Searching Your Family History
How to Start
Family History is one of the most popular and growing leisure pursuits today. There are many publications available to guide you through the process and many internet sites to help.A useful summary of the process is contained in the 'Practical Family History' magazine available from newsagents. How we can assist you in tracing your family tree is described below.
Getting Started
The first step is to gather all the information you can find from your relatives. As well as names and dates try and find out addresses, occupations, and the religion of your ancestors. You could also try and obtain any documents that will give you further information e.g. wills, family bibles, newspaper cuttings, birth, death and marriage certificates.Once you have gathered as much information as possible draw up a preliminary family tree which should indicate the gaps where information is missing. You are now ready to start the process of filling in those gaps. To do so start by confirming the earliest event of which you are certain. If for example this is the birth date of your grandmother apply for her birth certificate.
Stage One
To obtain a certificate you need to apply to The Register Office, Cockton House, 35 Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland DL14 6HS. We do not hold records for neighbouring authorities but do have contact numbers and addresses for all register offices in England and Wales.To confirm a place name is within the current boundaries of County Durham you can search the alphabetical list of towns and villages searching the list of alphabetical place names.
If you do not know which register office to contact you will need to consult the St, Catherine's index . Civil Registration of births, deaths and marriages began in England and Wales in July, 1837 and the index to the entries is known as the St. Catherine's index. Names are listed alphabetically by each quarter of each year and the registration district in which the event took place is given. (If the place name is unfamiliar you could check the adjacent number to see which county the code refers to see the guide to Registration Districts.
Durham Clayport Library holds the St. Catherine's index for the period 1837 - 2001.
The birth certificate will give you the name of both parent, including the mother's maiden name.
Stage Two
Once you have ascertained the names of both parents the next stage is to search for the marriage certificate. Search for both parents in the St. Catherine's Index and make sure that their reference numbers match. Apply to the relevant register office for this certificate. It will then give you sufficient information to search for the birth certificate of either parent.By using this method of searching for birth certificates and marriage certificates you should be able to go back to 1837 when civil registration records began in England and Wales.
Cost of Certificates
The cost of buying a full certificate from a district register office is currently £7.00.Searches
Please bear in mind when you apply for a certificate that we have to search each sub district unless there is an annual index for the year you require.We can only search a maximum of five years for a particular entry so, if you do not have the information from the St. Catherine’s index and can only supply us with an approximate year, this is the service you will receive. All of the marriage indexes in the County are now available on this website which may provide you with a quicker alternative to the St. Catherine's register if you know the event took place in County Durham. (Please bear in mind that the administrative boundaries of the County have changed over the years and that the records we hold reflect the current boundaries for the County. The Records for other areas are held by the relevant Local Authority).
We are unable to undertake searches over the telephone however you can either email or write to The Central Repositry, The Register Office, Cockton House, 35 Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland DL14 6HS, or apply for a certificate online by completing the online application form and enclosing details of your credit card. Alternatively the application form can be completed, printed and sent by post to Bishop Auckland Register Office with the appropriate payment. No certificate can be issued without payment.
Our commitment is that we will issue all routine certificates within 10 working days of receipt of your request.
Please note that all indexes and registers are now held at Bishop Auckland register office.
Details of Annual Indexes Held
Marriages
Complete annual marriage indexes for the whole of the County are now available. Where a register is still in use in certain churches these records are not included in the indexes and enquiries have to be redirected to the individual churches.Peterlee Area
Births
Computer and hard copy indexes are available for the years 1837 to 1872 and from 1991 to date.Deaths
Computer and hard copy indexes are available from 1991 to date.
| Peterlee Area - Sub Districts for Births and Deaths | Period |
| Easington | 1837 to 1895 |
| Wingate | 1895 to 1938 |
| Dawdon | 1895 to 1938 |
| Castle Eden | 1938 to 1974 |
| Seaham | 1938 to 1990 |
| Easington | 1938 to date |
The Hospitals within the Peterlee Area come under the following sub districts: (NB All hospitals are now closed)
| Name | Records Held | Registration Sub-District |
| Workhouse Infirmary Changed to 1 Seaside Lane Changed to Leeholme Hospital | 1908 to 1920 1920 to 1934 1934 to 1938 and 1938 to 1971 | Dawdon Dawdon Dawdon Easington |
| Thorpe Isolation Hospital Changed to Thorpe Maternity Hospital | 1910 to 1938 1950 to 1986 | Dawdon Easington |
| Seaham Hall Hospital | 1915 to 1938 and 1938 to 1978 | Dawdon Dawdon |
Stanley Area)
Births
Computer and hard copy indexes are available for the years 1993 to date.Deaths
Computer and hard copy indexes are available from 1993 to date.
| Stanley Area - Sub Districts for Births and Deaths | Period |
| Lanchester | 1837 to 29.03.1972 |
| Tanfield | 1837 to 30.12.1919 |
| Stanley | 1920 to 31.03.2000 |
| Annfield Plain | 1920 to 30.06.1938 |
| Chester-le-Street | 1837 to 31.03.2002 |
| Consett | 1888 to 31.03.2002 |
| Durham Northern | 01.04.2000 and continuing |
The Hospitals within the Stanley Area come under the following sub districts:
| Name | Registration Sub-District |
| General Hospital, Chester-le-Street | Chester-le-Street - Durham Northern |
| General Hospital, South Moor | Stanley - Durham Northern |
| Highfield Hospital, Chester-le-Street (Now Closed) | Chester-le-Street |
| Lee Hill Hospital (Now Closed) | Lanchester |
| Maiden Law Hospital (includes Willow Burn Hospice) | Lanchester - Stanley - Durham Northern |
| Richard Murray Hospital, Blackhill (Now Closed) | Consett |
| Shotley Bridge Hospital | Consett - Durham Northern |
Bishop Auckland Area
Births
Computer and hard copy indexes are available for the years 1991 to date.Deaths
Computer and hard copy indexes are available from 1991 to date.
| Bishop Auckland Area - Sub Districts for Births and Deaths | Period |
| Aycliffe | 1837 to 1937 |
| Bishop Auckland | 1837 to 2000 |
| Barnard Castle | 1837 to 2000 |
| Cornforth | 1899 to1938 |
| Crook | 1919 to 2000 |
| Durham Western | 2000 and continuing |
| Hamsterley | 1837 to 1918 |
| Hurworth | 1900 to 1937 |
| Merrington | 14.07.1837 to 30.09.1837 |
| Middleton | 1837 to 1938 |
| St.John | 1837 to 1938 |
| Sedgefield | 1837 to 1934 |
| Shildon | 1919 to 1969 |
| Spennymoor | 1919 to 1938 |
| Staindrop | 1837 to 1938 |
| Stanhope | 1837 to 1938 |
| Startforth | 1936 to 1974 |
| Weardale | 1938 to 2000 |
| Wolsingham | 1837 to 1938 |
The Hospitals in the Bishop Auckland Area come under the following sub districts:
| Name | Registration Sub-District |
| Clairmont Maternity Hospital | Bishop Auckland |
| Hardwick Hall Maternity Hospital | Sedgefield |
| Bishop Auckland General Hospital | Bishop Auckland |
| Cottage Hospital/Lady Eden Hospital, Bishop Auckland | Bishop Auckland |
| Durham County Sanatorium/Holywood Hall, Wolsingham | Wolsingham/Weardale |
| Homelands Hospital, Helmington Row | Crook |
| Horn Hall Sanatorium/Hospital | Stanhope/Weardale |
| Richardson Hospital, Barnard Castle | Barnard Castle |
| Sedgefield Community Hospital | Sedgefield/Bishop Auckland |
| Tindale Crescent Hospital, Bishop Auckland | Bishop Auckland |
| Winterton Hospital | Sedgefield |
| Workhouse Hospital, Barnard Castle | Barnard Castle |
Durham City Area
Births
Computer and hard copies indexes are available for the years 1837 to 1872 and from 1991 to date.Births
Computer and hard copies indexes are available for the years 1837 to 1872 and from 1991 to date.Deaths
Computer and hard copy indexes are available from 1991 to date.
| Durham City Area Sub Districts for Births and Deaths | Period |
| St. Nicholas | 1837 to 1910 |
| St. Oswald | 1837 to 1910 |
| Durham | 1911 to 1938 |
| Brandon | 1911 to 1938 |
| Durham Central District | 1939 to 1953 |
| Durham Central - Durham City | 1953 to 1974 |
| Durham Central - Durham Rural | 1953 to 1974 |
| Durham Central | 1974 and continuing |
The Hospitals within the Durham City Area come under the following sub districts:
| Name | Records Held | Registration Sub-District |
| Union Workhouse, 37 Crossgate, Durham St. Margarets Hospital, Crossgate, Durham | 1837 to 1948 1948 to 1990 | St. Oswald/Durham / Durham Central Durham Central |
| County Hospital (aka Durham County Infirmary) Orthopaedic Hospital Psychiatric Hospital | 1837 to 1952 1952 to 1970 1970 to date | St Oswald / Durham Durham Central Durham Central |
| Dryburn Hospital (built as a military hospital in 1940) General Hospital University of Durham Hospital | 1940 to 1952 1952 to 2001 2001 to date | Durham Central Durham Central Durham Central |
| Croxdale Hall Military Hospital (Home of the Salvin Family) Maternity Home | 1940 to 1945 1945 to 1952 | Durham Central Durham Central |
| Earls House Industrial School for Boys Sanatorium for children with Tuberculosis Hospital for mentally handicapped children Hospital for mentally handicapped children and adults | 1885 to date 1885 to 1920 1920 to 1953 1953 to 1967 1967 to date | Durham Central Durham Central Durham Central Durham Central Durham Central |
