The National Archives

The UK National Archives (formerly The Public Records Office) collection of records is vast, so please visit their website, where the archive can be searched. Records useful from a genealogical perspective include census records, military papers, passenger lists and wills amongst many other categories.

The National Archives do not hold births, deaths and marriages civil registration information, these are at the General Register Office, but the indexes can be consulted at TNA. The Family Records Centre has now closed and its services have transferred to TNA.

However, the National Archives is currently (2016/05) home to the London FamilySearch Centre until further notice, and LDS films can be accessed there. Search here to check films held on site.

Searching the records

• The National Archives can be searched from the main page.
• Also useful is the catalogue search facility, Discovery, for descriptions of records held by The National Archives and more than 2,500 archives across the UK.

Remote Access to Records

• Research Guide: Free online records: digital microfilm.
• A large number of documents can be purchased in digital form on TNA's Online Records service.
• In addition, copies (paper or digital) of records can be distance ordered for a fee. See Order copies of documents. Also see the section below "Paying for research".
• Many records from The National Archives have been digitised and are available on pay websites including findmypast and Ancestry. For British Army records see the Fibiwiki page British Army-Records, and other Fibiwiki pages such as Medal Rolls, General Register Office etc.

Visiting the Archives

• Please check TNA's "Visit Us" webpage for further information, including Do I need a reader’s ticket?. The procedure also includes completing a short online document handling information tutorial, with test questions, similar to the information in "Handling documents". Some of the more popular records are available on microfilm in the reading rooms (Read the description of the records you are interested in to find out whether this applies). Readers' tickets are only required if you want to look at original documents.

• Some resources and documents may be photographed – see Self-Service Photography of Records: Policy (Currently located under Visit us/What’s on/While you’re here). For better photographic images, a researcher recommended selecting a table by the windows, for the light provided – these tables also contain camera stands.
• Reference to the online short Video Guides may help in preparation for a visit to the Archives - subjects include using the catalogue and indexes, records held and arrangement of records.

FIBIS Resources

The Fibis Research team can visit The National Archives to obtain copies or details of information held for Fibis Members unable to access the records there. To enquire about this service please email research@fibis.org

Paying for research

• The National Archives guide Paying for research includes a list of independent researchers.

External Links

• The National Archives including
  • The Catalogue for the Library at the National Archives
  • Record copying Includes advice that there will be a new record copying service from 2 February 2106, with new fees.
• Records within The National Archives Relating to the East India Company