FINDING AN ARCHIVE
Access to Archives - has catalogues describing archive records held throughout England. If you find records that interest you, there is contact information for the holding archive.
Archives Hub - the archives of United Kingdom Universities and Colleges
Archon - lists archives and record offices in the United Kingdom
http://www.archon.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/
The National Archives - (formerly the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission). The National Archives is the repository of Government records in the UK. Useful information sheets and catalogues. Holdings include records of the Royal Courts, Departments of State and other agencies of Central Government dating from the Norman Conquest.
Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU Tel: 020-8876 3444
OTHER RECORDS FINDING SITES
Documentsonline scanned images of various documents. Free to search, small fee to download copies of images.
www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk
National Archivist - original documents including wills, military, directories, British colonies. Free to search, small fee payable to download copies of images.
http://www.nationalarchivist.com/
Historical Directories - a University of Leicester project to digitise trade directories. Free. Site searchable by surname, place and decade.
http://www.historicaldirectories.org/
British Library 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB Tel: 020-7412 7536
http://www.bl.uk/
British Newspaper Library Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HE Tel: 020-7412 7353
http://www.bl.uk/collections/newspapers.html
SCRAN OVER 30,000 images, movies and sounds from museums, galleries, archives & the media
SCAN Scottish Archives Network
National Archives of Scotland
National Archives of Ireland
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/
National Archives of Australia
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of America
http://www.nara.gov/
NORTH WEST FAMILY HISTORY GROUPS
The Family History Society of Cheshire
- CONTACT: Mike Craig, 10 Dunns Lane, Ashton, Chester, CH3 8BU
E-MAIL: Info@fhsc.org.uk WEB-SITE: www.fhsc.org.uk - North Cheshire Family History Society
- CONTACT: Mrs Rhoda Clarke, 2 Denham Drive, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire
SK7 2AT
E-MAIL: r.demercado@ntlworld.com WEBSITE: www.ncfhs.org.uk - Cumbria Family History Society
- CONTACT: Margaret Russell, Ulpha, 32 Granada Road, Denton, Manchester M34 2LJ
- Furness Family History Society
- CONTACT: Miss J Fairbairn, 64 Cowlarns Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
LA14 4HJ
E-MAIL: info@furnessfhs.co.uk WEBSITE: http://www.furnessfhs.co.uk/
Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society- Has branch meetings covering the following areas: Blackburn & Darwen, Bury, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster & Morecambe, Pendle & Burnley, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rochdale, Rossendale. Also a separate heraldry group which meets in Preston
- CONTACT: Joyce Monks, 21 Baytree Road, Clayton le Woods, PR6 7JW
E-MAIL: secretary@lfhhs.org.uk WEBSITE: www.lfhhs.org.uk - Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society
- CONTACT: M&LFHS, Clayton House, 59 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AQ
E-MAIL: office@mlfhs.org.uk WEBSITE: www.mlfhs.org.uk - Lancaster Family History Group
- CONTACT: The Secretary, 116 Bowerham Road, Lancaster LA1 4HL
- E-MAIL: secretary@lfhg.org
- Liverpool & South West Lancs Family History Society
- CONTACT: Mr David Guiver, 11 Bushbys Lane, Formby, Liverpool L37 2DX
E-MAIL: secretary@liverpool-genealogy.org.uk WEB-SITE: www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk - North Meols Family History Society
- CONTACT: Jane Scarisbrick, 6 Millars Place, Marshside, Southport, PR9 9FU
E-MAIL: jane.scarisbrick@virgin.net
WEB-SITE: http://www.nmfhssouthport.co.uk/ - Ormskirk & District Family History Society
- CONTACT: The Secretary, Ormskirk & District FHS, c/o Ormskirk College,
Hants Lane, Ormskirk, Lancs. L39 1PX
E-MAIL: secretary@odfhs.org.uk WEB-SITE: http://www.odfhs.org.uk/ - Widnes Family History Group
- CONTACT: Secretary, Maureen Faher
- E-MAIL: busby455@hotmail.com
- WEBSITE: http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/Widnes/Widnes%20welcome.htm
- Wigan Family & Local History Society
-
CONTACT: Sharon Weir, 7 Pearl Street, Wigan WN6 7HL Tel 01942 740369.
Email sharon.weir@blueyonder.co.uk
WEB-SITE: http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/familyhistory/index.php
See also:
Federation of Family History Societies
WEBSITE: www.ffhs.org.uk
- Lancashire Parish Register Society
WEB-SITE: www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/lprs
Catholic Family History Society (Branches nationwide)
NORTH WEST CONTACT: Maureen Fitzgibbob, Pinewood, Hawley Lane, Hale Barns, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 0DY
WEBSITE: www.catholic-history.org.uk/cfhs
FAMILY HISTORY SITES
Genuki - extensive UK and Ireland genealogical resources arranged by Counties
http://www.genuki.org.uk/index.html
Rootsweb - extensive genealogical resources
Cyndislist - extensive genealogical links. Free daily e-mail newsletter
BBC very useful site.
www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory
UK Online - lots of useful information
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sheila.jones/index.html
Origins Network - British, Irish, Scottish genealogical collections held by the Society of Genealogists. Fee payable. Free search.
http://www.originsnetwork.com/
REGISTRATION & CENSUS
General Register Office online certificate ordering service
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0
National Archives Census - Original images of 1881, 1891 and 1901 census for England and Wales (and other records) available by pay-per-view or subscription to Ancestry.com.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/census
Ancestry.com - World's largest commercial genealogical website. International or UK subscriptions. UK resources include images of 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 census.
Latter Day Saints - database, global resource, which includes the International Genealogical Index (IGI) of parish records plus, 1881 British Census, 1880 USA and Canada census.
Family History Online - over 54 million online records compiled by family history societies including parish registers, monumental inscriptions, census, poor law records. Small fee payable to view records.
http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/
FreeBMD - transcripts of birth, marriage and death indexes for England and Wales. No fee. Not complete but more records added regularly
FreeCen - 1851-1891 census for England and Wales. No fee. Site still in its infancy.
1837 Online - original images of GRO indexes to births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales. Overseas birth, marriage and death indexes. Free search, small fee payable to see index. Project to have 1861 census online begun 2005
Family Relatives - GRO birth, marriage and death indexes. Some fully transcribed with images. Fee payable.
https://www.familyrelatives.org/
BMD Index - UK Birth, marriage and death indexes searchable by both forename and surname. Subscription required. Not yet complete but constantly being added to.
1901 Census - original images and transcriptions of 1901 census for England and Wales. Fee payable www.1901census.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Origins Network Separate sites for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Some census images and indexes. Subscription required.
http://www.originsnetwork.com/
The Genealogist Many partial and complete census indexes. Subscription required.
http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk
Scotlandspeople - main online source of statutory and parish records for births, marriages and deaths in Scotland. Free surname search, fee payable to download documents.
Ted Wildy's Marriage Witness Index
http://members.optushome.com.au/guthrigg/mwi.htm
Some BMD indexes have transcribed by county, e.g.:
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/
http://www.cheshirebmd.org.uk/
FORUMS
Genes Reunited - a site from Friends Reunited allowing you to add your family names and search to see if there are matches with others. Moderated.
http://www.genesconnected.co.uk
Genforum - vast worldwide surname forum. You can create a new forum if your name's not there. Moderated
http://genforum.genealogy.com/
RESOURCES
Rootsweb Soundex converter for surname variations
http://resources.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/soundexconverter
Genealogical forms free downloads
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/forms/download.html
www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/record_sheets.shtml
http://www.genealogysearch.org/free/forms.html
SOCIETIES AND ORGANISATIONS
Society of Genealogists
Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies
Guild Of One Name Studies
OTHER USEFUL SITES
Ellis Island - Searchable index of Immigrants arriving in the Port of New York
Online genealogical information for Australia
http://www.cohsoft.com.au/afhc/netrecs.html
Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild
Australian passenger lists
http://www.blaxland.com/ozships/plist.htm
Genealogical Information for Australia
http://www.cohsoft.com.au/afhc/netrecs.html
Workhouses - comprehensive site with a history of workhouses plus some transcribed registers.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Has details of servicemen and women who died or were casualties of both World Wars.
Surnames etymology and history of surnames from around the world
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
Surnames Irish
http://www.ireland-information.com/heraldichall/irishsurnames.htm
Heraldry
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/heraldry.html
BOOKLIST
Family and Local History Handbook, The Genealogical Services Directory
Edited & Compiled by Robert Blatchford. Published annually
Available from 33 Nursery Road, Nether Poppleton, York YO26 6NN, or most family history fairs. See: www.genealogical.co.uk
Collins Tracing Your Family History by Anthony Adolph
Published by Collins (2004)
Ancestral Trails: Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History by Mark D. Herber
Published by Sutton Publishing (2004)
Pocket Guides to Family History Published by the National Archives
Titles available (2004)
Getting Started in Family History by David Annal
Tracing Catholic Ancestry by Michael Gandy
Tracing Irish Ancestors by Simon Fowler
Tracing Scottish Ancestors by Michael Gandy
Tracing Noncomformist Ancestors by Michael Gandy
Using Census Returns by Ann Morris
Using Poor Law Records by Simon Fowler
Using Criminal Records by Ruth Paley
Using Wills by Karen Grannum
Using Birth, Marriage and Death Records by Ann Morris & David Annal
Military & Maritime: Using Navy Records
The Complete Idiots Guide To Online Genealogy by Cynthia Rowland
McClure
Published by Alpha Books (2002)
The Good Web Guide to Genealogy By Caroline Peacock
Published by The Good Web Guide (2003)
Who Do You Think You Are? by Dan Waddell
Published by BBC Books (2004)
Tracing Your Ancestors In The Public Record Office Edited by Amanda Bevan
Published by The National Archives (2002)
Writing Your Family History by Deborah Cass
Published by The Crowood Press (2004)
The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers Edited by C R Humphrey-Smith
See also:
Archive CD Books
http://www.genfair.com/shop/pages/acb/index.html
The Federation of Family History Societies has a vast range of publications available
http://www.genfair.com/shop/pages/fed/index.html
Many family history societies have extensive publications lists, fiches and other resources (H-link to family history societies)
MAGAZINES (UK)
Family Tree Magazine Monthly www.family-tree.co.uk
Practical Family History Monthly www.family-tree.co.uk/sister.htm
Family History Monthly Monthly e-mail: janice@dpgsubs.co.uk
Your Family Tree Monthly http://www.futurenet.com/yourfamilytree/magazine/
Ancestors Bi-monthly http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/
FREE E-ZINES, NEWSLETTERS & LISTS
National Archives newsletter: www.nationalarchives.gov/newsletter
FreeSurnameSearch.com: http://www.freesurnamesearch.com/
Genuki Family History News http://www.genuki.org.uk/news/
Ancestry Daily News: http://www.ancestry.com/
Rootsweb Review http://rwr.rootsweb.com/
CyndisList http://www.cyndislist.com/maillist.htm
http://www.cyndislist.com/magazine.htm#e-mailTreasure Maps http://www.amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/sub.html
Family Record www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc
Geneanet Newsletter http://geneanet.org/newsletter/index.php3
Mytrees.com newsletter www.mytrees.com
Scotland's People Newsletter www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
Upfront (Nat. Genealogical Society) www.ngsgenealogy.org/upfront.htm
Worldwidegenweb review www.worldgenweb.org/wgwreview/index.html
GENEALOGY/FAMILY HISTORY SPECIAL INTEREST HOLIDAYS
See: http://www.travel-quest.co.uk/tq-genealogy.htm
Scottish Ancestral Trail. Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Individual tours of Scotland based on your family tree, taking you to visit the places where your ancestors came from.
www.scottish-ancestral-trail.co.uk
Genealogy tours in Dublin Dublin, Ireland
Researching family names and tracing roots in Dublin's archives.
www.paddymatch.com/genealogy/index.asp
Hooked on Genealogy Tours
Tours available in London, Edinburgh, Belfast/Dublin and Salt Lake City.
www.hookedongenealogytours.com
Scot AnSgeulaiche Based in Argyll, Scotland.
Visits to clan and ancestral homes led by a traditional Highland storyteller
www.scottish-genealogy-story-tours.co.uk
Snowdonia Holidays Based in Gwynedd, Wales.
