Merchant navy

The first attempt to create and maintain a register of seamen was in the 1690s, designed to provide manpower for the Royal Navy in time of war. It failed and registration was not established until 1835. A General Register Office of Merchant Seamen was created with a Registrar General of Seamen. Again, the register was to be a resource to provide manpower for the Royal Navy when needed. In 1872, the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen was created when the duties of the Chief Registrar of Shipping were transferred to the Registrar General.

The new registration system was not particularly successful. It was difficult to identify individuals who might not wish to be recorded. Many were also illiterate so false or inaccurate information was sometimes given. After a year a new system was started due to the increasing amount of registrations. This second system ran from 1835 to 1844, when it was replaced by a ticket system that lasted from 1845 to 1854. This system was unpopular with seamen and was difficult to enforce. It was abolished in October 1853. A third register was created from 1853, but was discontinued in 1857 when it was decided that ships´ agreements and crew lists were sufficient record.

It was not until 1913 that a new registry, called the Central Index Register, was created. This system, sometimes known as the Fourth Register, was maintained until 1941 when the Central Register of Seamen, known as the Fifth Register, replaced it. The Central Register was maintained until 1972. Later registration records are maintained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.