How to trace old shares after a company changes its name

Why old shares are hard to place

Companies change their names, merge, are taken over or are closed. A certificate in a drawer may carry a name that no longer appears on any website. The shares may still exist under a newer name, or the company may have been bought and the shares dealt with as part of that deal. The first job is to work out what the company is called today.

Step 1: Look up the name on the certificate

Use our free Old Shares Finder. Type the company name as it appears on the certificate. It searches Companies House and also checks previous names, so an old name should still find the company. It shows every name the company has had, oldest first, with dates, its current status and its company number linked to the official Companies House page. Nothing you type is stored.

Step 2: Check what happened to the company

Open the Companies House page for the company number. Look at the status, the filing history and any notices. Where our own dataset knows that a company was taken over or merged, the tool shows that and links to the source. If you know what happened to a company and we do not, tell us using the link in the tool.

Step 3: Find the registrar

A registrar keeps the share register for a company. For many listed companies this is one of the large UK registrars. The tool shows the registrar where we know it and links to the registrar's official shareholder site and contact page. Three examples are MUFG Corporate Markets, Computershare and Equiniti. The certificate itself sometimes names the registrar, so check both sides of it.

Step 4: Write to the registrar

Ask the registrar what it holds under your name and what it needs from you. The tool gives you a letter you can copy, with blank fields for your details. Include the company name as printed on the certificate, any certificate or account numbers, your name and previous names, and your current and past addresses. Ask what proof of identity they need. Do not send original certificates until the registrar has told you what it needs.

Step 5: Keep a record

Note the date you wrote, who you wrote to and any reference number you are given. If the company was taken over, ask the registrar who now holds the records and how the shares were treated.

If the company no longer exists

A dissolved company may have had its shares dealt with in a takeover or a winding up. Companies House shows the status and dates. The registrar, if one is named in your papers, is still the best first contact. For other lost savings, see our guides to finding old pensions in the UK and finding old bank accounts in your name, and our United Kingdom page.

Common questions

What if the company name on my certificate is not on Companies House?

Try a shorter version of the name, or leave out words such as Limited or PLC. The tool also searches previous names. Older companies and companies outside the UK may not appear. If you still cannot find it, check the certificate for a registrar or a company address.

Do I contact the company or the registrar?

Usually the registrar, because it keeps the share register. The registrar can tell you what it holds and what it needs from you.

Does a name change create a new company?

No. A name change doesn't create a new company. The company number stays the same, and the Companies House page lists previous names. For an example, see the name history of company 09210707.

What does it cost to use the Old Shares Finder?

It is free. We take nothing from registrars, and we do not store what you type.

Is the registrar information always shown?

No. We show a registrar only where our dataset has one that has been checked. If none is shown, the certificate or the company's last annual report may name it.

More help: find old or lost shares, and what happens to your shares when a company is taken over.

We always point people to the free government tracing route first, and we take nothing from financial advisers.