Daisy Goddard
Researcher
Mon Apr 28 2025
•
< 5 minutes read
Does adoption play a role in your family’s story? Depending on when, where and how it took place, genealogical records may be able to help you understand an adoption in more detail.
Can I find out if my ancestor was adopted?
In the UK, legal adoption was introduced in 1927. Before this, most adoptions took place informally. They were arranged privately or facilitated by religious and charitable organisations. This means it’s easier to trace adoptions after 1927 – though it’s not impossible to find details of adoptions that took place before this.
Do you suspect that one of your ancestors was adopted?
When tracing your family tree, you might find these clues:
- If they have a birth certificate that lists no parents, or just one parent
- If their name suddenly changed from one year to the next
- If they appear in records with a household to which they have no clear biological relationship
- If a census return lists them as a ‘foster child’, a ‘boarder’ or a ‘nurse child’
Adoption in family history records
Depending on when and where the adoption took place, you may be able to find valuable details in family history records by searching online. Genealogy websites like Findmypast have digitised a wide range of records that may be able to help you.
Birth records and censuses
Birth certificates list a child’s biological parents – you may be able to find this information within an online birth record. If this detail is lacking online, you might learn more from the original birth certificate, which you can order for a small fee from the General Register Office (GRO). Cross-referencing a birth record with other records like baptisms may reveal whether a child’s surname or stated parents changed over time.
Census records can also reveal a change in a child’s household. British censuses survive for every decade from 1841, and those up to 1921 are open to the public. If the adoption took place between 1841 and 1921, it may be hinted at in the family’s census return.
Church and institutional records
Before formal adoption laws were introduced, many children were placed with families through churches, workhouses and charities. Family history records taken from orphanages and foundling hospitals may provide you with valuable insights.
For Irish ancestors, try searching the Catholic Heritage Archive to discover if the Roman Catholic church had a hand in their adoption.
Adoption registers and court records
If you suspect your family member was adopted in the UK after 1927, there will likely be a legal record of this process, held by the GRO. You won’t find the names of birth parents on the adoption certificate, but it will nevertheless confirm that an adoption took place.
Is tracing adopted ancestors difficult?
While privacy laws and a lack of consistent records can make tracing adoptions within your family tree tricky, it’s certainly not impossible. With persistence and a creative research approach, you may find exactly what you’re looking for.
Tips for tracing adopted ancestors
If you hit a stumbling block in your research, consider these ideas:
- Look for indirect clues. Tracing adopted ancestors takes a bit of detective work, so look at siblings’, cousins’ and guardians’ records that could contain hints about an adoption.
- Explore local archives. If the record you’re looking for isn’t available online, consider visiting a local or institutional archive in-person to hunt for adoption records.
- Consider DNA tracing, to connect with distant biological relatives and get an idea of where your ancestors may have ended up.
Though adoption records can be elusive, patience and thorough research can help you piece together your ancestor’s story.
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