Bahamas Civil Registration

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Bahamas

Civil Registration

How to Find the Records

Online Collections

• 1591-1905 Caribbean Marriages, 1591-1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry($), American Ancestors($), Findmypast ($)
• 1790-1906 Caribbean Deaths and Burials, 1790-1906 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry($) American Ancestors($)
• 1850-1959 Bahamas Civil Registration, 1850-1959 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images.
• 1850-1891 Bahamas Births, 1850-1891 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images.
• 1850-1891 Bahamas, Select Births, 1850-1891, index at Ancestry ($)
• 1850-1891 Bahamas Birth Index 1850-1959 at Findmypast, index ($)
• 1850-1958 Bahamas Death Index 1850-1958 at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1868-1959 Bahamas Marriage Index 1868-1959 at Findmypast — index ($)

Offices to Contact

Registrar General’s Department
Cor. of Shirley and Charlotte Street
P.O. Box N 532
Nassau
New Providence
The Bahamas
Telephone: (242) 397-9105

(242) 397-8957

(242) 397-9110

Fax: (242) 322-5553
Email: Regbirth@bahamas.gov.bs
Email: registrargeneral@bahamas.gov.bs

For additional information on obtaining vital records, see:

Births Birth Certificate

Adoptions Adoption Certificate

Marriages : Marriage Certificate

Deaths Death Certificate

Non-Residents Services for Non-Residents

Historical Background

Adoptions are completed at the Supreme Court. The information is then sent to the Registrar General’s Department where the adoption is recorded in the Adoption Book.

Coverage and Compliance

Civil registration in the Bahamas became compulsory in 1931. Voluntary registration began as early as 1802.

Information Recorded in the Records

The information in these records usually include the following:

Birth Records

• Child’s name
• Birth date
• Child's gender and race
• Birth place
• Parents' names
• Father’s title or occupation

Marriage Records

• Marriage date
• Marriage place
• Full names of bride and groom
• Ages of bride and groom
• Civil status, age and residence of bride and groom
• Occupation
• Name of fathers of bride and groom
• Witnesses

Death Records

• Name of deceased
• Date of death
• Place of death
• Age, gender and race of deceased
• Occupation of deceased
• Cause of death