Library of the Royal Colonial Institute

Researching Ancestry,
Where Do I Start?

When you first begin your research, you need to talk to any living relatives and try to get as much information from them as possible.

Make notes and try to draw out a basic tree with your own knowledge and the information provided by them. Then you're ready to start filling in the gaps and work your way back through your tree.

Use the built-in family tree building package, Treeview to add people, notes, images, exhibits and more with automatic linking to the available records available in your subscription.

The Genealogist offers core sources essential to every family historian. Key records include the census for England and Wales (1841-1911), civil registration indexes of births, marriages and deaths (BMD) 1837-2005, Parish & Non Conformist Records, Wills etc and much more.

For more information and guides on our tools and resources, please view our guides on other collections at the bottom of this page.



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