Discover your past
Learn from the experts whether you are starting out on your family history or in need of specialist advice
Four billion historic records are free to access for International Women’s Day
Ancestry is offering free access to record sets including census records, First World War pensions and old newspapers
The best genealogy courses available now
Discover how to learn family history skills with our pick of the best online and correspondence genealogy courses
“My ‘methodology’ was a series of errors”: Gemini generates false records and fake screenshots of TNA website
The Gemini LLM generated fake records and screenshots when Lyn James asked it for help tracing Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills
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
Irish civil records: Where to find them
Genealogist Nicola Morris of Timeline Research shares her expert tips on how to find Irish birth, marriage and death civil records
What's new?
Don't miss free access to over seven million online historic newspapers
Don't miss free access to Findmypast's newspaper collection
Five million East Riding of Yorkshire family history records go online
Ancestry has added nearly five million parish records
RAF records: How do I find WW2 RAF service records?
Don't miss our guide to finding the service records of WW2 RAF personnel
New online records can help you uncover more about your Royal Navy ancestors
Tracing Royal Naval records often leads to stories of courage, service and sacrifice. A new, exclusive and growing archive on Findmypast means you can now uncover more tales of your seafaring forebearers
Nonconformist family history: The best websites
Who were the nonconformists, and how can you find nonconformists in your family history? Discover more with our guide to the best websites
DNA
Discover how DNA testing can unlock your family history
This is the last-minute Christmas gift they'll actually remember
What secrets will your family and friends uncover?
The best DNA test kits for 2025 tried and tested
DNA expert Debbie Kennett reviews the leading commercial DNA tests on the market
The best websites for DNA family history research
Jonathan Scott wades through the jargon to bring together the best sites for understanding your family history using DNA testing
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
The Royal Naval Division: What was it, when was it founded and where can you find service records?
Discover how to trace a serviceman in the Royal Naval Division with our guide
Over 100,000 Royal Navy WW2 casualty records go online
Findmypast has added over 150,000 Royal Navy records
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
Overseas ancestry
Learn how to search for your ancestry overseas and discover your international family tree
How to find passenger lists for ships
Simon Wills explains where to find online passenger list collections for ancestors who travelled overseas
Who were the Huguenots?
Kathy Chater explains how to trace Huguenot ancestors - Protestant refugees fleeing religious persecution in France - in your family history
When will the 1926 Irish census be released?
Discover when the 1926 Irish census will be released, and how to use the existing Irish census records in your family history research
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
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
Over one million Teesside parish records go online
A new collection over one million Teesside parish records has been added to Ancestry
TV series
Discover more about the Who Do You Think You Are? TV series
Julie Walters on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
Julie Walters travelled to Ireland to trace her family history on Who Do You Think You Are?, and discovered her ancestor was a pioneering campaigner in the land movement
Sheila Hancock on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
Actor Sheila Hancock discovered colourful ancestors on both sides of the family tree when she appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?
What is Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time?
Professor Alice Roberts investigates the history of one of Britain's oldest hospitals in a new TV series