Frequently Asked Questions
I’m having trouble resetting my password
When you select the ‘forgotten password’ link, enter your email address and then a reset email will be sent to you. Some people are finding that it’s not giving them the reset dialog box but the password reset one and it’s going round in circles. If this happens, clear your cache, and try again and it should work for you.
How can I cancel my subscription?
Your subscription is managed on the Dashboard. You can see previous months’ payments also. To cancel, just click the blue button. You will continue to have access until the end of the subscription period. You can also manage your subscription on your PayPal account by cancelling the recurring payment.
Are these the actual registers?
No. This is just an index to the registers. It contains the year, name, and entry number to the actual record.
Can I order a certificate from you?
Sorry but no. You’ll need to contact the Civil Registry to order any certificates that you want. Their address is The Douglas Civil Registry Office, Deemsters Walk, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR Telephone: 01624 687039.
I know the person I’m looking for was born in a certain year, but I can’t find them.
If the month of the event is in November or December, try having a look at the following year. Births and deaths need to be registered within six weeks now, but in the early days of civil registration it could be quite a few weeks, or even months before the event is registered.
The event I’m looking for took place before civil registration – how can I find it?
Manx National Heritage’s iMuseum provides an index to baptisms, marriages and burials from the Parish Registers. The Isle of Man Family History Society also has some transcribed indexes.
It has “AKA” and another name in the notes field, what does this mean?
“AKA” means “also known as”. Some people may have had another first name or surname that they were commonly known by. The index will say, for example, John Smith aka Brown, so John Smith was also known as John Brown. There will also be an entry for John Brown aka Smith.
I think I’ve found the groom, but I can’t find the bride, why?
For a large number of marriages, only the groom was listed. Where possible, brides have been found and matched, but there is no guarantee the index is complete.
What is the Dissenters marriage index?
Those who were married in a Registry Office, catholic church, or other place of worship are known as dissenters. This will be every marriage that doesn’t take place in the established church (Church of England).
I need to know the father/mother’s name for a birth.
You’ll need to order a certificate. The index doesn’t include this information.
I can’t find the person I’m looking for.
Try reducing or increasing the number of search parameters. For example, Corlett is one of the most popular surnames on the Island. If you’re looking for John Corlett, there might be quite a few results – try adding in a placename or year. If after all attempts the result still eludes you, are you certain the event took place on the Island? Finally, there is always the possibility that the person was missed from the index.
What does “not cross checked” mean?
All the entries in the database are double-keyed – two people transcribe each record – this is to ensure that the records are as accurate as possible. Because there are so many records you may find some with a note saying “not cross checked”. This means that only one person has transcribed this record and it hasn’t been cross checked yet.