How To Begin Genealogy

This article refers to the UK. It will be slightly different in other countries. These UK and World Genealogy Links will help.

1. Find out as much as possible from living relatives (Some questions)
2. Try to see birth, marriage and death certificates ¹
3. A birth certificate, for example, will usually show parents names
4. Look in census data ² for the parents
5. Where were the parents living, how old were they, etc?
6. Having established age (often approximate), look in civil registration lists ³ for their birth
7. Note down the year, quarter ending, full names, district, volume and page numbers
8. Alternatively, consult parish records ⁴ for the birth. Note down all details
9. With details from 7 or 8, obtain a copy of the certificate
10. Repeat ad infinitum! Good luck and don’t give up!

¹ Get certificates from District Records Office.
² See census at District Records Office.
³ Civil Registrations can be found at public libraries.
⁴ Parish records can be found at the church or in the records office.

This website has Moulding civil registration records, some census data and parish records. The Internet can help your search but don’t expect too much even though records are increasingly being added. Nothing beats going to your local public library and smelling and touching those old documents. It’s a great place to start. They may have birth, marriage and death indexes, census records and other local information. They will also be able to tell you where to find your nearest District Records Office and Local Family History Society, both of which are very helpful.