Unlike parish records which may often be found online, the British government controls access to civil registration records. Learn tips and tricks for accessing these vital documents.Before 1837, births, marriages, and deaths in England and Wales were only recorded by the local Anglican Parish. Beginning in 1837, however, the British government required civil registration as well. While many parish registers are available on microfilm or online, the British government controls access to the … [Read more...]
What Language Did My Scottish Ancestors Really Speak?
Have you ever stopped to think about the language that your Scottish ancestors spoke? Gaelic? English? Something else? The answer is not as straightforward as you may think. English has been the “official” language of Scotland since the 18th century. Prior to this, Scots Gaelic had already been systematically suppressed by several acts of parliament, starting at the beginning of the 1600s.[1] One of the last Scottish kings to speak Gaelic was James IV who reigned from 1473 to 1513. … [Read more...]
Stolen Handkerchiefs and Convict Ships: Tracing a Convict Ancestor to Australia
This client project (shared with permission) delves into tracing the journey of a convict ancestor, sent to Australia for pickpocketing.One of our Australian clients came to us with an Oliver Twist-esque story about her teenaged ancestor who was convicted of pickpocketing in England in the 1820s and sent to the Australian penal colonies. She wanted to know—was he an impoverished pickpocket in a gang of young pickpockets, or might he have come from a respectable family and been wrongly accused? … [Read more...]
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland: An Essential Tool for Scottish Family History Research
Do you have Scottish ancestry? We share one of our favorite tools for Scottish family history research! One of the best resources for learning more about your Scottish ancestors’ day-to-day lives are the Statistical Accounts of Scotland. Written by Church of Scotland ministers in two different waves (the Old Statistical Account covers 1791-1799 and the New Statistical Account covers 1834-1845), these accounts are full of rich details about life in each parish including occupations, social … [Read more...]
Using Approximate Dates To Piece Together Your Family History in England
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers to share tips for family history research in England.Records are cataloged by time, place and dates, and even if approximate, dates are necessary to begin research. In this article we share a case study to illustrate how to calculate approximate dates to begin family history research in England.Family History Research in England: The Davies … [Read more...]
Unlocking the Genealogical Treasure of the Parish Chest
Family historians with ancestry in England will almost certainly be familiar with Church of England parish registers. These registries of baptisms, marriages and burials provide the trunk on which most pre-1837 English family trees are built. Even after the 1837 implementation of civil registration, parish registers continued to be a significant source of useful genealogical information. What is less well-known, however, is that the Anglican parish created more than just baptism, marriage and … [Read more...]
Top Tips for Researching Your Scots-Irish Ancestry
What does Scots-Irish mean?Researchers use the term “Scots-Irish” to identify a people who went back and forth between Scotland and Ulster, Ireland. The North Channel—also known as the Straits of Moyle—connects the west coast of Scotland and the Mull of Galloway at the narrowest part of the strait. There, the strait spans only 13 miles. This short distance between Northern Ireland ports and the western Scotland ports made trade and commuting quite common between Ireland and Scotland. In … [Read more...]
ScotlandsPeople: Research Tips from a Scot Descendant
Some of the most distinctively Scottish icons are kilts, bagpipes, the highland cow, and the Loch Ness monster, Nessie. If you have ever eaten Scottish shortbread or enjoyed the Scottish games you know exactly what makes Scotland unique. Like many of you, I am a descendant of Scottish ancestry.If you want to trace your Scottish family history, Scotland’s written historical records date back to 1513. The government of Scotland has made these primary records available in online digital images … [Read more...]
Intermediate Guide to English Genealogy Research
In our Beginner's Guide to British Ancestry, we discussed the difference between “Great Britain,” United Kingdom,” and “England.” We also talked about census records and civil birth, marriage, and death records available through the General Register Office, or GRO. The census and civil records are extremely useful and important for genealogical research in England, but the earliest useful census is from 1841, while the civil records only extend back to 1837. So what do researchers do to trace … [Read more...]
Beginner’s Guide to Tracing British Ancestry
With about one-third of Americans claiming British ancestry, chances are that at some point you will need to extend your research across the Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of this blog is to clarify some of the confusing terms with regards to the British Isles and get your genealogical research started on solid footing.British Ancestry? English? The United Kingdom?First, let’s talk about British and English genealogical research. There are several terms which get used interchangeably but … [Read more...]
