Introduction to GRONI and its records
If you are interested in genealogy or local history, you can search the archives and view or buy copies of certificates for life events, such as births, marriages and deaths for your own family or for a family you are studying.
Records you can access
GRONI (General Register Office Northern Ireland) holds civil birth, adoption, death, marriage and civil partnership records registered in Northern Ireland.
Stillbirth records
Stillbirth records are not available for public access. If you want to apply for a stillbirth certificate, you should contact GRONI.
Registration indexes held by GRONI
- births registered from 1 January 1864 in what is now Northern Ireland
- adoptions recorded in the Adopted Children Register Northern Ireland from 1 January 1931
- deaths registered from 1 January 1864 in what is now Northern Ireland
- registered non-Roman Catholic marriages from 1 April 1845 and all registered marriages from 1 January 1864
- civil partnerships registered in Northern Ireland from 5 December 2005
- World War II death indexes from 1939 to 1945
Certificates are only available for life events registered in what is now Northern Ireland. You will need a credit or debit card to order online via the link below:
Visit GRONI online
For data protection reasons, if you are using the internet to search the register, some of the records will not be available to view. You will be able to access the following records if you go to GRONI online:
- birth records over 100 years old
- marriage records over 75 years old
- death records (including World War II death records) over 50 years old
You cannot access civil partnership and adoption records online. If you want to view these records, or view recent records, you must book an appointment at the GRONI's Public Search Room in Belfast or, if you know the details, you can apply online for certificates:
GRONI Public Search Room
GRONI also has a public search room where you can search computerised indexes and view records.
Book a place
GRONI has a limited number of spaces in the search room. Only one person at a time is allowed to use a computer terminal.
If you want to use the public search room, there is no admission fee but you should make an appointment. GRONI cannot guarantee a place will be available in the search room if you have not made a reservation.
Before booking a place, take a look at the public search room guidelines:
You can book a place in the public search room online (use the box available to suggest your preferred time):
Index searches available
- basic index view – free
- enhanced index view – one credit*
- view full record or image – five credits*
* One credit costs £0.50
Copies of certificates available from the public search room
You can buy copies of certificates for records you trace at £8.00 each but these cannot be provided immediately. You can collect the certificates from GRONI at a later date or GRONI can post these to you.
If you apply for a copy certificate before 2.30 pm and pay an additional priority fee of £5.00, you will get the certificate within an hour of your application.
Records available in the public search room
The table below shows the records you can access in the GRONI public search room.
| Civil registration type | Date span | What can I view for these records? |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 1 Jan 1864 to 31 Dec 1996 | an image and index information |
| Birth | 1 Jan 1997 to current | information recorded in text format only |
| Death | 1 Jan 1864 to 31 Dec 1996 | an image and index information |
| Death | 1 Jan 1997 to current | information recorded in text format only |
| World War II deaths | 1939 to 1954* | an image and index information |
| Marriages | 1 Apr 1845 to first quarter 2004 | an image and index information |
| Marriages | Second quarter 2004 to current | information recorded in text format only |
| Adoptions | 1 Jan 1931 to Dec 2002 | an image and index information |
| Adoptions | Jan 2003 to current | information recorded in text format only |
| Civil partnerships | Dec 2005 to current | information recorded in text format only |
* Although the war ended in 1945, World War II death records extend to 1954 to include deaths from injuries sustained during the war.
Due to a crossover period for some of these records, GRONI cannot always provide an exact date for the change from one format to the other.
Public search room opening hours
The GRONI Public Search Room is open from 9.30 am until 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public, bank and all Northern Ireland government holidays).
The public search room is accessible to wheelchair users. A personal induction loop system is available for deaf or hearing-impaired visitors.