British Family History

Genealogy Links: Choosing the Right Resource

There are many resources on the internet that can help you with your research. These range from online subscription services that give you access to census and BMD records, to help on genealogy, much like this site. Below are some sites on the internet that can be useful to you (most of them were stumbled across while reading about parish registers at ParishRegister.co.uk) - they can inform you about the different types of records and give you advice on choosing the most effective way to research your family history.

Census Indexes and Transcripts

UK Census Online - this website has information about census records, and includes links to other census websites that focus on a particular census year, or a particular county.

British Data Archive - this company produces high quality census records on CD - you can view example pages on the website!

RootsUK - an online pay-as-you-go service which has complete census indexes and transcripts. Very useful for the beginner, as prices start from only £5, and the site also includes BMD records!

BMD Records & Baptism/Burial Records

BMD Index - this site hold complete BMD indexes for 1837 onwards, and is the cheapest way to find the references you need to order a birth certificate.

Baptism and Birth Records, Marriage Records, and Burial and Death Records - These three sites give useful information about records, what you can find on a record, and how to order certificates. There is also a case study, in which you are shown how to find a record for a famous person.

Parish Records & Military Records

Parish Registers - a wealth of information about parish records, including an easy-to-read timeline of how the records have changed, how to search the records, reviews of recently released records on CD, and lots more There is also a handy site map, which is brilliant for finding what you need.

Army Lists - this is one of the only sites on the internet dedicated to Army Lists. The site has extensive information on the army, including cap badges and hats throughout the years, and extracts from a late 19th century publication about soldiers such as Baden-Powell.

Other Genealogy Links

Genealogy Reviews - the latest reviews on genealogy products, updated every month with new reviews - this is very useful, as you can read another person's opinion on a product to see whether you want to purchase it from a company.

S&N Genealogy Supplies - the largest UK genealogy publisher and retailer, with over a decade of experience. This website sells all of the products in their catalogue (you can order a free catalogue - click here) and offers advide and customer feedback.

The Genealogist - This is a vast online research site, where you can search census transcripts and indexes, BMD records, parish records, directories, navy/crew lists, and more. Their all-inclusive subscriptions are excellent value for money.