# Public records of names

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-records-of-names/114012>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 14, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-records-of-names/114012 "2002-06-14T10:14:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![yellow\_peril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ee7513/32.png) [@yellow\_peril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellow_peril)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-records-of-names/114012/1 "2002-06-14T10:14:37Z")

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Is there any way of finding out someone’s full name from records on the Internet?

The person is a UK resident and always has been , as far as I know.

Census records are not public until 100 years later, before anyone tries going down that route.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-records-of-names/114012/2 "2002-06-14T10:50:36Z")

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There is no registration of names in the UK, and consequently there can be no on-line resource for finding names.

Your name is what you call yourself, and what other people call you. You can go by more than one name at the same time. You can change your name without any formality - all you have to do is start using your new name, and get other people to use it too.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-records-of-names/114012/3 "2002-06-16T07:09:56Z")

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The indexes to civil registrations of births, marriages, and deaths at England’s General Register Office begin in 1837 and go up to the present. They are available on microfiche at several archives and libraries:

[http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/fiche-source.html](http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/fiche-source.html)

And/or you can order a copy of the certificate itself. See:

[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/registration/certificates.asp](http://www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/registration/certificates.asp)

Tip: Use a credit card to pay for the certificate.