Digging through public records can be time consuming, with no guarantee of finding any new information or leads. But there’s plenty of resources out there to help you delve as far back into your family history as possible:
Who Do You Think You Are magazine
Following on from the TV programme, this magazine subscription is great way to get started on your ancestry journey. Full of tips from genealogy experts, it’s a great way of keeping you up-to-date with all the best ways of looking back. It’s also worth linking up to their online forum, so you can ask questions and get advice from other people on a similar journey.
Ancestry
This online index is a great alternative to digging back through public records. With a huge database of UK birth, death and marriage certificate and census returns, your family history could be only a few clicks away!
Genes Reunited
Like Ancestry, Genes Reunited is a database of public records, helping you find your family without foraging through parish records.
Find My Past
For when your search seems to have dried up, Find My Past has over four billion records ready for you to search, including newspapers, military records, workhouse registers, school admissions and more!
Top tip!
Remember, spellings of names, both first and surname can change over time. If you’ve reached a stuck point – why not try searching variations of your family name? You may discover a whole new hidden trail!
Share with us how far you managed to go into your family’s past.