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Civilian Overseas BMD Records

Are you looking for overseas BMD records (births, marriages and deaths)? If your ancestor was a civilian, this page will tell you where to look. If your ancestor was a member of the armed forces (or a dependent of a member), then try looking at armed forces records.

Note
If you have landed on this page from another site, click if you want to know more about finding general information about overseas BMD records.


Charles Watkins


My father, Charles Watkins, sailed around the world as a merchant seaman in the 1920s. He, along with many other British people, were to be found spread across the world. Many are listed in the overseas BMD records for civilians.

Initially, you may feel a little confused by all the possibilities. However, it is quite easy to narrow down where you may find the overseas BMD records:

  • Consular returns 1849-present – registrations made by the British authorities at Consulates in foreign countries.

  • British High Commission 1949-present – registrations made by the British authorities at High Commissions in the British Commonwealth countries.

From 1966, these were combined as the Births, Marriages and Deaths Abroad Indexes.

  • Foreign marriage certificates 1949-present – in many countries, British citizens who marry abroad can deposit their foreign certificates with the GRO.

All the above indexes are available for free online, at www.familyrelatives.org. The BMDs are available up to 1994, and the foreign marriage certificates index up to 1965. Once you have found a reference, you can order a certificate from the General Register Office (GRO).

Holdings at
The National Archives

You can also try the various GRO foreign returns, now held at The National Archives at Kew, near London. As of January 2007, I’ve never consulted these myself. However, when I do, I’ll let you know what sort of information they contain.
  • Foreign registers and returns 1627-1960 – ref RG 33
  • Miscellaneous foreign returns 1627-1960 – ref RG 43
  • Miscellaneous foreign returns 1831-1969 – ref RG 32
  • Miscellaneous foreign marriage returns 1826-1921 – ref RG 34
  • Miscellaneous foreign death returns 1830-1921 – ref RG 35
  • Registers and returns of BMDs in the Protectorates of Africa and Asia 1895-1965 – ref RG 36

Please use the Contact Me form to suggest any other information you’d like to see.


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