This Frequently Asked Questions and their answers list is posted to
the following newsgroups:
soc.genealogy.britain
free.uk.genealogy
england.genealogy.misc
Due to comments made on one of the above newsgroups, I no longer post these FAQs on USENET.
Corrections and amendments to barry.ruck@ntlworld.com
This FAQ may be found at
homepage.ntlworld.com/barry.ruck
and
www.peterswoodharlow.freeserve.co.uk
Last updated 21st October 2005
This list is quite long. I recommend saving and printing for future reference.
In the first instance, visit
www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/faq.html
1. How do Mailing Lists, Newsgroups and the Web differ?
2. What is GENUKI?
3. I'm new to genealogy. How do I begin?
4. Where is the place called ?
5. Is there a Family History Society for ? county
6. Is there a Surnames List for ?
7. Is there a Mailing List for ?
8. Could someone look up the birth/marriage/death of ? for me?
9. How do I find the address of the Local Register Office for ?
10. How can I obtain a copy of a birth/marriage/death certificate ?
11. Where are the Parish Registers for ?
12. Can you recommend a good genealogy book catalogue ?
13. What Census transcriptions are available from the LDS on CD-ROM ?
14. How can I prepare for a visit to the Public Record Office ?
15. I don't have means of accessing the Web - how can I use GENUKI ?
16. I can't find ? in GENUKI - can you help ?
You should also read the Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History by
ROY STOCKDILL at www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html
and
The Woodgate Archive at http://woodgate.org/FAQs/socgbrit.html
A good Dictionary ( for old occupations ) and Atlas ( covering the counties of interest ) are a worthwhile investment.
A visit to your local Library should produce several books on researching your family in the U.K. " Tracing Your Family Tree: The Comprehensive Guide To Discovering Your Family History " by Jean Cole & John Titford ( earlier editions were by Jean Cole & Michael Armstrong ) is one which I can recommend.
This is the link to the Rootsweb archives of soc.genealogy.britain
and the Google archive for soc.genealogy.britain
At the top you will find a search box. You have the option of searching just soc.genealogy.britain or all Google newsgroups
If you are planning a question it is very useful to search the newsgroup archives with a keyword first ..... it may be that your question has already been answered and is sitting in the archives. Given that the database of archived messages is so huge properly used it can be a good place to start.
For example ...
Typing "Where can I buy the 1881 Census" gives 578 messages
Typing "Which census are available on CD" gives 7530 messages
Typing "UK Census Dates" gives 3310 messages
Typing "What is a Carman" gives 184 messages
Typing What is an Ostler gave 94 messages
Finally, please read the other two Frequently Asked Questions lists,
FAQ - Census & FAQ - What is the
I.G.I. ?
List of Useful Links
====================
General
=======
Genuki
FreeBMD
Other BMD links
Latter Day Saints
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Federation of Family History Societies ( Census, Burials, MI etc. )
Gypsy and Circus, and other "entertainment" ancestors
Canal & Boat People ................. HELP !
Free searches of 125,000 Black Sheep and Police 1860-1920 and WWII
United Kingdom Centre for the History Of Nursing
1901 Census Leftovers
England
=======
Online Names Research Directory
Metropolitan Police
Railways Staff Registers (North-West 1869-1950)
Scotland
========
The Scottish GRO record site
Isle of Islay Project ( Lots of transcriptions, pictures etc. on this page, very helpful. )
Online Names Research Directory
Wales
=====
Online Names Research Directory
Ireland
=======
Online Names Research Directory
Family Tree Maker's article on:-
Researching Irish Roots
Irish Research
and
Irish Resources
Rootsweb Guide to Tracing Irish Families
Tracing Your Irish Ancestors