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
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
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
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)
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.
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
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 Census Records
Transcriptions etc
FreeCEN - Free census transcriptions
The Scottish Genealogy Society
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!)
Durham Mining Museum - Memorial Roll - Names
The Coal Mining History Resource Centre
Gazettes Website - details of companies forming, dissolving and bankruptcies
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
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
New York Passenger Lists Quick Guide 1820-1957
Military
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Gazette Website - Lists promotions and medals
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
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.
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