Discover your past
Learn from the experts whether you are starting out on your family history or in need of specialist advice
The best genealogy courses available now
Discover how to learn family history skills with our pick of the best online and correspondence genealogy courses
Ancestry offers free access to 326 million wartime family history records
Don't miss free access to Second World War records on Ancestry this week
Ancestry reveals Pressure actors’ families’ wartime experiences
Researchers from Ancestry have revealed the family history of Andrew Scott and Damian Lewis ahead of their new D-Day film Pressure
How to research Italian ancestry
Do you have Italian ancestry? Discover how you can trace Italian ancestors in their home country with online family history records
What your ancestors' names tell you about them
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine editor Sarah Williams explains the stories behind your ancestors' names
What's new?
What is Y-DNA?
What is Y-DNA, what does it tell you, and which Y-DNA test is best? Debbie Kennett explains how you can use Y-DNA testing to trace the family history of your male line
How old is my house? The best house history websites
Inspired by BBC Two's A House Through Time? Jonathan Scott shows you how to trace the history of your house
Irish wills: Why are they important, and where can you find them?
Irish ancestry research experts Paul Blake and Maggie Loughran explain how to find Irish wills
Genealogist reveals most unusual name he’s come across in records
Neil Fraser, a partner at probate genealogy firm Fraser and Fraser, has revealed the most unusual name he's ever come across in records
Tithe applotment books: Our guide to finding your Irish ancestors’ land
Tithe applotment books are one of the most important family history resources for 19th century Ireland
Occupations
Discover the occupations and jobs people in your family history did
The 15 best websites for finding clergy in your family tree
An Anglican or nonconformist clergyman in your family tree can be a treat for genealogists, says Jonathan Scott
Munitionettes: Who were they and what did they do?
12-hour shifts, poisoning and deadly explosions... Bill Laws explores the hidden lives of the women who built Britain's arms during the First World War
Post Office records: How to find Post Office employee records
Susannah Coster from The Postal Museum reveals how to use Post Office records in family history
Military
Military and army records, history, research and family history
How to find out if your relatives were in the intelligence services
Discover how to find records for ancestors who were in the intelligence services
British Army records: Where to find them online
From the roots of the British Empire to the First and Second World Wars, discover what British Army records survive and how to find them with our guide for family historians
RAF records: How do I find WW2 RAF service records?
Don't miss our guide to finding the service records of WW2 RAF personnel
Overseas ancestry
Learn how to search for your ancestry overseas and discover your international family tree
Irish genealogy microsites remain offline for essential upgrades
The National Archives of Ireland's microsites were taken offline in July
The best websites for tracing Caribbean ancestors
Jonathan Scott shares his top online resources for tracing your Caribbean ancestry
Irish baby girl names: 10 of the best
How to honour your Irish heritage with ten beautiful Irish baby girl names
Photo dating
Find out more about dating and caring for your old family photographs
Old photographs: Your complete guide to cleaning, storing and displaying your family photographs
Helen Dawkins on the best way to make sure your old family photographs survive for future generations
RHS calls for help identifying 16 Victorian calling card photographs
The Royal Horticultural Society has published its collection of 756 Victorian calling card photographs online
Do you have photographs of your family in their gardens? Here’s how to uncover the stories behind them
Discover how to use clothes, photo types and more to date old photographs of your family outdoors in their gardens throughout the years
Photo dating
Find out more about dating and caring for your old family photographs
These family photos are all I have left of my grandfather and uncle who both died in the world wars
Debbie Cameron from Formby in Merseyside shares her family photographs, including of her grandfather and uncle who died in the world wars
From fishing trawlers to Second World War submarines, my family have a long connection with the sea
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine reader Hazel Garas shares some of her family photographs, including Second World War heroes
From a mysterious disappearance to meeting the Queen: These photographs reveal my family history
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine reader Pamela Spencer shares her family photographs, including from the First and Second World Wars
Church records
How to access church records, religious records, and discover religious ancestors
Five million East Riding of Yorkshire family history records go online
Ancestry has added nearly five million parish records
6.5 million nonconformist records added to MyHeritage
MyHeritage has added two major new collections of nonconformist records
Ancestry adds over two million Doncaster records
Ancestry has added a major collection of historic baptism, marriage and burial records from Doncaster
TV series
Discover more about the Who Do You Think You Are? TV series
David Olusoga to investigate Britain’s slave traders in new documentary
Finding Britain's Slave Traders with David Olusoga will feature new research into individuals and institutions involved in the transatlantic slave trade
A House Through Time: What is it, and when is it on TV?
A House Through Time travels to Scotland in a new series of the popular house history programme
The Victorians with Rob Rinder & Ruth Goodman: What is it, and when is it on TV?
Rob Rinder and Ruth Goodman will investigate railway mania in 1840s Britain in a new Channel 5 documentary