There are many resources, both in print and online, which will help you learn how to research your family history in a thorough way. There are numerous books on genealogy, so I will mention only a few that you may find useful:
- Family History for Beginners by Karen Foy is a good, helpful introduction to all the basic sources and methods.
- The Genealogists's Internet by Peter Christian, gives a thorough overview of the genealogy websites available, although of course new ones arise all the time.
- Genealogy: Essential Research Methods by Helen Osborn, teaches you more advanced research methods and helps with problem solving.
- Nuts and Bolts by Andrew Todd, gives advice on breaking down 'brick walls'.
- Ancestral Trails by Mark Herber, is the most comprehensive guide to genealogy, covering everything you can think of.
There are also various websites which teach how to research family history:
- The Family Search Research Wiki at www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Main_Page shows the records available for any given place, explains where to find record collections and gives advice on carrying out research anywhere in the world. It contains links to many other sites, including the very useful parish maps of England in 1851.
- Vision of Britain at www.visionofbritain.org.uk/index.jsp provides in-depth historical sources for the whole of Britain, including local history, population through time, occupations and housing, as well as related websites.
- Genuki at www.genuki.org.uk offers a comprehensive 'virtual reference library' of information for the UK and Ireland. It offers advice on how to get started in family history, with detailed local history, guides to all kinds of sources, information on parishes and much more.
If you are interested in taking an online course, the excellent free course at FutureLearn, entitled Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree, is well worth doing. You can access it at www.futurelearn.com/courses/genealogy?lr=18.
Susan Francia
Family History Research Services
01822 820855
fhistoryresearch@gmail.com
www.family-historyresearch.co.uk