland and Durham 1861 Census.
- Start of Northumberland and Durham 1891 Census index.
- Some baptisms for Staffordshire.
Several databases have been updated.
- Unfilmed 1851 Census for St George and Prestwich in Lancashire.
- Memorial Inscriptions for Somerset.
- Census and Parish Registers for Northumberland and Durham.
- Cemetery Registers for Leamington, Warwickshire.
- Suffolk baptisms.
- Dorset burials.
8 August 2006
About 200,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- Full memorial inscriptions for parts of Somerset.
- Parish registers for Hockley St George, Warwickshire.
- Cemetery Registers for Leamington, Warwickshire (temporarily disabled).
Several databases have been updated.
- Censuses for Cornwall.
- Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Memorial Inscriptions for Cornwall.
- Memorial Inscriptions for Warwickshire and Somerset.
- Information from 'unrelated' Birth, Marriage and Death certificates.
- Birmingham Marriages
28 July 2006
About 640,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- 1891 Census for area around Leeds in Yorkshire.
- 1861 Census for Cambridgeshire.
- Baptims, Marriages and Burials (with Probate info) for Billingshurst, Sussex.
- Memorial Inscriptions from Warwickshire.
Several databases have been updated.
- Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for Cambridgeshire.
- Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Memorial Inscriptions for Dorset.
- Births, Marriages and Deaths for Derbyshire.
- Baptisms and Salisbury Hospital Admissions and Discharges for Wiltshire
13 May 2006
About 1,200,000 records have been added to the service.
The new databases are:
- Pigots 1835 Trade Directory for Herefordshire
- Cambridgeshire Burials supplementing the National Burial Index
- 1891 Census for Somerset
- 1841 Census for City of Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire
- 1851 Census index for Oldham, Lancashire (unfilmed)
Several databases have been updated.
- Burial Index for Glamorgan, Wales
- Baptisms, Marriages and Banns for Cambridgeshire
- Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for Dorset
- Burials for Manchester area
- 1851 & 1861 census, Baptisms, Burials and Strays for Sussex
- Marriage index for West Middlesex.
31 March 2006
About 1,700,000 records have been added to the service.
1851 Census indexes have been added for the counties of
Derbshire, Essex and Gloucestershire.
The other new databases are:
- Newspaper Funeral Notices for country Victoria, Australia
- Cemetery Burials and Memorial Inscriptions for Victoria, Australia
- Memorial Inscriptions of Basford Cemetery, Nottingham
- Registrar's Birth Index for Derbyshire
- Burials in Brayton Cemetery, Selby, Yorkshire
- 1841 Census for Rugby, Warwickshire
- Probate indexes for Northamptonshire and Rutland
Several databases have been updated.
- Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for Pontefract, Yorkshire
- Registrar's Marriage and Death indexes for Derbyshire
- Somerset and Dorset Strays index
- Essex Memorial Inscriptions index
Some work has also been done to remedy some index entries,
birth entries for the 1881 census and some other databases have had minor changes.
26 January 2006
Nearly 400,000 records have been added to the service.
We are very pleased to welcome the Selby and District Family History Group:
- Sheffield 1891 Census
- Selby Cemetery
Updated databases include: Dorset Baptisms, Marriages and Memorial inscriptions,
and Unrelated Certificates.
Data update 9am Wednesday 14th December
Approximately one million records have been added to the service.
We are very pleased to welcome the Genealogical Society of Victoria
with two valuable databases:
- Convict Arrivals in New South Wales (NSW)
- Names in Government Gazettes, Victoria
- Essex 1861 Census Index
- Herefordshire Strays
- Brighton Burials
- Memorial Inscriptions in Earley, Berkshire
Updated databases include: Unrelated Certificates and strays
of UK people abroad (now including Scotland).
Data update 01:30am Thursday 26 October 2005
This data update added about 700,000 entries to the system.
New databases include:
- 1891 Census Index for Cleveland, N. Yorkshire and S. Durham.
- Overseas Strays from the collection of the Federation of Family History Societies.
Databases with updates or additions include:
- The Huntingdonshire Burials database supercedes the National Burial Index version.
- Dorset Marriages, Burials, Monumental Inscriptions and Strays.
Data update 00:30am (BST) Saturday 20 August 2005
This minor data update added about 10,000 entries to the system.
New databases include:
- Strays from the Yorkshire Group of Family History Societys.
Databases with updates or additions include:
- Baptisms for South Durham area.
- Wakefield District Baptisms, Burials and Marriages (but see below).
- Sundry or 'Unrelated' birth, marriage and death certificates.
- Wiltshire Monumental Inscriptions, Baptisms and Quarter Sessions.
- Somerset Monumental Inscriptions.
Data update 9am (BST) Friday 29 July 2005
This data update added two million new records to the system.
New databases include:
- 1831 and 1891 census indexes for Hallam area of Sheffield district.
- Baptisms for parishes in and around Huddersfield.
- Non-conformist records for Chepstow, Monmouthshire.
- Leicestershire 1891 census index.
- Leicester City marriages.
- Rutland 1861 census index.
- Berkshire 1851 census.
Databases with updates or additions include:
- 1861 census index for Sheffield.
- Baptisms for South Durham area.
- Northumberland and Durham census indexes.
- Berkshire Burials and Marriages.
- Sussex census indexes include Rumboldswhyke and West Tarring.
- Burials for Sussex.
- Cornwall census and parish registers (all years).
Data update 16 June 2005
This data update added over a million records to the system.
New databases included:
- Monumental inscription index for Essex.
- Tunbridge Wells Congregational Baptisms and Marriages.
- Northumberland and Durham Marriages and Burials.
- 1851 Census indexes and transcriptions for Northumberland and Durham.
- Salisbury Infirmary admissions and discharges.
Databases with updates or additions included:
- 1871 census and Baptisms for Northumberland and Durham.
- 1851 census indexes for Shropshire and Cleveland are now complete.
- Baptisms and Quarter Sessions records for Wiltshire.
- Baptisms and Marriages for Dorset.
- Baptisms and Strays for Sussex.
- Monumental inscriptions for Somerset.
Update 4 May
This update added 690,000 records to Family History Online.
The following databases were added or updated:
- Pontefract DFHS Baptisms
- Pontefract DFHS Burials
- Suffolk FHS Strays
- Wakefield DFHS marriages (for Thornes - the marriage index is separate)
- Wakefield DFHS baptisms
- Wakefield DFHS burials
- Derbyshire FHS registrars death index
- Derbyshire FHS Registrars Marriage index
- NBI from East Yorks FHS, Kent FHS, Catholic FHS, Keighley DFHS, W Surrey
FHS
Minor (often very minor) corrections were been made to:
- Halifax 1851 census
- Sarum Marriage Licence Bonds
- Herefordshire 1851 census
- Rugby 1861 census
Update Friday 25 March
This relatively small update of 130,000 records included:
- Baptisms from Pett, Sussex and St Annes, Richmond, Liverpool.
- Marriages from St Annes, Liverpool and Stockton-on-Tees.
- Burials from Manchester, Liverpool and Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
- 1871 Census for Rugby, Warwickshire.
- More Will Testators and beneficiaries for peculiar courts of
Diocese of Salisbury.
- Some Monumental (Gravestone) Inscriptions for Dorset.
Data update Friday 11 February
This data update added about 2 million new records to the service.
The new databases are:
- National Burial Index for Somerset, Dorset, Peterborough, Rugby and Tunbridge Wells.
- 1891 Census for Dartford in Kent.
- 1851 and 1861 Census for Rugby in Warwickshire.
The updated databases include:
- Many National Burial Index databases.
- Dorset christenings, marriages and burials.
- Sussex baptisms and burials.
Two National Burial Index databases have been removed to make way
for burial indexes from the West Midlands.
Verified by Visa and Mastercard® SecureCode™ schemes
Some users have expressed concern that they are now being
asked for a password when paying by credit card.
Some card issuers, e.g. Lloyds TSB and HSBC have taken up these schemes
while others have not. If you are concerned about this please check
your card issuer's web site for further information about credit card security.
Beware emails phishing for you to join up to these schemes.
Credit/Debit card processing now reinstated
We disabled credit/debit card processing at 21:08 on Sunday evening
following several hours with no successful card payments.
All payments that were made without a ‘voucher’ being issued should
have now been refunded and a message emailed to the address given.
WorldPay, our payment service provider have now resolved the problem
and card processing was re-enabled at 17:42 on 31 January.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Software update 26 January 9.30 am
This update replaces the contact us page with a new form
for any questions and queries about the service.
Using this form will help us solve your problems more quickly
by making sure we know who you are!
New users will find that they must now enter the hint phrase
for passwords.
Update Wednesday 29 December 10 am
This update added nearly one million new records to the service.
The following databases are new:
- Army deserters between 1828 and 1840.
- 1851 Census for Chichester, Sussex.
- Baptisms for Cambridgeshire.
- Marriages for Radnorshire, Herefordshire and Cambridgeshire.
- Burials for Worcestershire and Oldham, Lancashire.
and the following databases have been updated:
- Dorset and Pontefract districtparish register indexes.
- Baptisms for Stockton and Norton in South County Durham.
- Wiltshire (Sarum) Courts Beneficiary index.
- Somerset Monumental (gravestone) inscription index.
- Sundry civil registration records.
Update Friday 19 November
This update added 170,000 new records to the service.
The following databases are new:
- Index to Wiltshire Quarter Sessions calendars.
- Wiltshire Strays Index.
- Greater Birmingham Marriage Index
and the following databases have been updated:
- Wakefield District Tithe Awards.
- Wiltshire (Sarum) Marriage Licence Bonds.
- Wiltshire (Sarum) Courts Beneficiary index
Update Monday 4 October
A record 1.8 million records were added in this update, including:
- All Cornwall databases updated, especially 1851, 1891 and 1901 census,
burials and inscriptions.
- Herefordshire 1901 Census index.
- 1891 Census information from South Shields, Co. Durham and Southwark, Surrey.
- Elland St Mary, Yorkshire parish registers now complete to 1837.
- Surname index for Wiltshire 1871 census.
- Baptisms from Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham.
- Marriages from Prestwich St Mary (Lancashire), Worcestershire,
North Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
- Burials from Essex.
- More Dorset baptisms, marriages and burials.
- Index of names appearing in Deeds and Documents.
- Beneficiary index for Fordington and Writhlington, Dorset.
Update Monday 2 August
Another 405 thousand records were added in this update
including:
- Northumberland 1871 Census (Tynemouth RD)
- Baptisms for Pontefract, Northumberland and Durham, Wiltshire,
and Smith in Birmingham.
- More marriages for Pontefract and District.
- More Civil Registration certificate details.
- A few more gravestone inscriptions for Somerset.
In addition:
- The Sussex census indexes for 1871, 1881 and 1891 are now
grouped by head of household.
- Staffordshire burials now include more information.
Update Tuesday 29 June
Another 1.3 million records have been added in this update
including:
- Dorset 1891 Census
- Marriages for Somerset
- Burials for Pontefract, Breconshire, Radnorshire, Staffordshire
and Hunslet Cemetery, Leeds.
- Bounty records for Hemp and Flax growers in Somerset.
- Strays from Sussex.
A new county 'unknown' has been added to allow the miscellaneous
1881 census index (e.g. vessels) and other records without county
to be searched.
Update Monday 24 May
Approximately 1.2 million records have been added with this update
including:
- Wills, Quarter sessions and 1851 index (part) for Shropshire.
- 1851 Census index for Cleveland (will be complete in June).
- 1861 Census index for Sheffield.
- Baptisms for Dorset, Pontefract and Elland.
- Marriages for Somerset, Derbyshire, Pontefract and Elland.
- Burials for Dorset, East London and Bradford.
The issues with the 1881 Census Index should now be resolved.
You can now select the record type when performing a search.
Slow response and wild card searches
Since the introduction of the free 1881 census index
wild-card searches like 's*' or '*h' have slowed down the whole
system and usually 'timed out'.
For most index searches at least three characters much be specified
before a wildcard character at the start of a surname
OR at least three characters after a wildcard character at the end of a surname.
Sorry, two characters are not sufficient.
We are loathe to remove the 1881 census index and will instead provide
a search option to allow you to do this for a particular search.
We will also be tuning our database indexes to improve response and
will accelerate the addition of the second server.
Update for 15th April
The service is now running on a new server
with a new data update.
With this update Family History Online will break through
the 20 million record boundary!
The following databases are included:
- Many more Dorset baptisms and some burials.
- West Middlesex Marriage Index (84,000 records).
- Lincolnshire Marriage Licence Bonds.
- Over 19,000 Liverpool Marriages.
- More Baptisms from Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
- More Baptisms from the North Riding of Yorkshire.
- Baptisms for a further 15 Wiltshire parishes.
Many of the National Burial Databases will be updated and we
will be including the entries for Bedfordshire (1st edition only).
We are also pleased to make available the 1881 census index
for England and Wales at no charge.
We do appreciate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
providing this index.
However, we will remove this index temporarily if we find the server
is unable to cope with increased load.
Unfortunately,
the planned addition of Shropshire Wills and Quarter Sessions records,
along with nearly 140,000 entries from the 1851 census
has had to be postponed until the next update.
Information update - 16th March
About 850,000 records were added to the service.
The following new databases were included:
- Huddersfield (Yorkshire) 1841 and 1851 Census
- Wakefield (Yorkshire) 1851 Census and Tithe awards
- North West Kent 1891 Census - Lewisham Registration District
- Lincolnshire 1891 Census - surname only index
- Mid Norfolk MIs (grave/tombstone inscriptions) and Baptisms
- Cleveland Baptisms
- Somerset Strays
The following databases had additions:
- 63,000 baptisms for parishes in Wiltshire.
- 4,000 entries for the Suffolk 1813-37 Marriage index
- 1,800 marriages for the parish of Elland St Mary in Yorkshire.
Credit/Debit card payments
You will only be asked to make a payment after requesting
information that carries a charge.
There is no direct link to make a payment using a credit or debit card
- this is a security precaution.
Tips for faster searches
Searches are slower now that the database is larger, some "tuning"
work is underway to help with this and planned improved search facilities
will help. In the meantime, you can help yourself by:
- Using 3 or 4 letters at the start (or end) of a surname before
using a wild-card character e.g. smit* or *hson.
- Using surname variants instead of wildcards where appropriate.