At the start of the First World War, the Royal Navy was the largest in the world, employing hundreds of thousands of men and women.
And for many families, naval service wasn’t a one-off occupation, it carried through generations. So, if you have British roots, there’s a good chance you have a family member who’s served.
Exclusive new archives on Findmypast mean it’s now even easier to trace the lives of ancestors who served from the Battle of Trafalgar to the Second World War.
The remarkable records make Findmypast one of the best places to start researching your naval connections.
Life in the Royal Navy
The origins of the Royal Navy can actually be traced back to King Henry VIII. During his reign from 1509 to 1547, he created England’s first fleet of around 40 warships.
From the 1500s, the Navy played a huge role in British history, taking part in major conflicts – from the Spanish Armada through the Napoleonic Wars to WW2 and the Falklands War.
Royal Navy crews have always been diverse, drawn from different regions and social backgrounds. Over time, the range of roles has expanded, attracting all types of recruits – from Fleet Air Arm personnel to women who served in the Women's Royal Naval Service and submariners.
Life at sea was often tough, and in the 18th century boys could start their naval careers at just age 12.
This mix of diverse characters and intense hardships led to the colourful stories that endure today. It’s no wonder we’re keen to dive deeper into the lives of our seafaring ancestors.
New and exclusive records
An ever-growing archive on Findmypast allows you to trace sailors, officers and support staff across decades of naval service.
Six new, major collections have been made available through an exclusive collaboration with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, making Findmypast an even richer resource for tracing ships and crews lost to the deep.
New additions added to the naval records include:
- British Royal Navy Casualty Logs, 1939–1945 (around 100,000 records)
- Battle of Trafalgar Prize Book, 1807–1809 (around 5,400 ships and 100,000 names)
- British Royal Navy Submarine Movement Cards (40,000 records)
- British Women’s Royal Naval Service Enrolment, 1917–1919 (6,000 records)
- Royal Naval Division Records, 1916–1919 (4,500 records)
- British and Allied Warships Lost in WWII, 1939–1945 (420 records)
Findmypast has also added 10,469,334 Navy list records, which provide the name, rank, occupation and promotion dates of those who served between 1921 and 1937.
And there are more to come throughout the year.
Delving into the archives
If you’ve attempted to research your Royal Navy connections in the past, you may have already accessed some of the following records:
- Service records – These reveal dates of birth and enlistment, ships served on, ranks held and discharge details.
- Muster rolls and pay records – Lists of crew on board a ship and pay owed.
- Medal records – Medals awarded in wars confirm service.
- Pension records – Used to trace long-serving members or those injured.
- Census records – From 1841 on, censuses sometimes list naval service, rank or ships.
Findmypast’s new records will help get your research moving again.
Uncovering fascinating histories
When viewed alongside the historical events of the time, naval records can bring ancestors to life, revealing vivid and often surprising personal stories. They help trace careers in detail – sometimes transforming what we thought we knew about an individual.
Take Lawrence William Skerratt, for example. Thanks to the exclusive records, we can now follow his rise from stoker petty officer to highly skilled and trusted engineering specialist.
Skerratt, born in 1903 in Derbyshire, had school records that painted an unpromising picture. Yet his fortunes changed when he joined the Royal Navy’s submarine service.
Through the 1930s his career flourished as he rotated between major depot ships and submarine postings.
By 1941, he had risen to petty officer mechanic, one of the highest-ranking engineering specialists, on submarine HMS Torbay. Torbay saw active service in the Mediterranean during WWII, undertaking dangerous patrols, and Skerratt was awarded with the Distinguished Service Medal for his service.
Could Findmypast’s new naval collections uncover an exceptional character in your family tree?