Overseas BMDs

For overseas BMDs (births, marriages and deaths) of British citizens, the main options are listed under the picture. Good luck with your search! Many overseas BMDs of British subjects were never officially recorded – but don’t let that put you off.

• British Government returns (see below) – The General Register Office (GRO) keeps registers of overseas BMDs. The system at first seems a little complicated, but if you read below, you can quickly identify which index you will be interested in. If you find the reference from an index, you can order overseas BMD certificates in a similar way to ordering UK BMD certificates.
  
  
• Church records - Check the IGI at Family Search in the same was as for UK records. Even if your ancestor doesn’t appear on the index, it’s worth checking their catalogue for the appropriate country. They may have filmed a church register but not yet indexed it, and you can order the film for viewing at your local LDS family history centre. If all else fails and you know the church, you can try writing to it.
  
  
• Newspapers - It may be worth checking newspapers. Some people who died overseas had a BMD entry in The Times, for example, although this may have been some time after the actual death.

• Records in overseas countries – you can check the BMD records for the country he or she went to.
  
  
• India - A special case. If your ancestor or his family was in the British Army in India (not the Honourable East India Company Army), their records may be in the GRO army registers (see forces deaths, under British Government Returns below). Otherwise, you may need to research records from the British Library.

British Government Returns

Microfilms of most of these indexes are available at The National Archives at Kew, the Family Records Centre in London, and the Society of Genealogists, also in London. You can also order copies at the LDS family history centres. Many family history societies around the world also have microfilm copies.

Some are available online. I’ve included this information in the appropriate section.

For more information on each type of index, click below. You may want to try more than one section, depending on the exact circumstances of your ancestor’s BMD – there may be some overlap.

• Forces BMDs – If your ancestor or their family was in the British forces, separate lists were kept. They are split into deaths that occurred in the major wars (the Boer War, World War 1, and World War 2), and general BMDs.
  
  
• Civilian Overseas BMDs – Other returns made to the British authorities. These mainly cover returns from Consulates and High Commissions, but there are other miscellaneous foreign returns. Of course, military personnel may still be included in these indexes.
  
  
• Births and Deaths In Transit – On ships, planes etc.

If you notice any useful records that I have missed, do use the Contact Me form and I will add the information to my page.

Also, if you notice any changes in availability before I do, I’d love to know! Thank you.