Discover your past
Learn from the experts whether you are starting out on your family history or in need of specialist advice
Irish census records and census substitutes: Where to find them
Although many have been destroyed, Irish census records and their substitutes are still essential tools for anyone researching their Irish roots
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
The best genealogy courses available now
Discover how to learn family history skills with our pick of the best online and correspondence genealogy courses
60,000 'lost' Irish census records go online
The Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland has announced a major new addition of previously lost Irish family history records
Millions of people alive today are descended from the royal family - here's how to tell if you're one of them
Are you descended from royalty? Here's how to tell
What's new?
Scottish ancestry: How to find free Scottish records online
Discover your Scottish ancestry with the help of these free Scottish ancestry records online
How to find old maps of your town
Jonathan Scott picks the best websites for finding old maps of your town and where your ancestors lived
UK naturalisation records: Where to find them
If your ancestors became naturalised citizens in the UK, don't miss our complete guide to finding naturalisation records
How to find passenger lists for ships
Simon Wills explains where to find online passenger list collections for ancestors who travelled overseas
Battle of Britain pilots: How many pilots were killed and how can you trace them?
Jonathan Scott surveys the best websites for researching Battle of Britain pilots and ground crew
DNA
Discover how DNA testing can unlock your family history
US biotechnology company to purchase 23andMe
Troubled DNA testing company 23andMe is to be purchased by a leading biotechnology company
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
Alarm bells rang when I couldn't find my Dad's birth record — I took a DNA test and was amazed at what I discovered
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine reader Nicola Crawley reveals how she found out the truth about her father's paternity thanks to a DNA test
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... discover 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
When was D-Day, and what happened?
When was D-Day, and what happened? Gavin Mortimer takes us inside the bloody landings by Allied forces in Normandy on 6 June 1944
How to find Irish Volunteers records
Discover the history of the Irish Volunteers, and how to trace family who were involved in the Irish Civil War, with our guide
How to find Revolutionary War records
Discover how to trace ancestors who fought in the American Revolutionary War online
Overseas ancestry
Learn how to search for your ancestry overseas and discover your international family tree
How to find French birth, marriage and death records
Get started researching your French ancestry with our guide
Discover your Irish ancestry in 48 hours: The complete tourist's guide to Dublin's archives and museums for St Patrick's Day
Discover how to research your Irish family history on a 48-hour tour of Dublin
"The need to defend the truth has been given new urgency": Thousands of Holocaust records go online
The Wiener Holocaust Library has launched Wiener Digital Collections, a new digital portal
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
Over one million Teesside parish records go online
A new collection over one million Teesside parish records has been added to Ancestry
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
TV series
Discover more about the Who Do You Think You Are? TV series
The Great Plague with Rob Rinder & Ruth Goodman: What is it, and when is it on TV?
What is The Great Plague with Rob Rinder & Ruth Goodman, and when is it on TV?
Who Do You Think You Are? programme makers and fans pick their favourite moments
As the BBC's celebrity family history show Who Do You Think You Are? celebrates its 20th anniversary, we share 20 of the best moments
Josh Widdicombe on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know
Comedian Josh Widdicombe discovered that he's descended from royalty when he traced his family history on Who Do You Think You Are?