Researching Family History

There are a number of steps you should take when researching family history:

• Find out any information held by family members, this is a very valuable source
• Contact local family history societies
• Look at Census information, and other records often held in County Archives Offices and Libraries. Both the Gwent Archives at Ebbw Vale (01495 353363) and the Newport Reference Library (01633 211376) hold these
• Look at the Internet for family history websites
• Obtain certificates from The Register Office

Torfaen District Births, Deaths & Marriages

Civil Registration in England and Wales began on 1st July 1837.

The Torfaen Register Office holds the records of births, deaths and marriages that occurred within it’s district from that time up to date.

Torfaen Registration district comprises the whole of the County Borough of Torfaen. It includes Blaenavon, Pontypool, Cwmbran and Ponthir (to the boundary with Newport).

Torfaen Registration district came into being after Local Government reorganisation in 1996. Prior to that it was known as Pontypool district under the County of Gwent and previously under The County of Monmouthshire.

Prior to Torfaen, Pontypool District’s boundaries had changed several times since 1837 and have included Abergavenny, Monmouth and Llanhilleth at various times.

Both Abergavenny and Tredegar also hold some Pontypool records.

We also hold some Newport records from the Llantarnam sub district.

There are even a few Pontypool records for Crumlin held in Caerphilly district.

Records Held by Torfaen Registration District

Registers currently held by Torfaen Registration District are listed below.

Blaenavon - 1837-1939 March (Incl. Govilon)

Pontypool - 1837-1939 (Varteg, Pontypool, Panteg, Llantarnam) 

Panteg - 1925-1939 (covers Griffithstown to Cwmbran, Llanfrechfa & Llandegveth) 

Pontypool No 2 - 1959-1974 (Pontypool & County Hospitals) 

Pontypool - 1959-Present (covers Blaenavon, Pontypool, Cwmbran and most of Ponthir)

Other Registration Districts Records Held By Torfaen

Newport (Llantarnam sub district)
1896-1939 (Malpas & Cwmbran)

Abergavenny (Blaenavon sub district)
1874 (April) – 1939

Pontypool Sub District Records Held In Other Offices

Abergavenny Incl. Usk (At Monmouthshire Hospital)
1837-1969 (includes Cefn Ila Maternity Register Office)
1837-1924 (includes Llangibby sub District, Griffithstown, Cwmbran, Llandegveth)
Abergavenny 1974-1996

Tredegar (At Blaenau Gwent Register Office)
Llanhilleth 1902-1939
(Marriages 1837-1911)

Ystrad Mynach (At Caerphilly Register Office)
Crumlin – St Marys Church
(Marriages 1904-1931)

Please note this information is for guidance only and there are anomalies where some records, especially marriages, are held in Pontypool and not Abergavenny and vice versa. Both local government and parish boundaries have changed from time to time throughout the years.

Useful Websites

General Register Office - For online ordering of Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and to download application forms.

www.findmypast.co.uk - On this site you will find an entire copy of the indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales from 1837 to 2001. These images are available to search for a charge. This site will be most useful to customers who are already familiar with these indexes and wish to have the opportunity to search them in their own time, without having to physically visit a Library or a Register Office. This site is run by Family Research Link based in London.

Rootsweb - FreeBMD is an ongoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales. 

Family Search - This is the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints web site, which has links to all their databases including the 1881 British Census and International Genealogical Index of Baptisms and Marriages. 

The National Archives - This is the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office) web site and links into their holdings at both the FRC and at Kew (including a very detailed online catalogue).

1901 Census - This site has the 1901 Census online.

Last Modified: 25/06/2019 Back to top