Discover your past
Learn from the experts whether you are starting out on your family history or in need of specialist advice
When was the 1901 census taken?
Discover everything you need to know about the 1901 census, including where to find records for the UK and Ireland
How to find WW2 POW records
If your family member was a prisoner of war in the Second World War, there are a good number of surviving records to help you find out more
Scottish names and naming traditions
Discover which surnames, first names and clan names are Scottish and how to tell if you have Scottish family history
Archive of Irish emigrant letters goes online
The University of Galway has created Imirce, a new free website of historic letters by Irish emigrants in the USA and elsewhere
Wartime weddings and trips to the beach: Discover my family history in these beautiful old photographs
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine reader Val Thorley from Aberforth, West Wales shares her family photographs
What's new?
Second World War Army records: Where to find them
If someone in your family history served in the Army during the Second World War, here's how to track down their records
Irish ancestry: How to trace Irish ancestry
Discover if you have Irish ancestry with the help of our list of the best Irish ancestry websites
How to find bankruptcy records online
If your ancestor was bankrupt or insolvent, find out how to trace historic bankruptcy records with our guide
What is an agricultural labourer?
Almost all of us will have agricultural labourer ancestors. Discover more about their lives and how to research them with our guide
How to find Royal Navy service records
Simon Wills reveals how family historians can find their ancestors’ Royal Navy service records – from the Napoleonic Wars to the First and Second World Wars
DNA
Discover how DNA testing can unlock your family history
The best DNA test kits for 2024 tried and tested
Debbie Kennett, author of DNA and Social Networking, explains why DNA testing is increasingly important in family history research.
Police access, health insurance, matching with distant relatives and more: Your DNA test questions answered
Will a DNA test affect your health insurance premiums? Can the police access the database? Your family history DNA test questions answered
What is STR and SNP DNA?
Alasdair Macdonald and Graham Holton explain the difference between STR DNA and SNP DNA in understanding your family history
Occupations
Discover the occupations and jobs people in your family history did
How to find hat-makers in your family history
Nell Darby picks the best online resources to find your hat-making ancestors
How to find First World War nurses' records
How you can use free online records from The National Archives to trace the pioneering women who served as nurses in the First World War
How to find nursing records in the UK
Discover how to trace the historic records of nurses and military nurses in the UK online
Military
Military and army records, history, research and family history
The National Archives seeks bidders to digitise Home Guard records
The National Archives has published a notice seeking expressions of interest in digitising Second World War Home Guard records
When is VJ Day?
What was VJ Day? When did it take place? And how did people celebrate? Kevin Telfer looks back at the end of the Second World War
Battle of Britain pilots: How many pilots were killed, are any still alive and how can you trace them?
Jonathan Scott surveys the best websites for researching Battle of Britain pilots and ground crew
Overseas ancestry
Learn how to search for your ancestry overseas and discover your international family tree
Historic Guinness employee records go online
Family history website Ancestry has added a collection of 1.6 million Guinness employee records from Dublin's Guinness Storehouse
What is child migration?
Thousands of child migrants were sent to Canada, Australia and elsewhere - here's how to find out more
Convict records: Where to find them
Was your ancestor transported to Australia as a convict? Find out how to uncover their story with these online records
Photo dating
Find out more about dating and caring for your old family photographs
How to date Victorian and Edwardian photographs
National Trust curator Catherine Troiano reveals some of her tips on how to date Victorian and Edwardian photographs
What is a super recogniser?
Gail Dixon discovers how 'super recognisers' are helping family historians identify relatives in old images
How to make a family history photobook
We explain how to make a photobook to share your family photographs, and which are the best photobook services
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
Military | What do these photographs reveal about my grandfather's service in WW1?
Phil Tomaselli analyses some old family photographs dating back to the First World War
Scan old photo albums using the Google PhotoScan app
How to use the free Google PhotoScan app to scan photos to digital and share precious family albums
Church records
How to access church records, religious records, and discover religious ancestors
How to find baptism records
Genealogist Paul Blake explains why English and Welsh baptism records are important in family history research, and where you can find them online
Parish chest records: What are they, and how can you use them in family history?
So-called because they were kept in chests in the parish, parish chest records include churchwardens' accounts, settlement orders, bastardy examinations and more
What is a marriage bond?
Discover how marriage licences were used as an alternative to marriage by banns in England and Wales, and how marriage bond and allegation records can be used in family history
TV series
Discover more about the Who Do You Think You Are? TV series
Emma Willis on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
TV presenter Emma Willis discovered links to industrial Birmingham and to Ireland's religious strife when she traced her family history on Who Do You Think You Are?
Lesley Manville on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
The Crown star Lesley Manville discovered her ancestor was transported to Australia for his role in a riot when she appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?
Alex Kingston on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
Doctor Who star Alex Kingston discovered an ancestor who kept a brothel when she traced her family history on Who Do You Think You Are?