to help you find out more information. For instance, a birth certificate will tell you the date and place of birth, mother and father's names and his occupation, whilst a marriage certificate contains the names of the bride and groom's father's and their occupations. To order a certificate through the Ancestry Shop click on the trolley icon next to your ancestor's name or make a note of the name, year and quarter the event occurred, volume number and page number, and district of registration and then visit the Ancestry Shop. Certificates not only help you to go back a further generation in your research but can help solve family mysteries and are also great records to scan and attach to your tree. What are Census records? Taken every 10 years, the national census gives a detailed picture of a country and its inhabitants. The first census which holds information useful for family history is the 1841 census. All census records included details of anyone who was staying in a property on census night - including guests. So you may discover some strange names in your search! How do I search Census records? If you have details of someone alive and living in the UK in 1901 you can search for them in the 1901 Census. Look for your ancestor as a child and you should find out the names of their parents (which you can confirm on their birth certificate) as they are likely to be listed living at home.