Wales

Wales census research

Welsh censuses have been taken alongside their English counterparts ever since 1801. They’ve been conducted every 10 years – with the notable exception of 1941. The 1841 Census was the first to record every person in every household, but it stopped short of describing the relationships between people, and the ages of adults were rounded down to the nearest five years. Successive censuses added exact ages (as long as they were given truthfully!), family relationships and other information, such as the number of rooms occupied and disabilities.

All the available census returns for England and Wales, from 1841 to 1901, are available to search on Ancestry, with images of the original records. Simply enter as many details as you know to search each record.

Wales vital records

• Parish registers – From the time of Henry VIII until 1920, the established church in Wales was actually the Church of England. If you’re looking for relatives before 1837, the best source for vital events is this Church’s registers of christenings, marriages, and burials, kept by individual parishes. Surviving parish registers begin as early as the 1500s in some areas. Nonconformism (especially Methodism) was extremely common in Wales from the 19th century. Fortunately, most denominations kept their own registers, which are also available to search.

  You’ll find a growing collection of parish registers from all over the UK on Ancestry, with both searchable transcriptions and images of original records. If we don’t yet have records for your area, the best place to start is the local record office.

• Civil registration – From 1837, Welsh vital events have been included alongside the official English registers. Your ancestors’ birth, marriage and death certificates are held centrally by the General Register Office. You can search the entire indexes to these records, from 1837 to 2005, on Ancestry. When you find members of your family, you can order copies of their certificates through our dedicated service.

Wales research routes

These important organisations provide resources to help with your search for Welsh roots. Also bear in mind that many counties and towns keep extensive family history records in record offices, libraries and genealogical or historical societies, so always check for a local resource.

• National Library of Wales: The website’s Family History page provides an overview of the many resources available at the Library, including church records, wills and probate, maps, estate, legal records, and pedigree books. Selected records are also available in the Library’s online databases.
• The National Archives (TNA): Holds government records for England, Wales, and the United Kingdom. The extensive collections include censuses, naturalisation and emigration records (including passenger lists), historical maps, court and military documents, and much more. TNA’s DocumentsOnline website lets you search indexes to military service records, honours and awards, wills, and more.
• Archives Wales: Details what you’ll find in more than 20 archives across Wales. See the ‘Archives for Family History’ page for helpful tips.
• Association of the Family History Societies of Wales: The Association was formed in 1981. It can help you find the best society for your research.
• Society of Genealogists: The Society’s Library in London contains extensive resources covering the entire British Isles, including family and local histories, county resources, censuses, maps, and more. On its website, the helpful Wales page points you towards other great resources.
• GENUKI Wales: GENUKI is a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information. Its Welsh resources include sections dedicated to each county, and guides to all the most important national records.
• Wales GenWeb: The Wales GenWeb Project has been online since early 1998. Since that time, the project has remained faithful to the mission of the World Gen Web Project - to provide you with free resources and reference information.
• Historical Directories: This popular website lets you search through town and county directories for both England and Wales from 1750 to 1919.