questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:    I know when my grandfather was born, but how do I find out who his parents were?

A:    Do you have a birth certificate? If you know the date, but no certificate, then the first thing you need to do is check the birth indexes. They are printed in quarters - 1st quarter is January to March, 2nd quarter is April to June, 3rd quarter is July to September and the 4th quarter being October to December. Once you have found your grandfather in the indexes, write down the corresponding numbers. When you receive the birth certificate, it will list his parent's names, including mother's maiden name.
Another place to look would be census records, depending on your grandfather's age, if he was still at home, it will list his parent's names.

Q:   I am planning a trip to England, can I just go to these record offices and start searching while I am there?

A:   Plan ahead, in most cases you will need a 'Reader's certificate'. It is a document, which states you are a responsible researcher. Contact the office you want to visit and ask if a 'Reader's certificate' is needed. It might also be a good idea to visit your local Family History Center or Public Library and become familiar with using microfilm and microfiches as well as the equipment.

Q:   The civil registration only goes back to 1837, now where do I look?

A:   Church records can take you back to about 1538. That's when Thomas Cromwell ordered all parishes to keep track of christenings, marriages and burials.

Q:   How do I know which church to search?

A:   That's a tough one. You have to know something about your families religious history. A good place to start is talking with some older family members. If that doesn't help, start off with Church of England parishes and work from there.

Q:   I have a relative who was in the military, what can I find out about them?

A:   To research military records you are probably going to need to hire a researcher. Most records are not open to the general public and of course some have been destroyed. Military records hold a wealth of information. You will find a description of the people, birth date, address when enlisting, a description of their career and rank.

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