Burial and Death Records in the UK

A burial record is a any type of record or certificate that states the date and place an individual was buried. These records are available from 1538 onwards, and are recorded in Parish Registers. They are an invaluable resource for researching your family tree because the census and official records of birth, marriage and death do not go back further than 1837.

Burials Before 1813

Before 1813, records hold little information. A record will usually only consist of:

• Name
• Date buried

For some entries, there was a difference in the information recorded - for example, if a man's wife died, then a record could simply state "Mary wife of John Smith buried the 1 June 1667".

If a child under 21 died, then their death would be recorded a little like this: "Robert the son of John Smith buried May the 5th 1667".

Burials After 1813

Burial registers from 1813 onwards were pre-printed books. From this date more information was usually included:

• Name
• Abode
• Date buried
• Age
• By whom the ceremony was performed

However, beware of the ages in burial records - these can be a few years out!

More Information on Burial Records

For more information, visit ParishRegister.co.uk, which will give you more information on baptisms, marriages and burials.