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Explore millions of Hertfordshire family history records online

Did you have relatives in Rickmansworth? Were your family at home in Harpenden? Track them down using Hertfordshire records you’ll only find online at Findmypast. Your discoveries begin with your family tree.

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Hertfordshire history in a heartbeat

Hertfordshire was founded during the Norse-Saxon wars of the 9th century. The county town is Hertford. Other major cities and towns include St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, Letchworth Garden City, Hatfield, Hitchin and Tring.

Once mainly agricultural, Hertfordshire also had brewing and papermaking industries and was home to England’s first paper mill. The county has developed significantly through commerce associated with London. 

Many icons of British culture began in Hertfordshire. The hot cross bun is believed to have originated in St Albans, developed by a monk in the 14th century to give to poor people on Good Friday. Hertfordshire claims the first modern roundabout, built in 1909 in Letchworth Garden City. The county is also home to the world’s first jet airliner. The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was developed at Hatfield Aerodrome. Also, the plans for the famous British red post box were drawn up in Waltham Cross.   

The blue and yellow colours on the flag of Hertfordshire represent Saint Alban, the county’s patron saint. His cross is traditionally yellow on blue.

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Unlock hidden stories in Hertfordshire family history records you won’t find anywhere else online.

Hertfordshire 1921 census: Vintage photo of two men on a bicycle

The 1921 Census

What were your Hertfordshire relatives really like? The 1921 Census reveals where they were, who they were with and what they were doing a century ago.

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Hertfordshire Catholic archive: A vintage photo of a Catholic church

The Catholic Heritage Archive

Unlock Catholic connections in exclusive baptism, marriage and burial church registers from the Archdiocese of Westminster.

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Hertfordshire parish registers: An old photo of a mother and baby

Hertfordshire parish registers

In partnership with Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies, we’ve published millions of Church of England records from local parishes.

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“I was absolutely amazed by how many new records I was able to find using Findmypast. One highlight was a photo of my grandfather in a local newspaper as a young man in his World War 1 uniform. Until then, I had only seen one photo of my grandfather as an old man.”

David Baker, St Albans, Hertfordshire

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Read history’s headlines in Hertfordshire newspaper archives

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