Most family historians are familiar with census records, but there is a 20-year gap between the 1921 Census and the release of the 1951 Census. The record that bridges much of that gap is the 1939 Register.
Taken on 29 September 1939, just weeks after Britain entered the Second World War, the register recorded the civilian population of England and Wales. It has become one of the most valuable resources available to family historians.
Unlike a census, the 1939 Register was created for practical wartime purposes. The government needed to know who was living where in order to issue identity cards, organise rationing, plan evacuations and manage the war effort.
Every household was visited and details were recorded for each person present on the night of 29 September 1939.
The register typically includes:
One particularly useful feature for family historians is that the register continued to be updated long after 1939. Following the creation of the National Health Service in 1948, the register was used as the basis of the NHS Central Register and remained in use until 1991.
As a result, many women who married after 1939 had their surnames updated in the register. These amendments were usually written in green ink, with the date of the change often recorded alongside the new surname. For family historians, these later updates can provide valuable clues linking a woman to her married name and helping to trace her through later records.
Registration of members of the armed forces was dealt with separately by the military authorities. As a result, the 1939 Register does not include service personnel living in military, naval or air force establishments.
It also does not include members of the armed forces who were billeted in private homes, including their own homes.
However, because large-scale conscription did not begin until January 1940, many men and women who later served during the Second World War were still recorded as civilians in September 1939 and therefore do appear in the register.
The records do include members of the armed forces who were on leave, as well as civilians living on military bases.
One of the most common questions from family historians is why some entries remain blacked out.
The answer is simple. Records are closed if the individual may still be living, or if there is no confirmed evidence of death. As a result, you may find a household where some entries are visible and others remain closed.
As more death records become available, additional entries continue to be opened.
The 1939 Register can help you:
For many families, it provides a fascinating glimpse into everyday life as Britain prepared for war.
One of the most common frustrations for family historians is finding that an ancestor seems to have disappeared from the 1939 Register. Before assuming the record is wrong, consider these possibilities:
1. The Entry Is Still Closed
If there is no confirmed evidence that a person has died, their record may remain closed. You may see a blacked-out entry where your ancestor should be.
2. They Were Serving in the Armed Forces
Some service personnel were recorded separately by military authorities and do not appear in the civilian register.
3. They Were Missed or Recorded Elsewhere
Like any large-scale record, mistakes happened. A person may have been recorded at a temporary address, hospital, institution or workplace rather than at home.
4. Their Name Has Been Transcribed Incorrectly
Handwriting can be difficult to interpret. Searching using only a surname may miss records that have been indexed incorrectly.
5. They Were Recorded Under a Different Name
Nicknames, middle names, stepfamily surnames and spelling variations can all make a person difficult to find. Married women may also appear under a different surname than expected.
When searching, it is often worth using wildcards, searching by address, or looking for other family members in the same household.
The extract shown below comes from my own family research and records members of my Hinton family in Abenbury, Wrexham. Like many entries in the 1939 Register, it provides occupations, dates of birth and a snapshot of a household at a significant moment in history.
Although it was never intended to be a census, the 1939 Register has become one of the most important records available to family historians. It offers a unique snapshot of Britain at the beginning of the Second World War and helps bridge a crucial gap in family history research.
