Births Deaths & Marriages (Original Vital Records)

Most governments keep records of births, deaths & marriages. These are known as original “vital records”. They are usually the most reliable source of information and are a must to build your Family Tree. These records contain vital information to help you link your Family History. They are considered as your primary source of information because they contain all the information you need regarding your Ancestor. These records are usually highly accurate because they are legislated by Governments and the information is recorded close to the actual event. Governments have the responsibility to ensure accuracy and that all vital records are recorded at a timely and correct standardized form within the geographical area.

Vital records are official documents and are kept at the local government office. Older records are archived. The good news is that most Western countries began keeping vital records at a National level in the 19^th century. Any vital records beyond that time can be found at parish churches and local registers.

Please note: in the United States the registering of vital records is the responsibility of each state. Therefore, you have to approach each individual state to obtain records. In Canada each province and territory has this responsibility.

When researching these sources be aware that in the 19^th century many vital records were not recorded. Many people refused to register and some communities were isolated. As time went on, compliance has become almost 100%.

These vital records contain valuable information such as name, gender, place of birth, mother’s maiden name, Father’s name, race, occupation and so on. So you see, vital records are an important part of your research. They provide reliable, accurate information that will establish the correct line of ancestors.

You get vital records from your government authority that deals with vital records. Most are available on the internet for purchase.

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Are you related to English Gentry?

Think back to the 19^th century in Great Britain. What constituted someone as Gentry? The gentry were mostly landholders who owned a minimum of 1000 acres of land. Refer to Burke’s Landed Gentry for a list of Victorian and 20^th century landed gentry. In towns gentry are listed as “Private Residents”. You should consult post office and trade directories as well. Finally, check out parish registers and examine the births, deaths and marriages from 1837 and the 1841 to 1901 census records. Visit your local Family History centre and examine these records. Hopefully, these records will describe them as gentry or gentleman.

Check out the website of the National Archives. Often you can find references to gentry and aristocratic families. You should note that most gentry’s families date back during and before the 19^th century. There could be a possibility that some families ceased to be gentry.

Another rich source of information is Newspaper & Magazines. If you suspect you have a gentry’s ancestor who lived between 1731 and 1868 there was a Magazine called the Gentleman’s Magazine. This magazine often published information about important citizens. You might find an article about an ancestor or their birth, death or marriage notice. Newspapers also mention important events about people’s lives. Check out your local library to track down these publications.

Other good sources are polling records. A gentleman was entitled to vote if they owned a certain amount of property and derived a certain amount of income. Check out the poll lists for names. Examine family Coats of arms. In order to receive Coats of arms, gentlemen had to prove they were entitled to it. They did this by showing their ancestors used the same coat for at least 80 years; This was then recorded officially if they paid set fees. Refer to the Harleian Society publications.

Check out any government records such as Tax & land transactions. You should find many transactions that indicate persons as gentleman. Finally it is worth examining wills & court records. Just like modern times there were many disputes over rights, wills, debts and so on. As you can see, there are many avenues to trace gentry. There is a good chance that somewhere down the line you may be related to gentry.

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