Guest blogger: tips on researching your family tree

By Laura Davis on Nov 2, 09 05:46 PM

KATHY DONALDSON, a member of Liverpool and South West Lancashire Family History Society who is completing a 13-week placement at Liverpool Record Office, shares her tips for researching your family tree.

Add yours to the bottom and I'll include them in a future blog...

1. When starting to research your family tree it is important that you start with yourself.

2. Write down everything that you know, dates, surnames, maiden names and any relatives that you know of.

3. Complete a small pedigree chart starting with your name, date of birth and then move on to your parents, grandparents and great grandparents recording everything that you know.

4. Visit relatives to ask if they have any information. They may have old documents and pictures; there may even be a family Bible.

5. Before planning a visit to the Local Record Office check opening times, what identification is required to gain access to local records.

6. Family history is not just about birth, marriage and death certificates. Once you have found these, it's worth looking at the social history to your family.

7. If you are unsuccessful in locating a certificate, always consider the alternative spelling: i.e. Morris, Morrice, Maurice.

8. If you can't find a registration for your relative look in alternative records. These can be workhouse records, school records even Poor Law Guardian minutes.

9. Never give up. The information is there - you just have to find it.