Family history research
The register office holds records for the Darlington area for:
- births
- deaths
- marriages
- civil partnerships
All of our records are indexed and searchable on our website.
You can order a certified certificate, using our secure payment system from our registrar search.
Our records date from July 1837, when civil registration began. If you wish to trace your family history further back, you will need to look at local parish records. These are the records of baptisms, marriages and burials, made by a church.
You will often find earlier records at the local county record office. Local libraries also offer resources.
Genealogy websites offer some parish records online. These are often subscription or pay-per-view services.
The boundaries of Darlington registration district have changed many times over the years. If you cannot trace a record you believe to be in Darlington, they may be able to help at a neighbouring registration district.
Useful links
- General Register Office [external link] (national records from 1837 onwards)
- Durham Record Office [external link] (archive service for County Durham and Darlington)
- Darlington Library Centre for Local Studies [external link]
- Durham Records Online [external link] (transcriptions of many parish & census records for County Durham and Northumberland)