Gibraltar was taken from Spain by Sir George Rooke and an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704, then formally ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Records relating to Gibraltar under British rule can be categorised under four main headings: colonial office and military, which are held at The National Archives (TNA) in Kew; and ecclesiastical and civil, which are mainly located in Gibraltar.
The records of the War Office and Ordnance Office can be a rich source for Gibraltar history. For those who had ancestors who served in the British Army, there is a good chance that one or more of them may have been stationed for a period in Gibraltar – the first posting of many young officers. There they may have married and had children before returning home with their family. Regimental musters (WO12) and soldiers’ service papers (1760–1913; WO97) may record these facts, indicating where further research is required; the latter records are available via Findmypast.
Many births, marriages and deaths in Gibraltar are recorded in the various regimental and army registers, from 1761. Because of the absence of any Church of England church in Gibraltar until 1832, most Anglican civilians would have been married or had their children baptised by the chaplain to the forces. Therefore these events would be recorded in the army and regimental registers. These are also on Findmypast, in the collection ‘British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms’.
Prison records
Gibraltar was used as a convict establishment from the time of the Spanish occupation. TNA holds records of the prison establishment and prison hulks, including some lists of prisoners (1840–1875; PCOM2). Further records are held in the Gibraltar National Archives (GNA).
The earliest and most important Gibraltan newspaper is the Gibraltar Chronicle. The first edition was dated 4 May 1801, and it is still published today. The British Library has issues from 1825, and there is a complete run at the Gibraltar Garrison Library. Since it is the official government newspaper, there are also runs at TNA.
As for church records, the Anglican Diocese of Gibraltar was established in 1842. Until then, Gibraltar was under the overseas jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. The few surviving records for Gibraltar are at the London Archives, and include confirmations (1874–1875) and marriage allegations (1859–1873). There is also a register of baptisms, marriages and burials (1807–1812) that were conducted by the Anglican chaplain to HM Forces in Gibraltar.
Catholic records
Most of Gibraltar’s population was, and still is, Catholic. The main church is the Catholic Cathedral Church of St Mary the Crowned. The surviving registers are held at the church. The baptism registers commence in 1704, the burial registers in 1697 and those for marriages in 1705. Most volumes have internal indexes. Prior to the Ne Temere decree of 1907, which took effect on Easter Sunday the following year (19 April), Roman Catholics were not obliged to be married in Roman Catholic churches, and in Gibraltar there are many instances of Catholics marrying in Protestant churches or in the register office.
The registers to 1991 have all been filmed by FamilySearch – later baptisms and marriages are still on film only. These registers also include baptisms, marriages and burials at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1899–1904). FamilySearch offers online indexes to baptisms (1704–1876) and marriages (1879–1918) in the collections ‘Gibraltar Births and Baptisms’ and ‘Gibraltar Marriages’, which are also available on Ancestry and Findmypast (these include the Chaplaincy births and marriages 1807–1812).
There are several other Catholic churches, founded at different dates, which all retain their own registers, with no copies.
The King’s Chapel serves as the armed forces’ church for servicemen and servicewomen. Many of the baptisms, marriages and burials that took place here are likely to be recorded in the chaplains’, army and regimental registers.
The registers are kept at the chapel. Births and baptisms start in 1769, and deaths and burials in 1786. Marriages date from 1771, although no regular marriage register was kept until 1794. Again, there are no copies.
The only Protestant Church of England church in Gibraltar is the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity. Building was completed in 1832, and the church was consecrated six years later. It was elevated to a cathedral in 1842 with the creation of the Diocese of Gibraltar. The registers of baptisms, burials and marriages all start in 1832. There is no published index, but one is held at the church. There are no copies of the registers.
The Church of Scotland
The Presbyterian Church of Scotland also has a presence in the territory. Scottish regiments and detachments have been stationed in Gibraltar from at least 1726, and many had a Presbyterian minister attached to them. St Andrew’s Church opened in 1854. The registers of births and baptisms commence in 1840, those of deaths and burials in 1852 and marriages in 1842. There are also rolls of communicants from 1856. The records are held at the manse. Findmypast has copies of the registers (1840–1947).
As for nonconformists, few records survive for the early years of the Wesleyan Methodist Church other than the registers. Those for baptisms commence in 1804, burials in 1818, and marriages in 1840. These are now held at GNA, and again there are no copies.
In addition, Gibraltar has a thriving Jewish community; there are currently four synagogues in the territory. Records of births 1808–1894, marriages 1810–1883 and deaths 1829–1931 are available on the free website JewishGen.
Civil registration
Before the arrival of compulsory registration, many births, marriages and deaths were not registered, particularly those of non-Protestant inhabitants. Birth registrations began on 3 October 1848 and were compulsory from 20 January 1887. Registration of deaths commenced on 1 January 1869, and was compulsory from 25 December 1912. Registration of marriages began on 10 April 1862, and was compulsory from 17 July 1902. Many Catholic unions were not registered with the civil authority before 1887.
There is a card index at Gibraltar’s Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths to all registrations. The registers and the indexes to 1990 have been microfilmed by FamilySearch. The indexes have all been digitised, but the registers are mostly still on microfilm only.
In addition, military births, marriage and deaths (1869–1914) are on GNA’s website.
Also, GNA holds many lists of residents and census returns from the mid-18th century. These are all searchable on its website, and include inhabitants’ lists for 1777, 1778 and 1791–1792. The first half-dozen or so census returns, between 1814 and 1831, are now lost and the earliest surviving return is for 1834. This was followed by returns for 1868, 1871, 1878, 1881 and then every 10 years until 1931. There was no census in 1941, and those for 1951, 1961 and 1971 have been destroyed.
The census returns from 1834 and the inhabitants’ lists of 1777, 1778 and 1791–1792 have all been filmed by FamilySearch, but are currently available on microfilm only.
In terms of cemeteries, most of Gibraltar’s early graveyards have long since disappeared. The famous Trafalgar Cemetery and Witham’s Cemetery account for only a few hundred burials. The main cemetery is North Front Cemetery, which was probably in use from the early 19th century. Surviving registers commence in 1869. The cemetery office holds a computerised index. The Jews’ Gate Cemetery on Windmill Hill was opened in about 1746 and was closed in 1848, and there is a Jewish section at North Front Cemetery.
There are many more records available for the territory at both GNA and TNA. You can search TNA’s online catalogue. Although there is no complete catalogue to the GNA material, one is currently in preparation.