Website of the UK government

Order ‘Getting started’ – an introduction to family history research

If you would like a free copy of the General Register Office’s ‘Getting Started’ pack, email your name, address and contact details to:

certificate.services@ips.gsi.gov.uk

Please include "GQ Starter Pack" in the subject field of your email to ensure an auto text response is not generated.

Use official government records for your family research

• starting with yourself, note all the dates and events you are certain of concerning your immediate family and work back methodically generation by generation. Collect certificates of these events, which will give you vital information to help you continue your research e.g. mother’s maiden name
• civil registration started in July 1837. To trace back further you will need to look at parish records
  
• formally record information as you find it and keep files of documents obtained. Download the Family Tree Chart below from the General Register Office to help record your family information
  

• Researching family history using official records

• Using the General Register Office to research family history

• Order a birth, marriage or death certificate

• Download 'Family tree chart' (PDF, 39K)

• Help with PDF files

Talk to relatives

• ask members of your family for their recollections and make notes of what each person says to make comparisons. Ask more knowledgeable relatives to go over their reminiscences more than once. Nobody recalls everything of use in one sitting
  
• search for as many family records and as much memorabilia as possible. Look in your attic and ask your elderly relatives if you can look in theirs
• ask elderly relatives to identify people in old family photographs – writing names on the back
  
• scour the records for clues and make a note of any firm information you find together with where you found it
  
• show your findings to elderly relatives, as they may jog a series of fresh memories
  
• create a list of questions arising out of your research so far, this will be your starting point

Get help and advice

• you may want to join a local family history society where you can share your experiences and receive help with any problems you encounter. Use the link below to find your local group
• you could enrol in a family history course. Many adult education centres run these courses and they are inexpensive and extremely helpful
• don’t despair if you can’t find out much - the minimum information you need to get started is your own place and date of birth

• Federation of Family History Societies Opens new window