Alan E. Mann, A.G.

alan@alanmann.com Accredited Genealogist

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy January 2002

Genealogical Research Using the Internet

 

British Resources on the Internet

The Internet can play a role in nearly every aspect of British research. While the web is useful in the areas of research coordination, finding aids, & published genealogies, the web may give you access to a compiled genealogy, extracted or transcribed records, indexes, or local help. Even if you need to consult records not available electronically, a web page or an archive email address can help you get more information about the records and how you can access them. Many libraries offer online searchable catalogs. A lookup service could provide a contact who would actually look at the record and email you the results. A "how to" web page could describe the records and help you determine whether the record will meet your research goal.

I've summarized some of the ways that I've used the Internet for genealogy research in eight categories, for which examples and key Internet addresses follow in outline form.

I. Access records (original, transcribed, extracted)

V. Check compiled records

II. Reference library

VI. Find instructions

III. Coordinate research

VII. Find where records are located

IV. Collaborate with others

VIII. Share, store, and preserve

This article was updated in December 2001. Some of the addresses may have changed. If you find errors, please email me at slig@alanmann.com so I can make corrections.

I. Access records (or transcriptions, extractions, or indexes)

A. Majority available are listed on GenUKI (www.genuki.org.uk/big/) FOR EXAMPLE:
      1. Cheshire probate records (www.users.zetnet.co.uk/blangston/chswills/)
      2. Devon directories (www.terrypar.dircon.co.uk/data/dataindex.htm)
      3. Durham Church records (www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/DUR/DURSearch.html)
      4. Gloucester census records (www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/CensusRecords/Chedworth/index.html)
      5. Gloucester military records (www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/RGHussars/index.html)
      6. Kent, Minster-in-Thanet, parish registers (users.ox.ac.uk/~malcolm/genuki/big/eng/KEN/Minster/)
      7. London Jews database (www.jewishgen.org/databases/londweb.htm)
      8. Somerset newpapers indexes (freespace.virgin.net/paul.mansfield1/paul001.html)
      9. Somerset visitations (www.devon-genealogy.org.uk/visitations/Somerset/)
      10. Yorkshire marriages (North Riding) homepages.enterprise.net/pjoiner/mindex/mindex.html#Searches

B UKGenWeb archive - www.rootsweb.com/~wggenweb/ukgenweb.html

British 1901 Census - www.census.pro.gov.uk

C. British Royal Genealogies

      1. Official - www.royal.gov.uk/history/trees.htm
      2. Other (extensive listing) - www.dcs.hull.ac.uk/public/genealogy/gedcom.html

D. Simple extractions and indexes to specific databases are numerous, for example:
      1. London marriages (searchable) - www.enol.com/~infobase/gen/parish/
      2. Emigration pages - freespace.virgin.net/alan.tupman/sites/ships_us.htm

E. Check Knoblauch's list of miscellaneous databases (www.bc1.com/users/sgl/)

F. Locate additional databases or records using
      1. FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org/Search/keywordhomepage.asp)
      2. A categorized list (www.cyndislist.com, www.genealogysitefinder.com, etc.)

 

II. Reference Library (The Internet is a vast reference library--use it!)

    1. Gazetteer B Landranger Maps (www.ordsvy.gov.uk/products/Landranger/lrmsearch.cfm)
    2. Maps - www.old-maps.co.uk (uk.multimap.com) Older maps often easily obtained via Internet
    3. Street maps (www.mapquest.com), enter town or parish then England in the country
    4. PRO web site extensive (see genealogy, archives, finding aids buttons - see full content list courtesy of GenUKI at www.genuki.org.uk/indexes/PROcontents.html
    5. Catalogs
      1. National Register of Archives search (www.hmc.gov.uk/nra/nra2.htm) covers millions of documents in hundreds of archives
      2. PRO catalog (catalogue.pro.gov.uk/ListInt/Default.asp) full class lists, searchable
      3. the Electronic Access to Resources in Libraries (EARL at www.earl.org.uk)
      4. the Consortium of University Research Libraries web Online Public Access Catalogs (CURL's COPAC at copac.ac.uk/copac/)
      5. LibWeb (sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/europe-brit.html)
      6. UK Academic libraries with online catalogs (www.riss.ac.uk/reference/obi/obi.html)
      7. The British Library (official copyright office of the UK) (www.bl.uk/)
    1. Parish locator (& radius search tool) (www.genuki.org.uk/big/parloc/search.html)
    2. Manorial Documents Register (Wales, York, Hampshire) (www.hmc.gov.uk/mdr/mdr.htm)
    3. Many miscellaneous specific lists and reference helps, such as
      1. Directory of Baptist, Independent, and Methodist Chapels in Northamptonshire - www.oocities.org/grahamsward/dirchap.html
      2. English Calendar help - www.albion.edu/fac/engl/calendar/
      3. British regimental histories and army finding aids (www.du.edu/~tomills/military/uk/bargxref.htm)
    1. Standard Reference works (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.) at www.refdesk.com/

 

III. Coordinate research (find others working on the same family)

A. Contact others working on the same families

    1. Roots Surname List (over 750,000 surnames) rsl.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/rslsql.cgi
    2. Find if there is a web page, mailing list, or society for the ancestor=s family or surname using sites such as www.ffhs.org.uk/, www.cyndislist.com/surnames.htm, www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/main.asp, www.familysearch.org/share/, members.aol.com/johnf14246/gen_mail.html, and www.genealogy.com/genealogy/links/c/c-people,surnames.html
    3. There are similar services in book form. The Internet can help you find out about the books--e.g., GRD - www.ozemail.com.au/~grdxxx/index.html.

B. Use Query databases to find other researching your ancestors

    1. Use www.worldgenweb.org or pa-roots.com/england/ go to specific place and leave query
    2. See if www.genforum.com/ has a message board for your ancestor's surname
    3. Surname Helper (surhelp.rootsweb.com/srchall.html) searches 4,000 query databases
    4. Use Query Central at query.tbox.com/
    5. GenConnect queries search is at http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi?search

C. Use mailing lists (see if anyone can help)

    1. See a list of mailing lists at http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html.
    2. Mailing lists are messages (questions, announcements, information, etc.) about a specific name, family, or place that are forwarded to all interested parties. To get messages, subscribe to the mailing list (instructions in preceding link)
    3. Surname lists check for you ancestors= surnames
    4. Many mailing lists have archives that allow you to see past messages
    5. GEN-MEDIEVAL Mailing List
    6. See many more such items listed at www.CyndisList.com/mailnews.htm#Queries

D. Use newsgroups

    1. See list of newsgroups with links at www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_use.html
    2. Newsgroups are like mailing lists only you have to ask for the messages each time
    3. Most newsgroups have archives--the preceding link will link you to the archive.
    4. soc.genealogy.medieval is devoted to research in the pre-1500 time period.
    5. Use www.dejanews.com to search the archive of past messages
    1. When necessary, locate living people - use www.teldir.com, www.bigfoot.com, www.whowhere.com, www.people.yahoo.com/, etc. to get contact information

 

IV. Collaborate with others (find others working in the same area or the same name)

  1. Use FamilySearch Internet collaboration lists (www.familysearch.org/Share/default.asp)
  2. Use resources shown in III just above but consider working with non-relatives.
  3. Use Roots Location List (searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/Genea/rll) to search places to find others working in the same area
  4. Determine if there's a one-name Society for the surname (www.one-name.org/)
  5. Use BritishIslesGenWeb (www.britishislesgenweb.com/) to find others willing to help
  6. England Lookup Exchange (www.oocities.org/Heartland/Plains/8555/lookup.html)
  7. Use Mike Rice's helplist to get help from someone in the area (posom.com/hl)
  8. Put your data on a collaborative site where you authorize relatives to work on the database, with everyone's changes, additions, and updates available to all.(see www.ancestry.com/oft/main.asp)

 

V Check compiled sources -- take advantage of what=s already been researched

A. Check collections of family genealogies turned in by others

    1. Use Pedigree Resource File (www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=prf/search_PRF.asp&clear_form=true; also on CD-ROM)
    2. Use Ancestral File (www.familysearch.org/Search/searchaf.asp)
    3. Check 160 million names at Ancestry World Tree (www.ancestry.com/worldtree/tree.htm)
    4. Search 24 million names at GenServ (www.genserv.org/)
    5. See an index to 95 million names at www.mytrees.com/ (not free)
    6. Gendex - index to HTML converted family histories www.gendex.com/
    7. Many other such collections

B. Check huge databases containing many different records

    1. FamilySearch Internet Search For Ancestors at www.familysearch.org/
    2. Internet Family Finder--indexes published family histories www.familytreemaker.com/allsearch.html#iff
    3. Ancestry search millions of names in one search, including some British records and magazine articles at www.ancestry.com/ancestry/search.asp
    4. Genealogy Library -- thousands of books in one index at www.genealogylibrary.com

C Check data on other collective online indexes

    1. Index to 200+ Broderbund's online at www.genealogy.com/cdhome.html. Index tells which CD, then use the CD Lookup Exchange (genweb.net/~gen-cds/cdlist.html) to get details.
    2. Index to all books published by Heritage Books (www.heritagebooks.com)
    3. Find out more about CD-ROM products from www.genealogy.com/cdhome.html, www.heritagequest.com, www.appletons.com, or www.globalgenealogy.com

D. Use indexes to records on the Internet

    1. www.oocities.org/Heartland/6266/indexes.htm
    2. www.oocities.org/Heartland/Acres/8310/gensearcher.html

 

VI. Find instructions (get information on how to research)

  1. All of the PRO leaflets and guides on over 100 topics (www.pro.gov.uk/leaflets/Riindex.asp)
  2. The Society of Genealogists instructional leaflets (www.sog.org.uk/leaflets/)
  3. Use Research Helps (www.familysearch.org/sg/), which has all of the FHL research outlines and the catalog helper (select a goal, it tells you what records can help you achieve that goal). SourceGuide can be fully searched www.familysearch.org/Search/keywordhomepage.asp.
  4. Use Online University (www.genealogy.com/genealogy/university.html), which has tutorials and classes on how to research your family and to use specific records.
  5. Use newsgroups, mailing lists, family history societies, and libraries (see III C and D, above) to ask questions and learn about research methods, sources, and resources
  6. Attend a genealogy conference or seminar for instruction (see calendar of events online)

 

VII. Find where records are located

    1. Family History Library Catalog Surname Index--www.familysearch.org/Search/searchcatalog.asp/
    2. Library of Congress Surname Catalog (simple search at lcweb.loc.gov/)
    3. Find other online catalogs (see www.libdex.com, www.cyndislist.com/lib-gen.htm, etc.)
    4. Ask questions by email (good, quick response); See www.genuki.org.uk/big/.
    5. Use browse categories in comprehensive sites to find web sites of other record offices (www.genuki.org.uk/big/), (www.familysearch.org/Browse/browse.asp), (www.CyndisList.com), (www.genealogy.com/genealogy/links/index.html), etc.

 

VIII. Share research findings, store & preserve your research.

    1. Use GEDCOM & email to share copies of branches of your family with relatives
    2. Create a web page with your software program and tell others where it is. Use free web space from Homestead, Netscape, or GeoCities (or other similar service).
    3. Submit your genealogy to various online services mentioned in IV, above.
    4. Use Preserve Your Genealogy (www.familysearch.org/Preserve/) to store a copy in the LDS Granite Rocky Mountain Vault and be added to Pedigree Resource File
    5. Use CD-ROM burner (create your own CD-ROM, save it offsite)
    6. Scan to preserve photos electronicallyCstore copies online; email photos to family
    7. Create a family organization, society, or private family site for sharing family news, pedigrees, research notes, and more.
      1. Use www.myfamily.com for free family space with many functions
      2. Get help creating a society from www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/main.asp

For 2001 Salt Lake Institute students, I forgot:

History Online - UK www.ihrinfo.ac.uk/ihr/info6.html

Internet Medieval Sourcebook www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html

©Copyright 2001-2 by Alan E. Mann. All rights reserved. Written permission to reproduce all or part of this syllabus material in any format, including photocopying, data retrieval or any computer bulletin boards, must be secured in advance from the copyright holder.