Step 1: Ask the Family.

Write down everything that YOU can recall about your family. Contact as many relatives as possible (especially older ones), to find out what THEY know. Seek out any family papers and photographs, and photocopy where necessary. Draw out a rough family tree to enable you to plan the next steps of your research.

Step 2: Civil Registration.

For English and Welsh ancestry since 1 July1837, obtain copies of key birth, marriage or death certificates from either The Family Records Centre, 1 Myddelton Street, London EC1 R 1 UW (which hold the General Register Office indexes for the whole of England and Wales), or from relevant local Registry Offices. (NB. Some larger local libraries have microform copies of the GRO indexes.) Birth certificates usually name both parents and give the mother's maiden surname. Marriage certificates generally include the names of the fathers of both bride and groom.

For Scottish ancestry since 1855, similar certificates can be obtained from New Register House, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3YT, and for Irish births, marriages & deaths since 1864 contact the Registrar General, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2. Registrations for Northern Ireland after 1921 are at Oxford House, 49-55 Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 4HL

Step 3: Census Returns.

Beyond the start of civil registration, you will be largely dependent on parish (or non-conformist) church registers of baptism, marriage and burial. Bridging the gap between civil registration and church registers can often be achieved with the help of census returns. Those for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 & 1891 for England and Wales are currently available at the Family Records Centre, with local libraries often holding copies of returns for their own area. Census returns give names, ages and occupations and, post 1841, family relationships, marital status and birthplace, and are therefore a valuable source for family history. The original returns are arranged by location, but many returns have now been surname indexed, including those for the whole of 1881. The 1881 census index is available on both microfiche and CDROM, as are the indexes to the 1851 returns for Devon, Norfolk and Warwickshire. The Family Records Centre has most - but not all - of the available indexes.

Step 4: Parish Records.

These days, most parish church records are held at County Record Offices, but there may also be microform copies available at the relevant local studies library. Most surviving nonconformist church registers pre 1840 are deposited at the Public Record Office, and can be seen on microfilm at the Family Records Centre.

The International Genealogical Index, known as the IGI, is an index to some 250 million births, baptisms and marriages world-wide. It has been compiled by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), and is available in many libraries and record offices, the Church's own Family History Centres, and on the Internet. However, it is not complete, and should be used with caution. Numerous other parish register indexes are also available. The Society of Genealogists (14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Rd., London EC1A 7BA) has a large collection of parish register transcripts and indexes.

Step 5: Wills and Administrations.

Even if you think your ancestors were too poor to have left a will, you should always check probate records -just in case! They can be a wonderful source of information. All English and Welsh probate records since 1858 are at the Principal Probate Registry, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holbom, London WC1 V 6NP. Earlier wills and administrations were proved in either the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (records at the Family Records Centre), or in provincial church courts (records usually in County Record Offices).

Other Steps:-

• Check to see if anyone else is researching your family. Many family-history- societies publish directories of their members' interests. Many family historians, both here and overseas also advertise their interests in the "Genealogical Research Directory" and in the British Isles Genealogical Register (BiGR). The latter is produced periodically on microfiche by the Federation of Family History Societies.
  
• Join your local family history, attend their meetings and participate in their activities. Most societies produce regular journals, and have regular meetings with varied programmes of lectures and bookstalls where you can buy basic family history guides. You will also find it beneficial to join those societies that cover the areas where your ancestors came from. A list of family history societies can be obtained from The Administrator, Federation of Family History Societies, The Benson Room, Birmingham and Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham B3 3BS.
  
• Attend a family history class - check with your local Adult Education Centre to find out whether they offer one, or contact the Worker's Educational Association for details of any classes that they may be running.
  
• There are numerous family history books available, so do visit your local library. However information relevant to family history research is changing all the time, so look for the most up-todate publications. Also ask if the library has any material on CDROM (e.g. the 1881 Census index). The Federation of Family History Societies publishes a range of budget-priced books that can both aid your research and help in the location of source material. A publications list can be obtained from FFHS Publications, 2-4 Killer Street, Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancs BLO 9BZ.

© Meryl Catty April 2000