How to Trace an English Ancestry
During the time of the English colonization, people migrated from the United Kingdom to what now is the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Canada, among other places. This was more than 350 years ago, and many of the genealogy lines are lost in time. Many people want to find the names of their ancestors and go back to England in search of their long lost roots. Genealogy trees can never be absolutely complete, and so the search is always ongoing, but it's always exciting when you can add another branch to the tree.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Ask all your relatives about your ancestors. Organize this information in a digital family tree, including as many details as possible (date and location of birth, marriage, death); full names are essential information. Start the tree with yourself, then your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. You can get much of this information from aunts and uncles, but the best information often comes from grandparents and other older relatives.
-
2
Search for birth, death and marriage certificates online, as well as census records, baptismal records, court records, land records, even ships passenger lists. There are many websites that allow you to search public records online for free or for a small fee. Use this new information to fill your tree even more. It is important that you be able to document every connection on the tree as you make your way back to the ancestor who actually came from England. You need to collect copies of the documents yourself or at least know where you can go to find them. Don't depend on another person's family tree, as you can't be certain of the accuracy of another person's research.
-
-
3
Use the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Mormons have religious needs to find their ancestors, so they go to great lengths to collect and share records. While you may not have relatives or ancestors who are, or were, Mormons, you may have a common ancestor with a person who is a member of the LDS church, and their family tree may help you with yours. Some documents cannot be found the LDS website, but can be accessed by visiting one of the LDS Family History Centers in your area. They welcome Mormons and non-Mormons alike.
-
4
Trace your ancestry back to the person who came to the U.S. by ship. If you can find that person's name on a passenger list, you will also be able to find out from which port in England the ship departed. While your ancestor may not have been from that port, it's likely he was from somewhere close by. The departure port at least gives you a starting point.
-
5
Search for the roots of your last name or the English surname that you are searching for to discover which county in England your ancestors are most likely to have come from. Access the county's target website and search again for certificates and other documents bearing your ancestor's name. There are also many online surname societies that can provide clues to the location from which your ancestor hailed.
-
6
Send out online queries about your particular English ancestor. The many websites focused on ancestry usually provide message boards or forums where you can post queries. It's possible that another genealogist has come across your ancestor's name in her own research and is willing share information.
-
7
Hire a professional genealogist. Sometimes you need someone who has the time and expertise to do the search for you, especially if the search leads to records that are thousands of miles away. While you could go to England yourself to search for records, a professional genealogist often knows exactly where to look and can save a great deal of time.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Once you have traced your ancestor to England, records actually may be easier to find than in the U.S. English churches and government buildings were often built of stone, meaning they didn't tend to catch fire and burn, so the records didn't burn, either, unlike similar buildings in the U.S.
Store your genealogy tree using a software that allows you to create a gedcom file. The LDS church has one such program, Personal Ancestral File, that you can download for free.
Some things that make it difficult to trace ancestry back to England is that there was little variety in what people in years past were named, and few records were kept regarding women. In a single location, you might find there were 10 men with the same name, and no records of who they married. You'll need to try to make your connections through such things as land and tax records.
Don't make assumptions or jump to conclusions. You may find that the evidence does not support your connection to the ancestors that you thought you were connected to; if you keep an open mind, this disappointed may open up fresh lines of research for you to delve into.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit British Isles Map: Red image by Phil2048 from Fotolia.com
