1939 England and Wales Register
Narrative
The 1939 England and Wales Register, taken on 29th September, provides details of an estimated 40 million people residing in the country at the time.
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.
Original data: Crown copyright images reproduced by courtesy of TNA, London England. 1939 Register (Series RG101), The National Archives, Kew, London, England. The National Archives give no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided. Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education. Applications for any other use should be made to The National Archives Image Library, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, Tel: 020 8392 5225. Fax: 020 8392 5266.
About 1939 England and Wales Register
About 1939 England and Wales Reguster
Historical Context
Initially taken due to the onset of war with the purpose of producing National Identity Cards, the register later came to be multi-functional, first as an aid in the use of ration books and later helping officials record the movement of the civilian population over the following decades and from 1948, as the basis for the National Health Service Register. The 1939 Register is an extremely important genealogical resource, not only for the rich detail and information recorded for each person and household, but also in helping to bridge a thirty-year gap in census data. The census taken in 1931 was destroyed during the Second World War and no census was carried out in 1941 due to the ongoing conflict. The register, as held by The National Archives, contains data only for England and Wales and does not include records from households in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Organisation of the Registers
Enumerators collected the data on 29th September 1939. Volumes were organised by place (District or County - see codes below) and then by Enumeration District, represented by a four or five letter code followed by two numbers. These codes were largely based on the 1931 census enumeration units.
Letter Codes for Boroughs and Districts:
RD - Rural District
UD - Urban District
MB - Municipal Borough
CB - County Borough
Met B - Metropolitan Borough
What can I find in these records?
You may be able to find the following information (where available):
Name
Gender
Address
Date of Birth
Marital Status
Occupation
Whether Visitor, Officer, Servant, Patient or Inmate
Inferred family members
Other members of the household
Sometimes, you may see extra information on the right-hand side of the image, such as whether an individual had volunteered as an air raid warden. Some records include names crossed out with another name written in an annotation above or at the side, signifying the tracking of the population over time with the addition of women's married names and other name changes over the years.
Redactions
Images have been redacted to protect the privacy of those still alive and we will be annually adding records for those with birth dates older than 100 years or if a record of the death has been reported to The National Archives. Images will also be updated to reflect the opening of the record. All indexes have been created from redacted images as provided by The National Archives and as such, some indexes may not include all information as originally recorded, where it is obscured from view.
References
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Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Pearce, William Henry
- Warehouseman Cotton Goods
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Residence, Horrocks, William
- Horrocks, William
- Reference: RG 101/4457B
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, Frederick
- Electric Welder (aged 29, single)
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Rowland, Grace
- Residence, Rowland, Grace
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Residence, Pearce, Ethel
- Pearce, Ethel
-
Reference: RG 101/4527G
- StreetAddress: 40; Age: 53; EnumerationDistrict: NKNP; RegistrationDistrict: 466-4; MaritalStatus: Married; Occupation: Production Process Worker
- Pearce, John Thomas
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, Frederick
- Birth, Horrocks, Frederick
- Reference: RG 101/4526G
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, Edward
- Residence, Horrocks, Edward
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Fisher, ERNEST (Ernie)
- Birth, Fisher, ERNEST (Ernie)
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, Edward
- Birth, Horrocks, Edward
- Reference: RG 101/4526H
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, CLARA
- Residence, Horrocks, CLARA
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Bowker, Leone
- Birth, Bowker, Leone
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Stenciller Packing Depot
- Smith, Maria
-
- Horrocks, Ernest
- Incapacitated
- Reference: RG 101/4514E
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Fisher, Norman
- Birth, Fisher, Norman
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Garde, Robert
- Birth, Garde, Robert
- Reference: RG 101/4526H
-
Reference: RG 101/4458E
- Fisher, CHARLES
- Warp Dresser
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Fisher, ERNEST (Ernie)
- Residence, Fisher, ERNEST (Ernie)
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Reference: RG 101/4458E
- Birth, Fisher, CHARLES
- Fisher, CHARLES
-
Reference: RG 101/4531H
- Di Clementi, Philip
- Birth, Di Clementi, Philip
-
Reference: RG 101/4531H
- Di Clementi, Philip
- StreetAddress: 35; Age: 31; EnumerationDistrict: NKPD; RegistrationDistrict: 466-4.; MaritalStatus: Married; Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
-
- Hindle, Amy
- Birth, Hindle, Amy
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Residence, Bowker, Leone
- Bowker, Leone
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Timony, Evelyn
- Birth, Timony, Evelyn
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Ernest
- Birth, Brown, Ernest
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Residence, Horrocks, Ada
- Horrocks, Ada
-
- Mercer, Christopher
- Residence, Mercer, Christopher
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Aluminium Moulder
- Smith, Frank
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Residence, Johnson, MAY
- Johnson, MAY
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Residence, Pearce, William Henry
- Pearce, William Henry
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Birth, Bowker, James (Jim)
- Bowker, James (Jim)
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Residence, Horrocks, Frederick
- Horrocks, Frederick
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Thomas (Jr.)
- Residence, Brown, Thomas (Jr.)
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4532G
- Gough, John William
- Cooper Heavy Worker
- Reference: RG 101/4526G
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Birth, Rowland, HENRY
- Rowland, HENRY
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Iron Turner
- Rowland, HENRY
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Smith, Frank
- Smith, Frank
- Reference: RG 101/4539C
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Residence, Huntington, Rose Eveline
- Huntington, Rose Eveline
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Roberts, Minnie
- Residence, Roberts, Minnie
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Labourer Unemployed (aged 43, single)
- Horrocks, Edward
-
- Residence, Hindle, Amy
- Hindle, Amy
-
- Birth, Hobson, Hilda Elizabeth
- Hobson, Hilda Elizabeth
- Reference: RG 101/4457B
-
Reference: RG 101/4521E
- News Vendor
- Lemons, Thomas Austin
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Fisher, ERNEST (Ernie)
- Boiler Plater
- Reference: RG 101/4528B
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Insurance Agent
- Fisher, Charles
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4532G
- Barton, Gertrude
- Birth, Barton, Gertrude
-
Reference: RG 101/4458E
- Fisher, CHARLES
- Residence, Fisher, CHARLES
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Birth, Horrocks, Ada
- Horrocks, Ada
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Birth, Rowland, Elizabeth
- Rowland, Elizabeth
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Bowker, James Edward
- Residence, Bowker, James Edward
-
Reference: RG 101/4531H
- Pearce, Esther
- StreetAddress: 35; Age: 31; EnumerationDistrict: NKPD; RegistrationDistrict: 466-4.; MaritalStatus: Married; Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Residence, Rowland, HENRY
- Rowland, HENRY
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Roberts, Minnie
- Birth, Roberts, Minnie
- The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4532G
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Rowland, Elizabeth
- Residence, Rowland, Elizabeth
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Birth, Garde, Ronald
- Garde, Ronald
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Pearce*, Emma
- Pearce*, Emma
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Residence, Fisher, Charles
- Fisher, Charles
-
Reference: RG 101/4458E
- Brammall, ANN JANE
- Birth, Brammall, ANN JANE
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Pearce*, Emma
- Residence, Pearce*, Emma
-
Reference: RG 101/4527G
- Birth, Pearce, John Thomas
- Pearce, John Thomas
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
- Horrocks, Ada
-
Reference: RG 101/4514E
- Conroy, Harry
- Birth, Conroy, Harry
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4532G
- Birth, Gough, John William
- Gough, John William
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Residence, Rowland, Lucy Sabrina
- Rowland, Lucy Sabrina
- Reference: RG 101/4539C
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, CLARA
- Birth, Horrocks, CLARA
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Rowland, Herbert
- Residence, Rowland, Herbert
-
Reference: RG 101/4521E
- Layer on - Spinning
- Lemon, Mary Jane
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Nadin, Albert
- Motor Driver's Mate - Haulage Contractors
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Birth, Brown, Thomas
- Brown, Thomas
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4526G
- StreetAddress: 37; Age: 39; EnumerationDistrict: NKNF; RegistrationDistrict: 466-4.; MaritalStatus: Married; Occupation: Motor Drivers Mate Haulage Contraction
- Nadin, Albert
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Residence, Smith, Maria
- Smith, Maria
-
Reference: RG 101/4531H
- Di Clementi, Philip
- Builders Labourer (Heavy Work)
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Thomas
- Class 1 Passenger Shunter and Railway Parcels Porter
-
- Mercer, Christopher
- Chairmaker
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Vegetable Cook Hotel
- Pearce, Ethel
- The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
-
Reference: RG 101/4521E
- Lemon, Mary Jane
- Birth, Lemon, Mary Jane
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Coyle, MARY
- Residence, Coyle, MARY
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Garde, Robert
- Residence, Garde, Robert
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
- Rowland, Elizabeth
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Birth, Johnson, MAY
- Johnson, MAY
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Birth, Rowland, Herbert
- Rowland, Herbert
- Reference: RG 101/4539C
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
- Coyle, MARY
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Birth, Horrocks, Lily
- Horrocks, Lily
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Lythographic Printers App
- Garde, Ronald
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Rowland, Grace
- Birth, Rowland, Grace
- The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4532G
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Back Tenter Frame Card Looms
- Rowland, Lucy Sabrina
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Bowker, James Edward
- Birth, Bowker, James Edward
-
Reference: RG 101/4514E
- Conroy, Harry
- Residence, Conroy, Harry
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Engineer aircraft production
- Rowland, Herbert
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Birth, Rowland, Lucy Sabrina
- Rowland, Lucy Sabrina
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Thomas
- Residence, Brown, Thomas
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Garde, Ronald
- Residence, Garde, Ronald
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Ernest
- Residence, Brown, Ernest
-
- Census, Hobson, Hilda Elizabeth
- Hobson, Hilda Elizabeth
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Birth, Horrocks, William
- Horrocks, William
-
Reference: RG 101/4521E
- Residence, Lemon, Mary Jane
- Lemon, Mary Jane
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Residence, Horrocks, Lily
- Horrocks, Lily
- The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
- Roberts, Minnie
- Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Reference: RG 101/4531H
-
- Hindle, Amy
- Bedding Embroidress
-
Reference: RG 101/4514E
- Worker on Cotton Press
- Conroy, Harry
- Reference: RG 101/4521E
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Domestic Duties Unpaid
- Garde*, Lena
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Horrocks, CLARA
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Residence, Smith, Frank
- Smith, Frank
-
Reference: RG 101/4528B
- Birth, Huntington, Rose Eveline
- Huntington, Rose Eveline
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Fisher, Norman
- Residence, Fisher, Norman
-
Reference: RG 101/4458E
- Residence, Brammall, ANN JANE
- Brammall, ANN JANE
-
Reference: RG 101/4531H
- Birth, Pearce, Esther
- Pearce, Esther
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Coyle, MARY
- Coyle, MARY
-
Reference: RG 101/4457B
- Fisher, Norman
- Apprentice Compositor
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Pearce, William Henry
- Pearce, William Henry
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Smith, Maria
- Smith, Maria
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Thomas (Jr.)
- Birth, Brown, Thomas (Jr.)
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Residence, Bowker, James (Jim)
- Bowker, James (Jim)
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Residence, Garde*, Lena
- Garde*, Lena
- Reference: RG 101/4521E
-
- Census, Horrocks, Ernest
- Horrocks, Ernest
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Birth, Garde*, Lena
- Garde*, Lena
-
Reference: RG 101/4539C
- Brown, Ernest
- Training for Railway Signalman and Train Recorder
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Timony, Evelyn
- Residence, Timony, Evelyn
-
Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Engineers Labourer
- Horrocks, William
-
Reference: RG 101/4528I
- Locknit Presser
- Johnson, MAY
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Pearce*, Emma
- Unpaid Domestic Duties
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4485C
- Garde, Robert
- Tool Setter
-
The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/4526G
- Nadin, Albert
- Birth, Nadin, Albert
-
Reference: RG 101/4521E
- Residence, Lemons, Thomas Austin
- Lemons, Thomas Austin
-
Reference: RG 101/4526H
- Birth, Pearce, Ethel
- Pearce, Ethel