Question Home

Position:Home>Genealogy> Ordering a death certificate 1964, why does it ask the full name of their parent


Question:I have my grandparents death certificates and it doesnt mention anything about their parents.

so why is the GRO site asking?


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I have my grandparents death certificates and it doesnt mention anything about their parents.

so why is the GRO site asking?

It's just a standard form. English death certificates, unlike Scottish ones, don't name a persons parents (unless its a child, in which case they are named as "son/daughter of (father), a (occupation)", so even if you did fill in the box, there's no way the GRO could tell whether you are lying or not. Ditto with the box titled "relationship to the deceased". If I put 3 x gt nephew for example, even if its not strictly true, who is to check that I am right or not? No-one.

Bascially, just fill in what you know. The only occasion when they won't issue a certificate is for recent births post-1950ish, where you have to give an exact date of birth in the box or it won't let you proceed. Marriage and death certificates are much easier to get hold of. They don't penalise you for leaving blanks. If I know it, I fill the details in (god knows what they do with this extra information!), otherwise I just blank it and the certificate still arrives all the same.

To be as accurate as possible when answering your question.

Just standard bureaucracy.
Until you do research, it doesn't show up how MANY persons have the same names (and even close on dates, sometimes). This way, they insure that they are sending the right record. Of course, it is a head-banger for researchers, when the purpose of getting the record is to FIND the info that they ask for.
Just smile, grit your teeth and go on. Unless they won't send it, without the info.

to keep tabs on everybody, and with computers, paperwork is kept to a minimum and easier to link who is related to who.

Just fill in all the information that you know for sure,
the most important details are the deceased person's surname, the volume and page number, and quarter and year.

When you first entered the online site, did you remember to check the YES box that asks if you have the GRO reference.
This defaults to NO.
If you do not have the reference Volume and Page, then it will ask for more information.