German Occupation Registration Cards & 1943 Census taken of refugees who left Jersey to seek refuge in the UK

1940 - Occupation Registration Cards

These records are so fascinating for the Family Historian.  The Occupation Registration Cards are a set of unique documents that show the faces, backgrounds and communities of people of Jersey who lived under the German Occupation.

Wishing to control the movements of the civil population, the German authorities made it compulsory for everybody to be registered under the Registration and Identification of Persons (Jersey) Order, 1940. The registration process was carried out by the States’ Aliens Office and required the collection of personal details about every island resident except for foreign nationals for whom the Aliens Office already held pre-Occupation registrations cards.

Every islander was then issued with his or her identity card whilst the German authorities kept an official set which is now at Jersey Archive. The specific information collected includes name, maiden name, address, date and place of birth, occupation, any militia experience and distinguishing features. Children under the age of fourteen were recorded on the back of their father’s card.

As a result a set of cards was created which recited a great deal of personal information together with a photograph of each adult. They were updated regularly with details added if people moved or had more children and as soon as children reached the age of fourteen they were issued with their own card. 

Not all the Registration Cards have survived, for various reasons.  Also, cards were not kept after a person’s death.  Therefore, the absence of a card does not mean your ancestor was not in Jersey during the Occupation.

All of the cards have been catalogued and digitised, and are available to view as part of a subscription or on a pay-per-view basis at Jersey Heritage online catalogue Occupation Registration Cards

1943 - Census

In October 1943, Jersey refugees who had left the island just before the Occupation and were now living in the UK were invited to participate on a voluntary basis in a census.  This was to gather information in anticipation of an eventual return to the island.  The information available includes the name of refugee, name of spouse, details of decision to return or not to Jersey after the Occupation, date they left the island, name and age(s) of child(ren), and their occupation in Jersey.  This census is available online at 1943 Refugee Census . This again has been catalogued and digitised, and is available to view as part of a subscription or on a pay-per-view basis at Jersey Heritage online catalogue