Case Study...
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American and Nordic Roots
Many people from the Nordic countries, especially Norway and Sweden, emigrated to America in 19th and early 20th centuries, most making their homes in the upper Midwest....
Ancestors in Other British Colonies
Many of the records for those who lived in the colonies can be found at the National Archives....
Australian Census to Trace Family History
Sadly, Australian privacy laws mean that all name-related census material since 1901 has been destroyed. But there are some older censuses and musters that offer information....
Australian Military Records and Family History
There are plenty of Australian military records, dating back to the foundation of the colony. Here's how you can find them....
Australian Vital Records
Keeping the vital records of Australians has been a state, rather than a national, function. Here's where you can go to find the records of your ancestors....
Baptism Records and Tracing Your Ancestors
Before all births had to be registered, baptismal records from the church were the way of recording those who came into the world....
Becoming a Professional Genealogist
What's involved in becoming a professional genealogist, and what skills do you need to set up in business?...
Birth Certificates and Genealogy
Birth certificates are a prime source for finding out about your ancestors. This article helps you find birth indexes and lists the problems you might encounter with them....
Canadian Genealogy Sources
Many Britons emigrated to Canada, so those researching family trees might need to access Canadian records....
Checking Taxation Records for Family History Research
You can learn a great deal from taxation records. In some instances they're the best guide to population that's survived....
Cremation Records and Tracing Your Family History
The first public crematorium opened in 1884. It's not easy to obtain records, but if you can they offer some insight into your ancestors....
Death Certificates 1837 to Present Time: Family History Research
Since 1837, deaths in England and Wales have been certified by the state. Whilst it's the least important part of the genealogical chain, there's plenty of useful information on a death certificate fo...
DNA Testing and Genealogy
DNA testing can be a useful genealogical tool in establishing some kids of data, although the results can occasionally be surprising....
Do You Need a Professional Genealogist?
Family history is a wonderful hobby, but there are times when employing a professional genealogist or records agent makes sense....
Employing a Foreign Genealogist
If you need to employ a genealogist in another country there are a number of factors you should take into account....
European Resources
You won't find many European genealogical records online, but this tells you where to begin your search....
Family History: How Far Back Can You Go?
How far you can go back in your family tree depends upon the records available and also on social status....
Family History: What Do You Want To Learn?
So you want to trace your family history. There are several reasons for doing it, from sheer curiosity to making a family tree or discovering your genetic background....
Family History: What to Ask Your Older Relations
Asking older relatives about their lives when young, and about their parents and grandparents, can bring tremendous insights and stories to a family history....
Finding 17th and 18th Century Records
The records kept in the 17th and 18th centuries were spotty at best, and they were disrupted by the Civil War and the Commonwealth....
Genealogy and a Criminal Past
Discovering that you have a criminal ancestor can be disturbing, but you can find out about their crimes, and what happened to them afterwards....
Genealogy and Baptismal Records From the Middle Ages
Many genealogists find it hard to believe that there aren't more baptismal records from the Middle Ages. Some exist, but there are also conspiracy theories....
Genealogy And Immigrant Ancestors
For many in Britain today, their ancestors originated overseas. These will help you track their coming to this country and build a genealogy....
Genealogy And Land Records In Ireland
Although far from perfect, land records can be a help in exploring genealogy in Ireland in the mid 19th and even late 18th centuries....
Genealogy and Medical Records
Medical records have the potential to offer much information in genealogy. Trying to obtain them, however, can be an exercise in frustration....
Genealogy And Military Records
A genealogy search for ancestors who were in the military isn’t that complex, although you really need some basic information first....
Genealogy and Pre-1538 Death Records
There are precious few death records prior to 1538. However, there are some other ways to discover details of an ancestor's death....
Genealogy And U.S. Immigration Records
America is a land of immigrants and tracing the arrival of your ancestors is a benchmark in family history. This article tells you how to do it....
Genealogy and Wills From the Middle Ages
Wills are an important source of information for a genealogist, and many have survived from the Middle Ages....
Genealogy in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands
Although both the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are part of the UK, they keep many of their own records, complicating things for any family history researcher....
Genealogy Information From The Cemetery
The first public cemetery opened in 1827. If you can't find other information on an ancestor's death, they might well be a good source to try....
Genealogy Problems You May Enounter In Your Family History Search
When you start in genealogy, there are a number of historical factors that might create gaps in the research into your family history....
Genealogy Resources In Australia And New Zealand
There are plenty of genealogy sources you can use trace the family history of relatives who went to Australia or New Zealand....
Genealogy Searches and Pre-1538 Marriage Records
Finding a pre-1538 marriage promises to be an exercise in frustration. But there are some avenues you can pursue....
Genealogy Source For Non-Anglican Marriages
The genealogy sources for non-Anglican marriages are thin on the ground, as many simply weren't considered valid. But some were recorded, and these are the best ways to discover Nonconformist marriage...
Genealogy Sources For Non-Anglican Ancestors
Even if your ancestors weren't members of the Church of England, there are several ways in genealogy that you can use to can trace them...
Handfasting and Marriage
Some people believe handfasting was a trial marriage, but it wasn't and it had great significance in medieval times....
Hidden Clues in Family History
Family stories often come down through the generations like Chinese whispers, twisted and obscured - the trick can be finding the truth behind them....
How Do You Know When You've Really Hit a Dead End?
How do you tell the difference between an obstacle and a dead end when you research family history, and what can you do about it?...
How Far Did People Move in the Middle Ages?
We think of people in the Middle Ages spending all their lives in a very small area, but that wasn't necessarily the case....
How Mike Traced His Family Tree: A Case Study
When Mike decided to trace his family history he found it easier than expected, and he discovered one family mystery and possibly solved another....
How Museum Collections Can Help You In Genealogy
It might not seem so at first blush, but a museum can help you learn and a lot and fill in the colours of your genealogy search....
How Record Keeping Changed in the 19th Century
The 19th century brought the first public records for birth, marriage and death as well as the censuses as the state began to grow....
How Surnames Change Over Time
People can change names for many different reasons, and the spelling of surnames might well have changed over the centuries....
How to Deal With Conflicting Dates in Genealogy.
Conflicting dates in genealogy can be frustrating, but knowing how they can occur can help you find ways to resolve the problem....
How To Find And Use Medieval Genealogy Information
The chances are most of us won’t be able to trace our history back to medieval times, but there are sources available for genealogy investigation....
How To Find And Use The Main Genealogy Sources
When you’re starting to research your in genealogy, there are some sources that can provide a wealth of information to help you begin....
How to Make a Family Tree
The family tree is the illustration of your research into family history, although it actually contains little of the information you’ve discovered....
How to Make Use of Genealogy Reference Books
Genealogy reference books can be very useful, not only for the beginner, but also for specialised areas and for rounding out the picture....
How To Proceed In Genealogy Without A Death Certificate
There can be several reasons for failing to find a specific death certificate. This details many of them, and the ways you can solve the genealogy puzzle....
How To Use And Find Native American Genealogy Records
Finding genealogy records for Native Americans isn't always easy. Yet more exist than you might imagine, and this shows you where to obtain and how to use them....
How To Use Census Records In Genealogy
The census returns from 1841 onwards give a remarkable picture of your ancestors and their families. For genealogy, the census returns are the best information you can wish for....
How to Use Church Marriage Records to Trace Your Ancestors
After 1538, all marriages were supposed to be recorded, but record-keeping could be sketchy. After 1754, however, things brighten a great deal for the genealogist....
How to Use Obituaries for Study
Obituaries and death notices can be a great source of information for anyone tracking family history....
Ireland Vital Records
You can find vital records in Ireland from the time civil registration began, but you can also go further back in church registers, many of which are available....
Irish Census Records
Although most of the 19th century Irish census records have been lost, there are still some census records of many types, to help you trace your ancestors....
Irish Emigration Records And Genealogy
The Irish it seems, emigrated everywhere. There are many genealogy records you can consult for the movements of your ancestors Ireland to America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia....
Jewish Genealogy Sources
If you're Jewish, your family almost certainly originated outside Britain, and there are resources to help you trace them....
Latin In Church and Legal Records
When you delve back into medieval records, virtually everything will be in Latin, which can pose a few problems....
Maiden Names in Genealogy
Knowing the maiden names of your female ancestors can open up whole new areas of family history and bring these women alive....
Marriage Certificate Problems
Where you can't find a marriage certificate that you're certain exists, here are some other avenues to follow....
Marriage Records: Scotland, Ireland, Channel Isles
Many people have ancestors who aren't from England or Wales. This can tell you how to find marriage certificates from Scotland, Ireland, the Channel Isles, Isle of Man and overseas....
Medieval Ages Legal Records And Genealogy
In the Middle Ages rolls were essentially legal records of court decisions, and came in many different types, with different uses. In genealogy they offer another way to trace back ancestors in a time...
Middle Ages Manorial Records and Your Family History
The manor was the basic unit of administration in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, only about 4% of all manorial records still exist....
Middle Ages Poll Tax
For genealogists, the Poll Tax was the most important of the lay subsidies raised in the Middle Ages, as it lists by name everyone who paid....
Middle Ages: Problems Tracing Ancestors
If you can trace your linage back far enough, you'll hit the barrier of 1538, before which records are scanty. But there are other ways of trying to discover your family's past in the Middle Ages....
New Zealand Birth Records
The registration of births became compulsory in New Zealand in 1848. This tells you how and where to find the birth records....
New Zealand Death Records
Official registration of deaths in New Zealand began in 1848. This tells you how to trace the death records of your ancestors....
New Zealand Maori Records
A lot of Maori records are separate from European, and of course the culture is unique. This tells you how to investigate Maori ancestors, their familes and land....
New Zealand Marriage Records
Marriage certificates in New Zealand are kept by the Registrar General. This tells you how to search for and obtain marriage certificates for your ancestors....
New Zealand Military Records
New Zealand has been very thorough with its military records and for those whose ancestors served, they can offer plenty of information....
New Zealand Vessel Arrival Information to Trace Ancestors
Immigrants arrived in New Zealand by ship, and in many cases it's possible to track their arrival by passenger lists. This tells you how to do that....
Organising Your Family History Data
The more organised you are, the easier it will be to locate all your family history information and assemble your family tree....
Other Useful Genealogy Records In Australia
There are other avenues that can be useful when researching Australian genealogy. This guides you down some of those roads to discovering your family history....
Overcoming a Family History Roadblock: A Case Study
In genealogy, sometimes things aren't always obvious and you have to work around roadblocks....
Poor Law Records and Tracing Your Family Tree
The Poor Law Reform Act of 1834 changed the way the poor were treated. Workhouse records can reveal a lot of about those who entered....
Preparing To Trace Your Family Tree
As you prepare to trace your family tree, you need to gather materials for putting down your findings. This helps you make a start....
Researching Australia Immigrant Records for Family History
Until quite recently, all immigrants to Australia arrived by sea, so passenger lists can be vital in tracing you're ancestors. This tells you how to find those lists....
Researching British Genealogy from Abroad
What if you're not in Britain, but your ancestors originated here? It's still quite easy to trace your family tree online....
Scotland Poor Law Records and Genealogy Research
If your Scots ancestors were poor, it’s worth checking the poor law records in their parish to see if they received assistance....
Scottish Births & Birth Certificates to Trace Ancestors
It’s easy to access birth records in Scotland, even those that date back before compulsory registration in 1855....
Scottish Death Records and Family History Research
After 1855, records of death are easy to access. Before that you need to look in the old parochial registers....
Scottish Marriage and Family History Research
Tracing marriages after 1855 is easy in Scotland. Before that, however, it becomes a little trickier....
Scottish Surnames and Location
Although some Scots surnames are similar to Irish surnames, in many cases the histories behind them tell a very different story....
Searching Education Records
Although education records are far from complete, if you can find them, genealogists can make great use of the information they contain....
Searching for an Australian Will to Research Your Family History
Wills are valuable tools for family researchers. This tells you where to find wills from the different Australian states....
Sharing The Results Of Your Genealogy Research
One you've reach a satisfactory point with your family tree research, what do you do with it? Here are a few suggestions....
Sharing Your Family Tree
Once you've made real progress putting together your family tree, what are the best options for sharing it with others?...
Surname Variations When Tracing Your Family Tree
One of the biggest you'll encounter in your research is the surname variation. It can lead to plenty of confusion as you go back through records....
Surnames And Places
Some British surnames come from place names, and can give wonderful clues about your familial origins....
Taking a Genealogy Course
Beginners and advanced students alike can gain a great deal from courses in genealogy, ranging from basic techniques to specialised topics....
The Clearance and Scottish Emigration
The Highland Clearances lasted a full century and forced many Scots to emigrate, while also coming close to eradicating the Gaelic language in the country....
The Family Bible In Genealogy
If you have a family Bible, it’s a wonderful genealogy resource, either for starting a family tree or filling in gaps....
The Holocaust and Family Records
The Nazis kept careful records through most of the Holocaust and these can now be accessed, long after the war has ended....
The Importance of Ellis Island in American Immigration
Ellis Island remains the iconic symbol of immigration to the US, and 100 million Americans have ancestors who passed through it....
The Importance of Heraldry
Coats of arms existed before surnames were commonplace, and can be very useful in tracing the history of aristocratic families....
The Importance of Newspapers as a Source
For anyone involved in family history, newspapers can be an important resource, not just for family information, but also for painting a bigger picture of the time....
The Importance of the 1911 Census
The 1911 census was not only released three years early, but contains more details and records in the original handwriting of the householders - a boon for genealogists....
The Importance of the Protestation in Genealogy
The Protestation was an oath meant to avert Civil War in England in the 1640s. Its legacy is the closest we come to a listing of all adult males in England at the time, making it a very important gene...
The Importance of Wills in Genealogy
The amount of information to be gleaned from wills, about a person's wealth and family relationships, makes them a wonderful tool for family historians....
The Importance of Wills In Irish Genealogy
Wills are a great avenue in genealogy. Although many Irish wills were lost in a 1922 fire, you can still find plenty of records to help you in your genealogy search....
The Increase in Online Genealogical Resources
Tracing your family tree is easier than ever as more and more records become available online - but is that necessarily a good thing?...
The International Genealogical Index and Your Family Tree Research
The International Genealogical Index, although neither complete nor perfect, is the single best resource for genealogical records, a huge undertaking by the Mormon Church....
The Irish Potato Famine and Emigration
The Great Famine was a spur to Irish emigration, much of it to America, where they formed a significant part of the population....
The Meaning of Irish Surnames
There is a core of 50 Irish surnames, many of them ancient, which offer genealogists clues to old family history....
The Origins Of Surnames
The origins of surnames might not be vital in tracing your family tree, but some names do offer historical clues – and it’s a great tale....
The Problems With Common Law Marriage
Common law marriages were often once very normal, but what can a family historian do when there's no legal paper trail?...
The Use Of U.S. Birth, Marriages And Death Certificates In Genealogy
Perhaps surprisingly, there's no central repository of U.S. birth, marriage and death records. This tells you how to go about finding them....
Tracing Ancestors Transported to the Colonies as Criminals
Transportation was seen as a humane alternative to execution and imprisonment. For genealogists, the records of transportation are a treasure trove....
Tracing Aristocratic Ancestors
Aristocratic families have always kept complete family records for inheritance purposes, making the job of a family researcher easier - but not always easy....
Tracing Family History On The Female Side
Tracing the female line of your ancestors can be one of the most challenging and frustrating tasks a genealogist can undertake....
Tracing Huguenot History in England
The Huguenots were Protestant immigrants from France in the 15th and 16th centuries who had suffered religious persecution and created communities in the South and East of England....
Tracing the Female Line in your Ancestry
If you still have the genealogy bug after tracing your surname, why not try going back on your mother's maiden name - or even some other things?...
Tracing Your Ancestors By Name
You can use surnames to intersect with other branches of your family and their history, or even to locate an ancestor in some circumstances....
Tracing Your Family History Using Military Records
Military records can provide a wealth of information for genealogy. Here are the sources for information in the UK....
Transportation Before Australia
Before Australia was used as a penal colony prisoners were transported to American and to the West Indies....
U.S. Land Records
There's a wealth of land records dating back to colonial times that can give you information about your ancestors. This tells you where to access them....
US Census Records And Genealogy
U S census records can be quite expansive and a great genealogy resource. Although most of them, the information you'll discover about your ancestors makes the process very worthwhile....
Using Archived Scottish Wills To Trace Ancestors
Wills can tell you a lot about the way your ancestors lived, and the relationships within their families....
Using Australian Aboriginal Records to Trace Your Family History
From a genealogist's point of view, Australian Aboriginal records are thin. But there are some now available through several different archives that can be searched....
Using Canadian Genealogy Sources
Canada has extensive genealogy resources about the people who've populated the country. This is how to find them....
Using Criminal Records For Family History Research
If you discover one of your ancestors was a criminal, you're actually in luck. Criminal records offer a wealth of detail for genealogy....
Using Family Photographs to Trace Your Family
Old family photographs not only form illustrations to your genealogy, but greatly enrich and family history....
Using Family Stories to Trace Family History
Collecting family stories not only provides you with a point of interest for genealogy research, it also creates a legacy for future generations as you build a fuller picture of the family history....
Using Geographical Maps to Trace Family History
Maps can be of great use to a genealogist in tracing details of the past, and locating specifically where ancestors lived....
Using Local Libraries as Sources
In recent years most libraries have included family history sections, and many central libraries also hold local archives....
Using Marriage Certificates for Genealogy Research
In genealogy you can learn more from marriage certificates than almost any other document. Here's where to find them and what you can discover....
Using Original Sources in Genealogy
Genealogy is best and most exact when you search through original family history records and genealogy sources....
Using Probate Registries to Find Death Records for Genealogy
Wills can prove to be a rich mine of information about an ancestor. This tells you how to find them....
Using The Electoral Rolls For Genealogy Research In New Zealand
The New Zealand electoral rolls can prove to be a genealogy treasure trove for those researching family history. This tells you what you can find and where to find it....
Using the International Genealogical Index
The International Genealogical Index, run by the Mormon Church, might be the single best free resource for the investigation of family histories....
Using The Internet to Trace Your Ancestors
The Internet is an incredible resource for starting to discover your family tree. But before you begin, be aware that it has limits....
Using the US Registry of War Ration Books
The Registry of Ration Books is a growing and useful avenue for those researching family history in the US during World War Two....
Using U.S. African-American Records To Trace Ancestors Abroad
Because of slavery, finding records on African-Americans before the Civil War is almost impossible. But for the period beginning with Reconstruction, records start to abound....
Using U.S. Military Records to Trace Ancestors Abroad
The military has played a vital part in the U.S. since colonial times. This tells you where to find the military records of your ancestors....
Using U.S. Resources To Trace Ancestors Abroad
There are many ways to trace relatives who emigrated to the United States. This offers you a guide to finding the records you'll need....
Using Voters' Records for Tracing US Relatives
There are many excellent sources for tracing family history in the US, but one that's often overlooked is voter records, which can offer great information....
Utilising Local History To Research Your Family Tree
Genealogy is inextricably tied up with local history. The events that surrounded them directly affected your ancestors' lives, and the more you know about the, the better....
Were Fleet Marriages Taken as Legal?
Fleet marriages aren't well known, but they stand as a curious little aside in the history of English marriages....
Were Quarter Sessions in Open Court? Is there Public Access?
Is it possible to get the details of a case that was tried by the Quarter Sessions in the 1950s?...
What Genealogy Qualifications Can You Obtain?
Although most working genealogists haven't pursued it, you can obtain qualifications in genealogy....
What Gravestones Can Tell Us
Before the introduction of the death certificate in 1837, a gravestone can fill out the information about a person in a way no simple parish record can....
What If You Have Asian Roots?
If you have roots in India or Pakistan, sometimes it's easy to trace your family, but in other cases it can be trickier - but we help you find the way....
What Welsh Surnames Can Tell Us
Although there seems to be a small pool of Welsh surnames, there's a story behind them and how they came about....
What's at the National Archive?
The National Archives in Kew is the biggest repository of historical documents in the country, and a place that all family historians will use....
Where To Begin In Researching Family History
Tracing your family history begins with you. From there you can begin asking your parents, grandparents and relatives....
Why Does Family History Fascinate Us?
We've become fascinated with looking into our family trees, but what's brought on this interest, and why do we desire to know?...