Tips for discovering your family history.
Starting your genealogy research:
1. Births, Marriages and Deaths: Start with what you know about your family history. Note down birthplaces, dates of birth or marriage, professions of any ancestors you know. Even approximate guesses will help.
2. Ask Family Members: Older relatives may be able to add details or take your family tree back another generation.
3. Family Tree: Organise your genealogy research into a simple family tree – pen and paper will do!
Extending your family tree:
1. County Record Office: Each county has a Record Office which will hold for example Parish Records, Wills and more unusual things like Manor Court Rolls. You may be able to visit the Record Office which holds most information about your Family History. If not, you should be able to contact them by email and ask them about any documents they might have connected to your genealogy.
2. Family History Online: If your ancestors were not local to you, you can find genealogical data by buying a subscription to eg. Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.co.uk, scotlandspeople.gov.uk
3. National Archives: If you know your ancestor’s details, you can extend your Family Tree by purchasing certificates from the National Archives.
4. Family wills: These give a lot of information about your Family Tree as well as details about the way your ancestors lived.
5. Genealogy Software: Once your Family Tree begins to grow, you will need to buy genealogy software to keep track of all the information and to create genealogy reports, descendant charts etc. I use Family Tree Maker.
Warning: Genealogy is a very addictive hobby. Be prepared to spend many hours with your ancestors!!
GOOD LUCK!
You may even find something of significance whilst researching your family tree: "Ann Feicke the wife of John Feicke of Aslington norff. was buried the 2nd of the 12th month [16]91 Att tivitshall margaretts in norf., it beinge the first Corps layd in the newe buriinge ground"
This one is from Quaker births, marriages and deaths records for Norwich Monthly Meeting.
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