There are many common hurdles that every family historian faces: not knowing where to start, which records to search for or where to look next, are just a few of them. Family history research can often be particularly challenging for those of African American descent due to the long history of slavery in the U.S. Read More
Trying to explore your Irish family history and coming up against some brick walls? Ancestry has released six new record collections that may hold the missing piece (or person!) to your research. Ancestry’s Content and Acquisition Manager, Rhona Murray, takes us through the new collections and how to use the records to find your family Read More
Researching an adopted ancestor can be challenging but there are steps you can take to learn more about their birth and origins. Ancestry ProGenealogist, Simon Pearce, offers useful guidance and resources from around the world for uncovering these details. Formal adoption was introduced in England and Wales on 1 January 1927 with the establishment of Read More
Birth, Marriage & Death records, including Parish records, are key collections for family historians. They can provide details about important milestones in your ancestors’ lives and are the foundation of family history research. When a birth, marriage or death is registered, a certificate is filled out and the information is kept on file. They include Read More
Scottish poet Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25 January 1759. Every year on his birthday people of Scottish descent the world over traditionally gather together to celebrate his life and work. Burns Night is not only a time to remember Burns himself but also an occasion to enjoy Scottish culture, including bagpipes, Read More
If you login to Ancestry today, you’ll find a new addition to our records: the Church in Wales Anglican Parish Registers. As Content Acquisition Manager for UK and Ireland I’m thrilled to take you through these fascinating records, which are invaluable for researching your Welsh ancestors. The collection spans from 1538 to 1994, with varying Read More
This month, we’re excited to bring you millions of new and updated records to explore. We regularly launch more records on our site to help support your family history research. Over the coming weeks, we are adding more than 9 million records and images. One particularly exciting new collection is the Welsh Parish Registers. Read More
At Ancestry, we are constantly looking at how we can improve your experience with us and strive to bring you new and updated records, to help you continue your family history research journey. We currently have more than 2 billion searchable records for the UK and in total, there are more than 24 billion Read More
To mark Local and Community History Month, which is celebrated throughout May, we have collaborated with regional archivists to understand the value of trade directories and explore how they could be used to support your family history research. What are trade directories and how can they help you with your family history research? Trade Read More
Wiebke McGhee, Archivist from the North Lanarkshire Archives, offers insight into the history of the North Lanakarshire Poor Law records and the value these can have when researching your family history in this area. North Lanarkshire Archives’ Poor Law records originate from civil parishes which existed within the former County of Lanark between 1845 and Read More