How to find adoption and orphanage records

Formal adoption as we know it didn’t come about until the 20th century. Before this, children were placed in workhouses, industrial schools, or put into the care of religious and charitable organisations like Barnardo’s and the Salvation Army. Many children were informally adopted by extended family or neighbours – but these weren’t legally recorded arrangements. 

Legal adoption was introduced in England and Wales in 1927, in Scotland in 1930, and in Northern Ireland in 1929. It wasn’t formally introduced in Ireland until 1952. 

These acts established procedures for adoption and introduced official records, though early registers remain sealed for privacy. Understanding this history helps explain why adoption and orphanage records can be difficult to find. With the right sources, you can still uncover traces of these hidden family stories. 

England and Wales 

If the adoption was legal and occurred after 1927, a record will exist in the Adoption Register held by the General Register Office (GRO). However, this information is tightly restricted. Only the adopted person (or someone with their permission) can request access to their original birth certificate or adoption records. For some adopted people, counselling sessions are required before access to the records is granted. In the case of a deceased ancestor, close or direct relatives may be able to access the records.  

Scotland 

In Scotland, post-1930 adoptions are recorded by the National Records of Scotland. 

Ireland 

In Ireland, the Adoption Authority of Ireland oversees access to adoption records. Thanks to recent legal reforms, adoptees and relatives now have a legal right to request access to birth and early life information. 

While historical adoption records can be notoriously difficult to track down, orphanages and other care institutions usually kept extensive records. Many of these have been digitised and made available to search online on websites like Findmypast.  

If your ancestor spent time in an orphanage or children’s home, you may be able to find records which illuminate key details about their early life.  

On Findmypast, you’ll find digitised records from industrial schools, orphan asylums, children’s homes and religious groups. 

What details can I find in orphanage and children’s home records? 

These records can include information like: 

• Admission and discharge dates 
• Parent or guardian names (if known) 
• Reasons for admission 
• Behavioural notes or academic performance 
• Notes on foster placement or onward migration 

Some orphanages were linked to religious groups or philanthropic societies. If you know the denomination of your ancestor, try searching through Methodist, Catholic or Church of England records - lots of records are preserved in local archives or diocesan collections. 

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, children without support were often placed in workhouses. These institutions kept admission records, some of which are available online. Siblings were often admitted together, though they might later be separated. 

Some children were boarded out - an early form of fostering - especially in Scotland and Ireland. These placements were typically arranged through the Poor Law system, and surviving records may mention household names and addresses, giving clues to the child’s later life. 

• Look for name changes. Children may have been adopted or fostered under different surnames. 
• Search census records. Clues might include phrases like ‘nurse child’, ‘boarder’, or ‘adopted son/daughter’, though terminology varies. 
• Explore newspaper archives. Orphanage appeals, court cases or adoption notices sometimes appeared in the local press.