The 1939 Register at Findmypast (2024)

FAQs

Why are some names blacked out on the 1939 Register? ›

Why are some records closed on the 1939 Register? You will see some records covered by a black line in the 1939 Register. These are the records of individuals who were born less than 100 years ago and whose death has not been registered. This is to protect their privacy if they are still alive.

The record of anyone born less than 100 years ago is closed unless they are known to have died.

Findmypast was selected as the National Archives digitisation partner in 2018 in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Update us. While searching you'll notice that some records are marked as 'officially closed'. This is down to privacy regulations preventing us from publishing records of anyone born less than 100 years ago and still alive.

· CR283 is a form that is used when there is a Change of Surname, Forename, or Date of Birth (most changes will be surname changes, of course)

PWC = Post War Credits.

The 1921 census cannot be released until 2021, while the 1931 records were destroyed during the war and no 1941 census was taken owing to the ongoing conflict. As such, the 1939 Register is the only complete online record of the population of Britain after 1911.

This information about the 1939 Register is taken from the Ancestry website, where there are further details about the historical context and organisation of the registers.

Where do I find the 1939 Register for Scotland and/or Northern Ireland? Only England and Wales are included in the 1939 Register online.

Why is the 1921 census not on Ancestry? The 1921 census will be exclusively available on Findmypast for up to three years (until 2025), after which The National Archives (TNA) will be able to set up deals with other partners such as Ancestry, TheGenealogist or MyHeritage.

How much did Findmypast pay for the 1921 Census? ›

You can also view 1921 Census records on a pay-per-view basis using Findmypast micropayments. Viewing transcriptions costs $3.50 per record. Viewing images of the original records costs $4.90 US each.

Access to the 1921 Census online at Findmypast is free on the premises at The National Archives in Kew. You can access the Census via the on site computers, on site tablet devices or your own device (e.g. smartphone) while you are connected to the Wi-Fi in the dedicated 20sPeople zone.

For personal information and information linked to identifiable living individuals, The National Archives and the Advisory Council advocate a closure period of 'lifetime' of the data subject. This assumes a lifetime of 100 years, but will be graduated down from the age or assumed age of the individual in the record.

Most of the 1890 census' population schedules were badly damaged by a fire in the Commerce Department Building in January 1921.

Address – To search by address, simply click on the Address tab at the top of the page. You don't have to give a house number. The street name alone will bring back all the houses on that street. Please note that there are some places that are missing from the original manuscript of the 1939 Register.

'CR230' indicates that a name change took place due to marriage or divorce. 'NR230' indicates that it took place due to Deed Poll.

CR283 is a form that is used when there is a Change of Surname, Forename, or Date of Birth (most changes will be surname changes, of course). So either this date is when the event happened, or it is the date that the change was document. Eitherway, her divorce must have been around this date.

You may find that some records are hidden or redacted, which is to protect the privacy of people who are still alive. While the records will be opened gradually over time, you can also contact The National Archives to request a record be closed, or opened if you believe the person to be deceased.

The Register was updated until 1991, meaning that anyone who was born less than 100 years and a day ago but died prior to 1991 will have their record opened automatically. If the person died after 1991, we can accept scans of death certificates as evidence of death.

The National Archives and Records Administration is responsible for making census records publicly available. Records are available at National Archives facilities and many large public and university libraries. Visit the National Archives Website to access 1940 and 1950 Census records.

Can I view the 1911 census for free? ›

There are free indexes to all of the census returns up to 1911 at FamilySearch.org, with links to the images on Findmypast (charges apply).

Search the 1939 Register online!

You can use the search form below to find 1939 register records. If you wish to look for a place rather than a person, simply leave the forename and surname fields blank. You can enter an address, place or occupation as keywords to search for a record.

Scientists have compiled the world's oldest family tree from human bones interred at a 5,700-year-old tomb in the Cotswolds, UK. Analysis of DNA from the tomb's occupants revealed the people buried there were from five continuous generations of one extended family.

It can reflect the family history where your ancestors lived hundreds of years ago, and even as far back as 1,000 years ago.

A guide to the 1939 Register – what it is and how it can help you find out more about your ancestors on the eve of the Second World War. The 1939 Register covers all of the population of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in a similar way to the 10-yearly census.

Every household in Scotland has a legal responsibility to complete a census questionnaire. This means the census offers a detailed and accurate snapshot of the nation. The information the census collects has many uses.

Of the pre-Independence censuses only the 1901 and 1911 census returns remain intact today. The 1901 and 1911 censuses were taken under legislation which made no provision for the confidentiality of the information recorded on them.

So if your ancestor was not enumerated, it is likely to have been by accident rather than design. Or they might have been out of the country at the time of the census.

This is due to the “72-Year-Rule,” which became law in 1978. It requires that the National Archives wait 72 years after Census Day to release census records to the general public.

What is missing from the 1921 Census? ›

Are there any missing or damaged schedules in the 1921 census? There are no known missing volumes in the 1921 census. Regrettably part of the collection was damaged by water at some point in the 1930s.

The 1921 Census: the largest census release ever in England and Wales. On 19 June 1921, close to 38 million individuals in England and Wales completed a census return. This year, the details of those households became available to search and view online for the first time.

The first Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every ten years since. Because of a 72-year restriction on access to the Census, the most recent year available is 1950. The 1950 Census was released on April 1, 2022.

According to the census of 1921, 12 to 13 million people perished as a result of famines and the epidemic.

Historic census forms from 1841-1911 are available to view free on site at the National Archives in Kew (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/).

You can also purchase 1921 Census records on a pay-per-view basis using Findmypast micropayments. To purchase using micropayments: Search by person, address, or employer to locate the record you wish to purchase. Select the transcript or image that you wish to purchase by clicking on the relevant icon.

The 1931 census returns, including schedules, enumeration books and plans, were completely destroyed in a fire in Hayes, Middlesex, where the census was being stored.

You may find that some records are hidden or redacted, which is to protect the privacy of people who are still alive. While the records will be opened gradually over time, you can also contact The National Archives to request a record be closed, or opened if you believe the person to be deceased.

This information about the 1939 Register is taken from the Ancestry website, where there are further details about the historical context and organisation of the registers.

Address – To search by address, simply click on the Address tab at the top of the page. You don't have to give a house number. The street name alone will bring back all the houses on that street. Please note that there are some places that are missing from the original manuscript of the 1939 Register.

What is the furthest someone has gone back on Ancestry? ›

The longest line of ancestry is apparently the Kang(姜) clan, which is 5,200 years old.

As The National Archives' digitisation partner, Findmypast is the only genealogy website to offer access to the 1921 Census of England and Wales. During the exclusivity period, Findmypast is the only place online to search the 1921 Census, as well as view images and transcriptions of the records.

Mt-DNA Haplogroup Testing (Up to 100,000 Years)

You can use mt-DNA testing to trace your family history up to 100,000 years, and see each major step your ancient ancestors took along the way.

You can access census records many different ways: View digitized Census Records online through one of our partners, ancestry.com or familysearch.org. (Familysearch.org is free-of-charge.

Census Records

Census returns can give a wealth of information on the occupants of a house at a particular time, including names, ages, sex, marital status, birth locations, relationship to the head of the household, and occupation.