Registration Districts covering Denbighshire, as established on 1 July 1837.

Registration District of Conwy

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Conwy poor law Union.
It was divided into three sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Conway (sic)) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the following Caernarfonshire parishes :
    Dwygyfylchi, Conwy, and Gyffin.
• No. 2 sub-district (Creuddyn) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of :
    Llandrillo yn Rhos, Llanelian, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy and Llysfaen ,
    the Caernarfonshire parishes of :
    Eglwys Rhos (or Llan Rhos), Llandudno, and Llangystennin,
    and the Caernarfonshire township of Eirias.
  No. 3 sub-district (Llechwedd Isaf) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the following Caernarfonshire parishes :
    Llangelynnin, Caerhun, and Llanbedr y Cennin.

Registration District of Corwen

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Corwen poor law Union.
It was divided into two sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Gwyddelwern) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Cerrigydrudion, Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr and Llangwm ;
    together with the Merionethshire parishes of Betws Gwerfyl Goch, Gwyddelwern, Llandrillo yn Edeirnion and Llangar.
• No. 2 sub-district (Corwen) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Bryneglwys, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Llangollen, Llansanffraid Glyn Ceiriog and Llantysilio ;
    together with the Merionethshire parishes of Corwen and Llansanffraid Glyn Dyfrdwy.

In 1880, the Corwen Registration District was re-organised, and the sub-districts were re-named :

• Corwen sub-district :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Cerrigydrudion, Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr and Llangwm ;
    together with the Merionethshire parishes of Betws Gwerfyl Goch, Gwyddelwern, Llandrillo yn Edeirnion, Llangar, Corwen and Llansanffraid Glyn Dyfrdwy.
• Llangollen sub-district :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Bryneglwys, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Llangollen, Llansanffraid Glyn Ceiriog and Llantysilio.

Registration District of Llanfyllin

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Llanfyllin poor law Union.
It was divided into three sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Llanfair (Caereinion)) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the Montgomeryshire parishes of :
    Llangynyw, Llanfair Caereinion, Llanerfyl, Llangadfan, Garthbeibio, and Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa.
• No. 2 sub-district (Llansanffraid (ym Mechain)) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the Montgomeryshire parishes of :
    Meifod, Llanfyllin, Llanfechan, Llansanffraid ym Mechain, Llandrinio, and Llandysilio.
• No. 3 sub-district (Llanrhaeadr (ym Mochnant)) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Llanarmon Mynydd Mawr, Llangadwaladr, Llangedwyn and Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant; together with the Montgomeryshire parishes of Hirnant, Llangynog, Llanwddyn and Pennant.

Registration District of Llanrwst

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Llanrwst poor law Union.
It was divided into three sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Llanrwst) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Capel Garmon, Eglwysbach, Gwytherin, Llanddoget, Llangernyw and Llanrwst (excluding the Caernarfonshire township of Gwydyr, which was in Llanrwst parish) ;
    together with the Caernarfonshire townships of Maenan and The Abbey.
• No. 2 sub-district (Betws-y-Coed) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the following Caernarfonshire parishes and townships :
    Trefriw, Llanrhychwyn, Betws y Coed, and Dolwyddelan; and the township of Gwydyr.
• No. 3 sub-district (Yspytty (sic)) :
  • Contained the Denbighshire parishes of Pentrefoelas and Ysbyty Ifan (which included the Caernarfonshire township of Eidda ;
    together with the Caernarfonshire parish of Penmachno.

Registration District of Oswestry

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Oswestry Incorporation poor law Union.
It was divided into four sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Knockin) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
• No. 2 sub-district (Llansilin) :
  • Contained the Denbighshire parish of Llansilin.
• No. 3 sub-district (Oswestry) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
• No. 4 sub-district (St. Martin) :
  • Contained the Denbighshire parish of Chirk.

Registration District of Ruthin

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Ruthin poor law Union.
It was divided into six sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (Llanarmon (yn Iâl)) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Llanarmon yn Iâl, Llandegla and Llanferres.
• No. 2 sub-district (Ruthin) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Efenechtyd, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Llanfwrog, Llanrhydd, Llanychan and Ruthin.
• No. 3 sub-district (Llanelidan) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Derwen, Llanelidan and Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd.
• No. 4 sub-district (Gyffylliog) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Clocaenog, Gyffylliog and Nantglyn.
    • The Gyffylliog sub-district was abolished on 1 August 1902.
      Clocaenog moved to the Llanelidan sub-district.
      Gyffylliog moved to the Ruthin sub-district.
      Nantglyn moved to the Llanrhaeadr sub-district.
• No. 5 sub-district (Llanrhaeadr (yng Nghinmeirch)) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Llanrhaeadr yng Nghinmeirch and Llanynys.
• No. 6 sub-district (Llandyrnog) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Llandyrnog, Llangwyfan and Llangynhafal; together with the township of Aberchwiler (or Aberwheeler), which was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Bodfari, in Flintshire (although Aberchwiler itself was in Denbighshire).

Registration District of St. Asaph

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the St. Asaph poor law Union.
It was divided into three sub-districts :

• No. 1 sub-district (St. Asaph) :
  • There were no Denbighshire parishes in this sub-district.
    It comprised the following Flintshire parishes :
    St. Asaph, Rhuddlan, Meliden, Cwm, Bodfari, Tremeirchion, and Dyserth.
• No. 2 sub-district (Abergele) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Abergele, Betws-yn-Rhos, Llanddulas, Llanfair Talhaearn and St. George.
• No. 3 sub-district (Denbigh) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Denbigh, Henllan, Llannefydd and Llansannan.

Registration District of Wrexham

This Registration District was initially (1837) co-extensive with the Wrexham poor law Union, which included parts of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Cheshire.
The Union and Registration District was initially divided into four sub-districts, which were defined in the "Chester Chronicle" of 7 April 1837 and 14 July 1837, as a somewhat confusing mixture of townships and parishes :

• No. 1 sub-district (Hope) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parish of Gresford, and the Denbighshire townships of Allington, Brymbo, Burton, Gwersyllt and Llay; together with the Flintshire parishes of Hope and Treuddyn, and the Flintshire townships of Marford and Hoseley. (These two townships formed a detached portion of Flintshire, entirely surrounded by the Denbighshire parish of Gresford).
• No. 2 sub-district (Malpas) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Holt, Isycoed and Marchwiel; the Flintshire parishes of Threapwood, Worthenbury and Bangor on Dee (Bangor on Dee comprised the Flintshire township of Bangor, with the Denbighshire townships of Eyton, Royton, Sesswick and Pickhill); and the Cheshire townships of Shocklach Church, Shocklach Oviatt, Agden, Bradley, Chidlow, Chorlton, Cuddington, Malpas, Newton juxta Malpas, Oldcastle, Overton, Stockton, Wichough and Wigland.
• No. 3 sub-district (Ruabon) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire parishes of Ruabon and Erbistock (the parish of Erbistock lay partly in Denbighshire and partly in Flintshire).
• No. 4 sub-district (Wrexham) :
  • Comprised the Denbighshire townships of Abenbury Fawr, Abenbury Fechan, Acton, Bersham, Bieston, Borras Hofa, Borras Riffre, Broughton, Esclusham Above, Esclusham Below, Erddig, Erlas, Gourton, Minera, Stansty, Wrexham Abbott and Wrexham Regis.
    In effect, this was most of the Denbighshire parish of Wrexham.

On 1 April 1853, the Malpas sub-district was abolished, but to all intents and purposes it was re-named as Holt sub-district.
Its Cheshire townships (with the exception of Church Shocklach and Shocklach Oviatt, which remained with Holt) were transferred to the Whitchurch (Shropshire) Registration District.

In 1871, the Hope sub-district was abolished. Its Flintshire parishes and townships were transferred to the Hawarden (Flintshire) sub-district of the Chester (Cheshire) Registration District; and its Denbighshire parishes and townships were transferred to the Holt sub-district.
The Wrexham Registration District sub-districts were re-numbered - No. 1 (Holt); No.2 (Ruabon); No.3 (Wrexham).

Present-day Registration Districts for North-East Wales

Conwy County Borough

Superintendent Registrar,
Register Office,
Town Hall,
Lloyd Street,
Llandudno.
LL30 2UP.

Tel: +44 (0)1492 574043.

Please note - as from 11 June 2007, all "family history" enquiries for Conwy County Borough should be made to the above address.

Wrexham County Borough

Superintendent Registrar,
Register Office,
Ty Dewi Sant,
Rhosddu Road,
Wrexham.
LL11 1NF.

Opening hours - Monday to Friday - 08.45 to 12.45, 14.00 to 16.00.

Tel: +44 (0)1978 292027.

Flintshire

Superintendent Registrar,
Register Office,
Llwynegrin Hall,
Mold,
Flintshire.
CH7 6NR.

Opening hours - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday - 09.30 to 15.30.
Thursday - 09.30 to 12.30.

Visitors are requested to write, telephone or email beforehand to make an appointment.
Tel: +44 (0)1352 703333
Fax: +44 (0)1352 703334
Email: registrars@flintshire.gov.uk

Please note - the former Flintshire East (Hawarden) and Flintshire West (Holywell) registration districts merged on 18 April 2005.
All enquiries should be now made to the new address (above).

Denbighshire - North

Superintendent Registrar,
Register Office,
Morfa Clwyd,
Marsh Road,
Rhyl,
Denbighshire.
LL18 2AF.

Opening hours - Monday - 09.15 to 12.30, 14.00 to 16.00.
Tuesday to Friday - 09.15 to 12.30.
Visitors are requested to telephone beforehand to make an appointment.

Tel: +44 (0)1745 366610.
Fax: +44 (0)1745 366614.

Denbighshire - South

Superintendent Registrar,
Register Office,
Town Hall,
Wynnstay Road,
Ruthin,
Denbighshire.
LL15 1YN.

Opening hours - Monday to Friday - 10.00 to 12.00.
Visitors are requested to telephone beforehand to make an appointment.

Tel: +44 (0)1824 706187.

Civil Registration of births, marriages and deaths (known as "Vital Records" in some countries) started on 1 July 1837 for England and Wales.
For further information see Civil Registration in England and Wales.

Here is a map showing the 1851 Registration Districts of Wales..  The Map is taken from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 11, North Wales. Ed. by Ieuan Gwynedd Jones, UWP, 1981

The UK BMD web site "provides 2558 links to websites that offer on-line transcriptions of UK births, marriages, deaths and censuses. A wide range of other indexes and transcriptions are also available for most counties, these may include parish records, wills, monumental inscriptions etc. "

The Registration Districts appropriate to particular towns/parishes etc have been listed on a county basis on UK BMD.

• It should be noted that Registration Districts are/were based not on parishes per se but on the official administration unit below county level.
• So in some cases the parish definition used on Genuki i.e ancient parishes, will result in one of our parishes not appearing on the above list simply because it is an ecclesiastical parish and not categorised as a civil parish.
• An example of such a parish is that of Llangamarch in Brecknockshire which was an ecclesiastical parish, so it doesn't appear on the Brecknockshire section of the above list of parishes/townships etc  under its RD i.e Builth but its two townships/hamlets of Treflis and Penbuallt do.

Demography of Wales (Wikipedia)

The records of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales are held by the General Register Office which is part of the UK Identity and Passport Service. The records themselves are only available in the form of certified copy certificates. The printed (and in some cases, hand written) indexes to the records have, historically, been available to the public but have now been withdrawn. Microfiche copies are avaiable in many locations and images of these indexes are also available through several web sites.

For further details see the Civil Registration sections of the England or Wales pages.

Records for Scotland are different and are at:

The General Register Office for Scotland
New Register House
Princess Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YT

For further details see the Civil Registration section of the Scotland page.

Irish records have their own system as well. The records of births, marriages and deaths for all of Ireland up to 1921, and for Eire since 1921 are held at:

Register General
Joyce House
8/11 Lombard Street East
Dublin 2

Records for Northern Ireland since 1921 are at:

Oxford House
49/55 Chichester Street
Belfast
BT1 4HL

Wales was largely conquered by the English in the 14th Century, and was officially united with England in 1535. King James VI of Scotland inherited the throne of England (as James I) in 1603, but the two countries remained separate entities until the Act of Union in 1707 forming 'Great Britain'. Ireland had been claimed by the English Kings since the 12th Century but was not officially joined to Great Britain until 1801. Ireland was given independence in 1921 as the Irish Free State (later called 'Eire'), but the counties of Ulster opted out and (as Northern Ireland) remain part of the United Kingdom.

So, today, the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' includes 'Great Britain', which in turns includes England, Scotland and Wales.

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are 'Crown Dependencies' which are technically outside the United Kingdom and have their own local legislatures. This is course is the offical version. You will find many people referring to 'England' when they actually mean 'Britain' or the 'UK'.

Contributions by:

John Pritchard

Changes For This Version (1.1 - 1995/07/31)

Added location of Irish and Scottish records. Added explanation of the relationship between the various parts of the country.