We can help you with your family history research whether you're a beginner or an experienced researcher.
If you're just starting out, we recommend you try to gather as much information as possible using what you already know and talking to relatives.
All libraries provide free access to Ancestry Library Edition and Find My Past.
Unless otherwise stated the following resources are held in the Central Library.
Births, marriages, deaths and divorce
The civil registration of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales began on 1 July 1837. For records before this, you'll need to look at parish registers.
Births, Marriages and Deaths are available on Ancestry Library Edition and Find My Past.
We have a complete set of the General Register Office indexes on microfiche, including:
- Births and deaths from 1837 to 2021
- Deaths from 1837 to 2022
- Marriages from 1837 to 2020
- Births, marriages and deaths abroad/overseas from 1966 to 2021
- Civil partnerships from 2005 to 2020
- Adoptions from 1927 to 2020
- Provisional indexes for births for January to December 2022
A collection of local parish registers can be found at The Box and online at Find My Past.
You can buy copies of Plymouth birth, death or marriage certificates online.
Census records
In the UK, censuses have been taken every ten years since 1801 (except for 1941). The first useful one for family historians was taken in 1841 when names were recorded for the first time.
Original census records up to 1921 are available online in all libraries through our subscriptions to Ancestry Library Edition and Find My Past .
Street and name directories
Street directories are arranged by street name and property number.
- Plymouth: 1812 to 1970 (with gaps)
- Cornwall: 1823 to 1939, various dates
- Devon: 1720 to 1939, various dates
- BT National telephone directories: 1880 to 1984 through Ancestry Library Edition.
Electoral registers
The current Register of Electors for Plymouth is held in the Central Library.
Historical registers are available on Microfilm, indexed by street and then property number.
- Plymouth Devonport: 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1952, 1954 to 1965, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980
- Plymouth Drake: 1934 to 1939, 1946, 1952, 1954, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981
- Plymouth Sutton: 1935 to 1937, 1946, 1952, 1954 to 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978.
Online newspapers
Times Digital Archive (Access in a library or from home if you've a library card).
The complete digital edition of The Times (London) from 1785 to 2014. Newsbank has The Times archive from 1985 to date.
Newsbank Newspapers (Access in a library or from home if you've a library card).
Full text articles from a range of local, national and international newspapers from 1982 to date.
British Newspaper Archive (in library use only).
Access to millions of pages of British and Irish newspapers from 1710 to 2009. 100,000 pages are added each month. You'll need to register and log in with your own email address.
Local publications
- The Visitation of Devon and the Visitation of Cornwall.
Other resources
- Cornwall Protestation Returns
- Devon taxes: 1581 to 1660.