This is the term for records of births, marriages and deaths. Civil registration started in England and Wales on l July 1837. The early stages of drawing up a family tree will involve obtaining copies of birth, marriage and death certificates for your ancestors.
Death certificates give the age at death and the name of the informant, usually next of kin.
However, they will not tell you where your ancestor is buried. If you are reasonably sure of the date and place of the birth, marriage or death, you can purchase a copy certificate from the relevant local register office. There are register offices in Swansea and in Neath, the latter covering the whole of the Neath Port Talbot area. Either of these will carry out a five-year search for you, two years either side of the year you specify. However, they only have civil registration records for their area.