Derbyshire Registrars Marriage Index

Each record is a transcript of the original. The information varies but you can find the following about your ancestor:

• Name

• Spouse’s name

• Birth year

• Registration place

The Derbyshire Registrar's Birth Index covers marriages registered in the English county of Derbyshire from the introduction of civil registration in 1837. There are 1,396,322 records available to search.

Before 1837, birth, marriage and death information in England was only recorded by churches. However there was recognition from Parliament that an accurate record of the population was needed for voting, planning and defence purposes. Birth, marriage and death registration for England and Wales began on July 1 1837.

Civil registration is based around registration districts. Each county is divided into districts and each district has a superintendent registrar who receives notice of all births, marriages and deaths. Each quarter the district superintendent registrar forwards copies of the district’s registrations to the Registrar General in London. The original records remain in the district. These are the records contained in this record set.

Church of England marriages were recorded by the clergy who send copies of the marriages they perform to the district and to the Registrar General. The original marriage register is kept in the parish.

Quaker and Jewish marriages are registered directly with the Register General in London.

Until 1898, the district superintendent registrar registered other non-conformist marriages as well as performing civil marriages. By 1875 99% of all births, marriages and deaths were being recorded but don’t forget to search the Derbyshire parish records as well.

Derbyshire is in the East Midlands of England. The southern extremity of the Pennine range of hills stretches into the north of the county. The country also contains part of the National Forest with Greater Manchester to the northwest, West Yorkshire to the north, South Yorkshire to the northeast, Nottinghamshire to the east and Leicestershire to the southeast. Staffordshire is to the west and southwest and Cheshire is also to the west.

These transcripts are here thanks to the hard work of the volunteers of the Derbyshire Family History Society.