The Family Records Centre holds the original indexes to records of birth, marriage and death in England & Wales since 1837, and in addition the national census returns 1841 to 1901, and substantial holdings of pre; 1858 wills and pre; 1837 non-conformist church registers.

The F.R.C. is jointly run by the General Register Office (G.R.O.) and the National Archives.

The holdings described above constitute those most commonly used in family history research, and are considered to be of absolutely prime importance in any program of genealogical enquiry. No family historian can even consider undertaking research without utilising the records of civil registration of birth, death & marriage, and the national census returns 1841 to 1901.