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Genealogy

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Original poster

I'm thinking of getting my Dad some kind of membership to an online geneology site for his birthday, any recommendations?

17 replies

3Ddonut · 06/10/2008 21:04

He's dabbled a little in the past,but nothing too serious, so a 'beginners' package would be good. Any ideas?

OP posts:

JustKeepSwimming · 06/10/2008 21:05

have a look at ancestry.co.uk
i use that one the most.

SmugColditz · 06/10/2008 21:05

have a look at national geographic, they are doing a fascinating gene project, tracing your dna type back through the ages. i'll see if i can find it

llareggub · 06/10/2008 21:05

I think ancestry is great, but I'm no expert. There is usually a 14 day free trial if you wanted to have a play with it to see what you think.

SmugColditz · 06/10/2008 21:08

here

BigBadMousey · 06/10/2008 21:08

another vote for ancestry.co.uk

TheManagement · 06/10/2008 21:10

I was also thinking of something like this for my Dad too! But he doesn't use the internet, so I was wondering about paying someone to do a number of days research for him.
I wouldn't know where to start though - how do you get a recommendation for a 'good' geneologist, as opposed to someone who just took your money, but then said 'I couldn't find anything!'

JustKeepSwimming · 06/10/2008 21:13

TM - (if it's UK based family tree) i'll do it for you for nothing! (unless you want certificates which i would expect you to pay for but would only order relevant ones).
Have done it for others before.

if not uk-based i won't lie, i would give it a go but can't promise anything...

Original poster

3Ddonut · 06/10/2008 21:21

Thanks, had a look at ancestory, but it's a bit too pricey, are they all around this prices? I might ask my sister to go halves...!

OP posts:

TheManagement · 06/10/2008 21:24

TM - that is so kind, but if you managed to find stuff I would want to pay you.
How can I contact you - looks like you don't accept conatact-another-talker?

JustKeepSwimming · 07/10/2008 07:40

TM - i think i have got the CAT thing sorted out?
I could keep a record of how many hours spent on it and you can decide what you think is ok, but really i'm a family tree geek and happy to do it
Just been helping my uncle with his MA thesis, doing the tree of a bloke he was researching and that's handed in now so nothing on right now.

throckenholt · 07/10/2008 07:44

if he is anywhere around 1840-1900 ancestry.co.uk is the best because it has all the census returns - not cheap but all in one place.

try the trial first.

As for getting someone else to do it - well for me the fun in finding them - the knowing is sort of secondary !

midlandsmumof4 · 08/10/2008 22:56

I did this for my MIL and Ancestry.co.uk is definitely the best. Yes, it is pricey but well worth it. With the full subscription you have access to all census's and also all birth, marriage & death records virtually from when they began up til the present day. I just dropped a few questions into our general conversation and managed to trace her family back to the early 1800's including finding her fathers war death record (he was killed in WW2 aged 40). I got so hooked I did my FIL's side too!!

throckenholt · 09/10/2008 07:33

make sure it is the .co.uk site and not the .com one - it specialises in the uk stuff - .com is more American oriented.

Original poster

3Ddonut · 09/10/2008 17:34

Thanks for all your help, I will have another look around Christmas time, he'll have to make do with a book for his birthday!

OP posts:

MillyMoop · 11/10/2008 18:58

If you choose ancestry it's worth checking the cashback sites I am on wepromiseto and did my membership through them and got 25%cashback for doing it!

ivykaty44 · 13/10/2008 21:16

3d, you may find that your dad's local library subscrib to ancestry - therefore he may be able to search on the library pc's for free anyway.

Not knowing where your dad lives (and not wanting to either) but whatever county it is in search for that county record office on google - then email the office and see if they run any courses at the office for family history.

That way your dad could go and learn more, meet people that also enjoy the same hobbie and they are not usually as expensive as a subscription site.

Copper · 17/10/2008 09:51

you can do quite a lot for free on the freebmd site www.freebmd.org.uk/ - not censuses, but a good database compiled by volunteers of the indexes to birth, marriage and death certificates back to 1837. You can get the reference here and then get in touch with the General Register Office to get the certificate.

If anybody lives near the National Archives at Kew, they can get free access to the online censuses, first world war soldiers records etc there. Still not the birth certs, though - you still have to get in touch with the General Register Office who hold them but won't let you see them - you have to buy copies. (Hope this is not Grandma and eggs, but I know lots of people go to the National Archives expecting to see certificates,and get disappointed.)

Ancestry is pretty good. But I do really like the suggestion of getting him in touch with a family history group - good way to make new friends and learn a lot of quite tricky things in a pleasant way.

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