“What time was I born?” turns out to be one of the curious questions citizens address to the General Directorate for Civil Registration and Administrative Services (GRAO) at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.
From the beginning of 2026 until the end of October, 45 people have sought information about their time of birth. The reasons vary – in some cases, parents do not remember the exact time, while in others, it was not recorded in the documents. In 2025, there were 70 questions on this topic.
Citizens most often state that they need a more accurate horoscope. In astrology, the time of birth is used to determine the ascendant, and people expect this to provide them with more specific information about their past, present and future, or to help them make important decisions.
GRAO experts explain: “This information can be found at the municipal administrations in the place of birth.”
The data is contained in birth certificates, which are kept by the municipalities. An important clarification is that the “time of birth” field does not appear in all versions of the certificates used over the years.
GRAO also receives many other unconventional inquiries. Citizens seek information about their ancestors and assistance in preparing a family tree, as well as information about personal and family names.
Questions include how many people bear the name of a particular saint around Ivanovden, Dimitrovden or Gergyovden, and which is the most widespread male or female name in the country. People have also asked whether anyone is named Bulgaria, whether Teliyat is a unique name and what the origin of Zanka is. During a check, officials established that Teliyat is not an exclusive name. Another public interest concerns the number of people with the surname Levski.
The General Directorate for Civil Registration and Administrative Services is part of the specialized administration of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. It maintains the National Population Database, the electronic register of civil status certificates, the register of unified civil numbers and the national classification system of current and permanent addresses.