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How can I find my Thomas Smith if I'm not sure when he was born. I have a 10 year period, and know the area he would be registered. It was pre-1911, so mothers maiden name isn't on the record. How can I, without paying out for 24 certificates, know which one is mine?

Can you narrow down the likely birth years? Do you know any of his birth details,-his father's name,or his mother's maiden name,perhaps? You could use these as checking points when ordering. If it's the wrong certificate, you won't have lost so much money.

Times 4 by 24 = £96. I consider that a lot of money lol I know everything about his parents and siblings. I didn't even know he existed till I was probing someone last night lol

Hmm... a thought... do records offices charge for reference checking?

Hi Tracy If you know the registration district, then try the local register office. They will often conduct a search for you and you could specify the parents names as checking points. It still costs £7 for a cert, but I think that you'll find that the search fees will be less than the GRO charges. Another option would be to first check the parish register for a baptism (if you know the parish) - if you found that first it would narrow down the time period for the birth cert. Haven't you found him in the census? It should be possible to narrow down the time range to less than 20 years from the census info... Richard

Richard, he was born after the census. I found his parents and one child in 1901. I think I will try the local offices.

So if he was after 1901 and before 1911 that's only 10 years? A search by the local RO (or even the GRO) wouldn't be so bad...

Yeah, I was looking at how many names there were. Sorry. He could have been born after 1920, but I think that's unlikely.

Could you check 1911 to 1920 in the GRO at a main library? That would be a free search and you could look for his mother's maiden name against the birth entry... ( this doesn't guarantee that you have found the correct person, it could be coincidence but we have to narrow the search period somehow)

Gwyneth, I already checked against 1911-1920, so I know he's not there. I think I'll just wait till I can get to the RO.

Is he still alive, or do you know when he died? His death registration may narrow the search. If it is more recent, the supposed birth date will be shown on the entry.

I have no idea Gwyneth. As I said, I didn't even know he existed until last night. I've checked post-1984 deaths, and I couldn't see a likely suspect, but then again, I have no idea if he moved from the area or not.

Tracey When I needed some certs from Mansfield I sent the money and details, when they couldn't find one they phoned me and did another search. Didn't charge for extra searchs and if they hadn't of found the one they would return the cheque. Just a thought the local office may do same for you . Good luck Dawn

Can't think of anything more just now..... ... just trying to help with your SMITH as I have 2 separate lots of JONES and understand your dilema. Are there any more clues from your 'informer'? Occupation, marriage etc. Thomas wasn't a witness at any family event perhaps? How was he mentioned? Could it have been another name for one of the known siblings? ............................................. Clutching straws now, but I know what we have sometimes been up against.

Dawn, I'm hoping mine will be as helpful :) Gwyneth, I got his name from his nephew. I was asking him about all the siblings of his mother. Do you recall this name, that name etc. He said no to one, but called be back and said Oh yeah, he was there (a drunk apparently lol) and there was also a Thomas. I hadn't got his name since he didn't come up on the post-1911 search. I had a look for possible births last night, and found 24 lol

Are you sure that this Thomas - mentioned by his nephew - is a new sibling, and not the name by which an existing one was known? Can you get some further ideas to narrow down his birth year? I think the GRO don't do searches involving a person whose name is that common, can't find the ref on the website about it, but this is what it says about local register office searches: Fees via local register office Cost for certificates at the time of registration Standard certificate or birth, marriage or death £3.50 Short certificate of birth (other than the one issued at registration) £3.50 Cost for certificates once the register has been archived Standard certificate or birth, marriage or death £7.00 Short certificate of birth £5.50 Fee for general search of indexes in the register office not exceeding 6 successive hours £18.00 nell

Nell, I have all the other names (the ones I had already) accounted for. I have Edward - aka Ted Ernest - aka Ernie Rose - mother of contact Joseph - aka Joe Lilian - aka Lily Jane - aka Ginny I don't think they like their proper names lol That just leaves Thomas. I'm not sure if those fees apply, since it's not a search of the registers I'm after. I have all the references. Just need to know which one's mine.

Just a thought .... You know all the names of the siblings ... and Mothers maiden name. Search 1837 online and find the births that you KNOW about. Then make a list of who was born when and see if there are any possible gaps that Thomas could have been born in ... failing that, search 9 months BEFORE the first born and then 9 months AFTER the last born. I had to do the same thing with my Shawcross's 1896 - 1912. £5 obviously covers Births for 12 years ... so you MAY get lucky and find them all straight away ... or you may need to spend an extra £5 to search further. Take into account where MOST of the siblings are born and look for Thomas in the same area. You may end up with a couple of possibles ... BUT after spending at most £10 on 1837online and then on birth cert itself ... it has GOT to cost less than £96, £10 + money on certs ... by the way, you pay £7 for each cert BUT you get reinbursed £4 for each cert that is WRONG IF you provide the ref Number with parents names as checking points ... if ordering online from GRO. You can discount any Thomas that was registered within 9 mths of any of the other children. Elaine :-)

Thanks Elaine, but that won't work for my Thomas. The first child was born in 1899. The next confirmed one I have, is 1911. I know the area he was born and have searched it. That's why I know there are 24 names. There are a LOT of Smiths up here lol I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and go away from my PC for this one. If I get £4 back, I would still have to spend £72 if I did a reference check on all the certs. I'm not doing that lol I knew there had to be more children between 1 and 2, but wish it wasn't a Thomas lol Why did I have to have Smiths in my family? :S I want to go back to the easier ones now! lol

Tracy, Are you saying that every one of the 24 Thomas Smith's births you have found are all registered under the same Registration district ? Elaine :-) Will you be speaking with the 'nephew' again ?