Genealogy Chat

I have just signed up on the Standard membership to see how this site works. So far I have added what I know to my tree - and what another kind person has provided from their tree on my mother's side. I now want to know more about the individuals I have found and also start researching my father's side a bit more. I need an "idiots" guide on how to do this- is there somewhere on this site that gives that sort of step by step guide on how to go about getting certificate info (which I believe gives places of birth, death, marriage etc, and also the actual dates of events, mother/father info), and census info.... where to search for what etc etc.
many thanks

A good place to start is by reading the stickied (permanent) threads at the beginning of this board and also the Finding Ancestors board.

Then if you have any specific questions someone on here will probably know the answer.

familysearch is free goes back years with census if you need help just ask

https://www.familysearch.org/

also https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Denise .............


please.please do not just take names from someone else's tree and add them to your own without carefully checking that they have done their research carefully.

We have all at some time been caught by doing that, and then finding out that the basic premise used by the other person was incorrect, and then we've had to re-do all the work based on what we took.


Have you talked to all your living relatives ........ parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc to find out what they know, and what names they can give you?

That is the first place to start.

Don't buy units to look up bmds . FreeBMD site is free and easier to use

Unless you are absolutey sure of facts then you need to purchase a copy cert from

www.gro.gov.uk they cost £9.25
they are runnng a PDF service where you can download a copy of a birth or death costing £6 .
Believe it's only for certs up to the mid1950,s though

You do need their file ref called the GRO ref that you can get from FreeBMD

www.FreeBMD.org


Not al births were registered though before 1875 when it became the legal requiement to reg a birth within 6weeks .

There are many helpers on the site who have subs to other sites like Ancestry and are very willing to look up census etc

You don't say where your relatives/ancestors lived/were born.

Re the sites recommended above, be aware that FreeBMD only has records from England/Wales.
The same applies to records on GR.

Also re buying BMD certs from GRO - only England and Wales.
For Scottish certs, you need www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk - but the images of many older certs can be viewed (and printed) there for the cost of a few credits - much cheaper than buying the cert.
For Ireland - advice on www.irishgenealogy.ie - link to relevant page here:
https://tinyurl.com/jqa6729

If your relatives came from anywhere else , FamilySearch has records from many countries.
If the record you hope to find isn't on there, you may have to look at one of the paying sites (FS doesn't have everything) - but ask here first! We're always happy to help if we can.

thankyou to all who have responded. A lot to read up on.. If I don't reply individually please don't take it that I am not reading it. I will get round to it, but not until after Easter as I am away. kind regards Denise

No need to reply individually, Denise.
Just reply on here, and then we can all see your reply.