Family HistoryWeb Pages
Some useful websites for UK and Ireland research
National Archives Home Page
Home Family History Hall Family Pilkington Family Bathgate Family Jones Family Oswaldtwistle Contact

Some useful websites for UK and Ireland research

This is a list of websites that I have found useful in my Family History research. It is not the definitive list for UK research - it is just the ones I use most often!   If you think a link is broken or you would like to add some of your own then please email me at family.history@bathgatehall.co.uk

Some of these websites are free, some are pay-as-you go and some need a subscription.

If you are new to researching in the UK then you need to bear in mind a few points:

The United Kindom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises 4 countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Prior to 1922 the whole of the island of Ireland was part of the UK and even now the Republic has a special relationship with the UK regards travel, the right of abode and voting in elections.

Great Britain just means England, Wales and Scotland. In other words - the main island of the British Isles on a map.

Other countries which form part of the British Isles -  the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK but have the Queen as head of state and rely on the UK government for defence. Again they have a special relationship with the rest of the UK.

Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland all have now some form of parliamentary devolution, but are all still united under the Parliament in London. Scotland has always had its own legal and educational system. Legislation has always been enacted in London with differing provisions for each separate country.

Bearing all of the above in mind there is NO official migration between the parts of the UK. If your ancestor came from Dublin to live in London in the 19C  it was as if he moved between York and Lancaster. There will likely be no record of entry to England as he was not an 'alien'.

For family history purposes England and Wales can be lumped together for some things with Scotland and Ireland doing their own thing. For example, civil registration arrived in England and Wales in 1837,  Scotland introduced it in 1855 and did it slightly differently (arguably better!).

The UK and Ireland

GENUKI Home page

This is THE encyclopedia for Family History research in the UK and Ireland. Is is arranged on a top down basis: Information which applies to all the UK and Ireland, and then at each individual country level, and then by county, and finally by town and village.

It has links to everything and anything to do with family history - government sites for certificates, 'how to' articles, all the archives and libraries, what all the churches were called in a town (whether they exist now or not), gazetteers etc

Best advice is to bookmark your counties of interest as you will need to revisit your bits of this site often.

The National Archives Catalogues and online Records
The National Archives ARCHON Directory Research Guides
The National Archives - The Catalogue Search

The British Library

British History Online - Historical data on places arranged by county.

A Vision of Britain through Time - A vision of Britain between 1801 and 2001. Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions

Certificate Exchange - exchange the unwanted BMD certificates

British Medical Journal  Archive of Issues by Date (includes obituaries)

Britain from Above - Aerial Views from the Past

British Pathe

British-Jewry

Archive CD Books UK for Genealogists and Historians from Family History Research Ltd

Deceased Online - Cemetery Records for the whole of the UK

Gazetteer of British Place Names

British Newspaper Archive The British Library's Newspaper Archive

Internet Archive - Old Books free to read online (Parish Register transcriptions etc)

Old Maps

Sites which offer records for the whole of the UK and Ireland (NOT free)

Origins
Ancestry -  BMD Indexes(England and Wales), complete census images for 1841-1911(not Scotland), Scottish Census Transcriptions(ex 1911), Medical Registers, Clerical Registers, Parish Registers, National Probate Index 1858-1941 etc etc
FindMyPast - BMD Indexes(England and Wales), complete census images for 1841-1911(not Scotland), Scottish Census Transcriptions(ex 1911), Old Newspapers, Miltary records etc etc
The Genealogist

Family Deeds - Family History Documents and Genealogy Website

Lost Cousins -  Putting Relatives In Touch

Sites which offer records for the whole of the UK and Ireland (FREE or nearly so)

FreeCEN - Free Census data

FreeREG - Free Church Register data

UKGDL - Genealogical Directories and Lists Online for UK Family History and Genealogy.

Familysearch  - the original LDS site (Church of the Latter Day Saints) and includes the legendary IGI (International Genealogical Index)
Family History Books
FamilySearch IGI Batch Numbers
IGI Batch Numbers - British Isles and North America
IGI Search — FamilySearch.org

Some sites of sites

DustyDocs - Parish Records and other goodies
Census Finder  - Census data (free and otherwise)
UK Genealogy Archives
UKBMD - Births, Marriages, Deaths Indexes for the UK as well as transcriptions of MI's, Wills and other Family History data

England

A2A - Access to Archives Home  - A2A is part of the UK archives network. The A2A database contains catalogues describing archives held locally in England and Wales and dating from the eighth century to the present day.

FreeBMD Home Page - Transcription of the General Register Office BMD Indexes (incomplete)
Registration Services - The central government site to order BMD certificates

Church of England Clergy Database 1540-1835 - searchable list of Clergy with some biographical details
Crockford's clerical directory 1868 - Google Books - directory of  'current' Church of England Clergy
Parish Finder - find the current C of E churches in your places of interest

Historical Directories - some County and Town Directories

Hearth Tax Online - 17th Century Householders in England by County

Index of Methodist ministers (The John Rylands University Library - The University of Manchester)

BMD Registers - Non Conformist Church and Chapel Registers

Familysearch records:
English baptisms
English Burials
English Marriages

London

London Metropolitan Archives  - includes pre- 1858 Wills from all the UK proved in the City
Docklands Ancestors - for your Docklands and East End ancestors

Lancashire and Cheshire

Lancashire Online Parish Clerks - Transcriptions of Parish Registers and other data
St Bartholomew's Parish Records -Transcriptions from the Parish of Great Harwood

Ancestry have some very useful Parish Registers:
Lancashire, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
Lancashire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1911
Lancashire, England, Confirmations, 1856-1922
Lancashire, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1986
Lancashire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936
Manchester, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1541-1812
Manchester, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1573-1812 (Cathedral)
Manchester, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1901 (Cathedral)
Manchester, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915
Manchester, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1866 (Cathedral)
Manchester, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1985
Manchester, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1930 (Cathedral)
Manchester, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1930

FindMyPast - Also have a collection of Manchester Records - workhouse data, cemeteries etc

LDS Diocese of Manchester parish records - NB: not all are indexed so you may have to browse them to be sure. 1603-1910

Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives
Lancashire Archives

Lancashire Births Marriages & Deaths Local Registrar's Indexes

Lancashire County Council Environment Directorate Old Maps
Mario  - new and old maps and aerial views new and old

Lancashire Will Search pre-1858 wills index
Richmond Probate Index  - Yorkshire Wills proved at Richmond. Held at Lancashire Records Office.

Manchester Local Image Collection
Manchester the City and Metropolitan County of Greater Manchester
Manmates - Manchester Memories
Online Reference Library (ONRL) - Lancashire County Council  

Cheshire Births Marriages & Deaths- Local Registrars Indexes

Cheshire Parish Register Transcriptions

FindmyPast - Have an extensive range of Cheshire records

Local Crematorium and Cemetery Indexes:
Tameside (Ashton-under-lyne area)
Burials, Cremations and Memorials • Fylde Borough Council (Blackpool and Lytham areas)
CEMSEARCH-uk Monumental Inscriptions and Gravestones in Lancashire
Manchester Civic Burials
Oldham Civic Burial Register Search  (should be used with Oldham Cemeteries from the LDS as the images are free)

Cotton Town Your Town, Your History - Blackburn and Darwen area local history
Darwen Area Ancestors - Family Tree
Tameside Family History
The Accrington Pals
Welcome to Rishton
The HAWORTH families of Oswaldtwistle and Church - Census Data and Family Histories  

Yorkshire

The Ancestry records are:
West Yorkshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512-1812
West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
West Yorkshire, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1985
West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935

Richmond Probate Index  - Yorkshire Wills proved at Richmond. Held at Lancashire Records Office.

Laid Aside - Looking at Filey

Northumberland and Co Durham

LDS Familysearch records from the Diocese of Durham Parish Register images to browse 

Co Durham Transcriptions
Northumberland Transcriptions

Durham County Records Office
Family archives at Durham University Library
pre-1858 probate- local wills prior to 1858

Interactive Maps of Co Durham

Durham Records Online - Census and Church Records for Durham Northumberland
Northfiche - MI Transcriptions to download or fiche to buy

Durham Registrars Certificates Local BMD Indexes
Register Office South Tyneside Local BMD Indexes for South Shields area

Northumberland Communities
South Tyneside Historic Images Online
Tyneside Silent Cities
Welcome to the North East Inheritance Project.

Gloucestershire

BMD Main Menu - Local Registrars' Indexes

Deerhurst, Forthampton & Eldersfield - Transcriptions of Parish registers
LDS - Bristol Parish Registers - Parish Register Images

Online reference and information - Gloucestershire County Council

Forest of Dean Family History Information

Scotland

LDS Records:
Scottish Baptisms
Scottish Marriages

National Library of Scotland - Family History resources including old directories

Scotland's People The Official site for Census images 1841-1911, Old Parish Register images, RC records, Wills and post-1855 statutory certificates.

ScotlandsPlaces More Official records

Scottish Archive Network

Scottish Census Records Transcriptions etc
FreeCEN - Free census transcriptions

The Scottish Genealogy Society

Glasgow University Alumni

Fife

Fife Family History Society - some downloadable free resources

Dundee and Angus, Fife and Perthshire

Friends of Dundee City Archives Links to some free reources and information

Tayport Community Website (Fife, Scotland, UK)
The Newport, Wormit & Forgan Archive

Wales

Adysgrifau - Census and Parish Register Transcripts for Trawsfynydd in Merionethshire

Ireland

ROOTS Ireland - BMD and  Genealogy Records

Britain at Work

Cradley Links - Cradley in Worcestershire(the one near Staffordshire not the one near Malvern!)

British Industrial History

Spinning the Web

Durham Mining Museum - Memorial Roll - Names
The Coal Mining History Resource Centre  

Gazettes Website - details of companies forming, dissolving and bankruptcies

Old Occupations

Cotton Times

Ports.org.uk

Yesterday's Journey by Michael Spencer

Black Country Genealogy & Family History

Travel and Migration

American Family Immigration History Center - Ellis Island USA
Castle Garden - early USA immigration centre

Findmypast

Ancestry.co.uk

CLIP - Crew List Index Project - CLIP finding aids

Deaths in the Melbourne Hospital - Index.Did your Ancestor die in Australia?

Families In British India Society

India Office Family History Search

Indian Cemeteries

New York Passenger Lists Quick Guide 1820-1957

Military

British Empire Armed Forces

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Gazette Website - Lists promotions and medals

Faces of the First World War

The Long, Long Trail

Soldiers Sailors and Strangers

Stephen's Study Room - Military history & Medals

War Grave and Memorial Photographs supplied by The War Graves Photographic Project

Social History

The Workhouse - www.workhouses.org.uk

Institutions

Family History Societies

It's a good thing to join the Family History Society for the areas you are interested in as they will give you help and guidance. And even if you are not a member most societies have s 'shop' where Books, CD's and fiche can be bought of local records.

Links to many Societies

Online Forums

It's good to talk!". There are many fourums and message boards online for family history from  free ones at rootsweb/ancestry to members only ones fun by the family history societies. A few are listed below.
Family History News and Information - Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere!
LostCousins Genealogy Forums
Message Boards - rootsweb.com
My Ancestry - Ancestry.com
RootsChat.com - Genealogy, Family History, Local History, Messaging Forum and more
RootsWeb.com Home Page
TalkingScot.com • Index page
UK GENEALOGY FORUMS Index