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Trace amazing family stories in Gloucestershire records online

Did your family tree grow in Gloucestershire? Find out where your relatives lived, when they were married, and more using Gloucestershire archives online at Findmypast. Access Gloucestershire parish records to reveal the most important people, dates and events in your ancestors’ lives.

A glance at Gloucestershire history and heritage

Gloucestershire dates back to the 10th century and is home to cities and towns as diverse as Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and Tewkesbury.

Mainly an agricultural county, Gloucestershire also has a varied industrial heritage ranging from iron production to shipbuilding, to the woollen and textile trade and bricks, tiles and pottery. 

There are several royal residences in the county including Highgrove House and Gatcombe Park. Cirencester has a Roman amphitheatre that was used for gladiator battles. Since 1860, the spa town of Cheltenham has held the Cheltenham Festival, a horse-racing meeting particularly famous for the Cheltenham Gold Cup race. Every spring, a traditional and controversial cheese-rolling event is held at Cooper’s Hill near Brockworth. 

The pioneer of the smallpox vaccination, Dr Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley. Laurie Lee, the author of Cider with Rosie was born in the village of Slad near Stroud and the writer of the musical The Rocky Horror Show, Richard O’Brien, was born in Cheltenham.

Opened in 1966 by Queen Elizabeth II, the Severn Bridge connects Gloucestershire with Wales.

Millions of Gloucestershire family history records at your fingertips

Pinpoint family details in parish records. Uncover poignant war stories in military documents. Unlock shocking scandals in crime records. If your ancestors spent their years in Gloucestershire, you'll find them in our records.

Gloucestershire 1921 census: Collage of life in the 1920s

What was Gloucestershire like in the 1920s?

Discover if your Gloucestershire ancestors were town dwellers or rural folk in the 1921 Census of England and Wales. Only available online at Findmypast, this century-old snapshot documents the lives of everyone in Gloucestershire just after the First World War.

Shocks, secrets and surprises at every turn

"What a revelation! Findmypast is an absolutely fascinating way to trace your family tree. It's very easy to navigate the website and there's an abundance of information to explore. Access to the 1921 Census has added another layer to my family's story. Highly recommended."

Gloucestershire Girl

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A goldmine of Gloucestershire newspaper archives

Read digitised pages full of colourful Gloucestershire history from the time your ancestors lived there. You'll find birth, marriage and death announcements, unearth little-known local stories and so much more.

Discover local records from every corner of England

No family history in Gloucestershire? Explore our vast collection of resources covering every county, city, town and village in England.

Choose a region from the map or drop-down list to view local records and learn about English history, county by county.

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