How to Research Your British Ancestry
A significant portion of the world's population can, at some point, trace their ancestry to somewhere in Great Britain. However, there are times when hunting for a lost family member can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, there are many great resources out there for people researching their British ancestors.
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Instructions
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Before you begin, make sure you have as much information as possible from living resources. Talk to older adults in your family, to see how much they recollect. They might remember that their great-great-grandmother came from a small town in Buckinghamshire, or that an uncle was a sailor in the Royal Navy. These are the little tidbits of information that will help you narrow things down later.
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Records of vital statistics are those that include registers of births, deaths and marriage. Each county in England maintains their own records and some areas kept better track of things than others. Many of this information is now available on the Internet, which can save you hundreds of hours of sitting in libraries. For starters, begin by searching out your British ancestor's name on sites like the FamilySearch website (see Resources). This page is where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints maintains a searchable database of all their records. There are literally millions of records in this system from all over the world, and it's a valuable genealogical resource. Many records are also available through RootsWeb (see Resources), which is a compendium of vital records from England and Wales. Bear in mind that civil registration of births, marriages and deaths was not introduced until 1837. For dates prior to that, you'll need to search individual parish records.
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In addition to vital statistics, much information can be found in the British National Archives. You can search this vast database at and find everything from military enrollment papers to immigrant lists, dating back to the fourteenth century. Another site, BritishOrigins (see Resources), is a good resource to hit for things such as apprenticeship records, maps and court records. Census records are available after 1841 and that's a great tool for figuring out who lived in which household. Although this is a subscription-based site and not free, most people who use it report good results.
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If your British ancestor immigrated to the United States, you should also search the Ellis Island website (see Resources). This is a comprehensive (and free) database of every passenger who came through Ellis Island during the years 1890 to 1924. One valuable aspect of each record is that not only does it show you the individual's name, but it also lists where they came from and how old they were at the time of immigration, as well as other facts available on the ship's manifest.
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In addition to online sources, don't forget that there are plenty of books available on the subject of researching your British ancestors. Some good titles to read include "In Search of Your British & Irish Roots" by A. Baxter, Irvine's "Your English Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans," and Mark Herber's "Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History."
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Tips & Warnings
Remember, just because you see something online doesn't mean it's right. Use Internet sources as a guide, but rely on primary records for the most reliable information.
