How many records at the GRO.

[p.risboy]

While the discussion of the e-petition goes on, it got me thinking how many records are kept or held at the GRO, in whatever form. Paper or electronic.

The population is roughly 60 million people, give or take. Remove immigrants of all nationalities from births.......that would leave about 50 milllion people.(Wild guess).

So 50 million births, could lead us to believe there have been about 20 million marriages.
As for deaths......maybe 10 million, excluding WW1 & WW2, and other conflicts.

So as a starter, we're looking at around 80 million BMD records.

I would guess it's more.......anyone know at all.

Oh......don't forget, they go back to 1837.


Steve.

[Robesur]

As you say they go back to 1837. I think the answer must be two or three times your estimate. All those alive in 1837 will have had a death and a fair number a marriage. All the people born since will have had at least two entries and most a third plus all those alive now will have had a birth and again a good number a marriage or possibly two. I was born in 1943 but can still obtain certificates back a further 4 or 5 generations before me. I think that you have grossley under estimated, probably 200 million

[benny1982]

I agree with Robesur. I think it is more the region of 250 million.

[p.risboy]

I would have thought that as well.....I just used 80 million as a starting point.

That's a lot of records to look after and search through.

I hope their box is a big one.

[Guy]

The Registrar general compiles a report every year
Annual Report of the Registrar General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England and Wales

The findings for 1901 give figures such as
Population March 1901 - 32,527,843
Population was estimated to have risen to 32,621,236 by the middle of the year if emmigration & immigration were allowed for and deducted.


The number of marriages per year from 1897 to 1901 averaged at 16.05 per thousand of the population for each year.


There are numerous other figures given including birth & deaths (21.0 per thousand of population each year for period 1837-1901) for those who are interested in studying the figures.


Cheers
Guy