Tracing your ancestors in the UK can be difficult when you do not have access to the archives and are unable to look at sources. British ancestry can be researched online back to 1837 but online sources should always be backed up by original documents, and before 1837 it is essential to look at parish registers. This is why hiring a UK genealogist for your ancestor search is recommended if you live outside of the UK, or you are unable to travel to different counties.
If you know which county your ancestors lived in, you can find a genealogist in that area and ask them to search the local archives. However, if the searches find that your ancestors came from a different area – or perhaps you already know of ancestors all over the country – this means contacting several different local genealogists.
To save you time I would therefore recommend that you hire a professional genealogist who offers search services across the country and let them do all the hard work of finding the best local researchers for you.
You can find details of my own British ancestry research services here. I offer 3 separate packages: 1 – an initial research service to get an idea of what’s possible throughout the UK, 2 – a full package tracing all possible ancestors in the UK, and 3 – my local research service in Warwickshire.
I also offer online research services if you do not have the time to do this yourself.
To find out more about my ancestor search services click HERE.
Ros Bott
