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Beginners start here
Advice sites on how to start/carry out your research
- A Beginner's summary on Glamorgan Family History Society
- Genuki's "Getting Started in Genealogy"
- Another Genuki site explains in simple language how to begin your research .
- A tutorial on Genuki's "A-Z of British Genealogical Research"
- The LDS Wales Research Guidance site
- The FFHS's First Steps in FH site
- 'Internet Stuff You Need To Know' on Cyndi's List
- Rootsweb's Guide to tracing your Family Tree
- Life on the Net/Genealogy by ft.com [ Financial Times]
Professional researchers.
- The UK based Association of Genealogists and Record Agents (AGRA) has a site on http://www.agra.org.uk - has a list of professional researchers on there
- County Archives (Records Offices) do offer research services themselves, they also may hold lists of local pro-researchers
- Association of Scottish Genealogists and Record Agents
- Association of Professional Genealogists based in the USA
Lookup Exchange
Here is the gateway page to the Wales Lookup Exchange which has separate sections for;
- All Wales
- Cardiganshire
- Carmarthenshire
- Glamorgan
- Pembrokeshire
- One Name Database
- Mid Wales Lookup Exchange
Census Dates
To prevent double counting, people were listed at the addresses where they were on census night, or to which they intended to return the following day after a night's work or travel. It is simplest to refer to the separate censuses by the dates either side of the midnight of census night.
- 6-7 June1841
- 30-31 March 1851
- 7-8 April 1861
- 2-3 April 1871
- 3-4 April 1881
- 5-6 April 1891
- 31March -1 April 1901
- 2 - 3 April 1911
Welsh Counties, then and now
The boundaries and names of many counties in England and Wales changed both in 1974 and again in 1996. This can make it difficult to locate parishes and records.
This is an outline summary of the boundary and name changes in Wales in 1974 and 1996. In 1996 some new County Boroughs were also formed in some urban areas. However be aware that those counties which reverted to their pre-1974 name in 1996 may not have reverted to exactly the same geographical boundaries.
The changes may also be seen in map format by clicking the links below
PRE 1974 1974-1996 1996
Anglesey / Ynys Mon
Gwynedd
Anglesey
Breconshire/Brecknock
Powys
Powys
Caernarfonshire
Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Cardiganshire
Dyfed
Ceredigion
Carmarthenshire
Dyfed
Carmarthenshire
Denbighshire
Clwyd
Denbighshire
Wrexham County Borough
Flintshire
Clwyd
Flintshire
Conwy County Borough
Glamorgan
South Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Merthyr Tydfil
Neath Port Talbot
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Vale of Glamorgan
County of Swansea
Merionethshire/Merionydd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Monmouthshire
Gwent (included a small part of Glamorgan)
Monmouthshire, Newport, Blaenau Gwent,Torfaen
Montgomeryshire
Powys
Powys
Pembrokeshire
Dyfed
Pembrokeshire
Radnorshire
Powys
Powys
The recent changes in the county boundaries and names mean that some records have also been moved causing problems for Family Historians, therefore recommended reading for anyone researching in Wales is:
" RESEARCHING FAMILY HISTORY IN WALES" by Jean Istance and E.E.Cann., Federation of Family History Societies (Publications) Ltd. 1996. ISBN 1-86006-030-7.
This book provides the following information:
- 1) A brief history of the pre 1974 counties and details of the changes made in 1974 and 1996.
- 2) Addresses, phone nos., opening times and holdings of all Record Offices.
- 3) Addresses, phone nos., and holdings of all libraries and museums.
- 4) Addresses and phone nos., of all LDS Family History Centres.
- 5) Addresses and phone nos., of all Register Offices.
- 6) Addresses and phones nos. of all Tourist Information Offices.
- 7) Details of local attractions of interest to local historians.
Research books
These are mainly books I have personally, there are many others available.
Listed in no particular order
- 1. Welsh Family History: A Guide to Research, 2nd ed, chapters by various authors. Edited by John & Sheila Rowlands. Published by the Assoc. of Family History Societies of Wales and the FFHS.[ISBN 1-86006-065-X] 1998, 325 p. The chapter titles are: Introduction, Archive Repositories in Wales, Family History Societies of Wales, Parish Registers and, Bishop's Transcripts, Civil Registration and the Census, Nonconformity, The Surnames of Wales, Place Names, Some Basic Welsh for Family Historians, The IGI for Wales, Estate Records, Maritime Records, Wills and Other Records of Inheritance, Education Records, Parochial Records, The Welsh at Law, The Records of the Courts of Great Sessions for Wales, Printed and Manuscript Pedigrees, Migration
- 2. Researching Family History in Wales by Jean Istance and E Cann 1996. Detailed information about the Record Offices and Libraries of Wales. [ISBN 1-86006-030-7]
- 3. The Surnames of Wales for family historians and others, by John & Sheila Rowlands 1996 A description / analysis of the development of surnames within Wales down to modern times. ISBN 1-86006-025-0.
"The dominance of a small number of common surnames in Wales can be a major stumbling block for those researching their Welsh ancestry or those wishing to distinguish between individuals within a given community as part of a local history study. This book attempts to dispel the myths that surround the subject of surnames in Wales - such as the widely-held belief (outside Wales) that nearly everyone is called Jones - by describing the development of surnames within Wales down to modern times. Equal emphasis has been given within the text to common names found throughout Wales and to rarer ones found only in specific localities. [The survey given] of surnames in Wales in the period 1813-1837 can be used to suggest a place of origin within Wales for groups of people (a minimum of two) about whom all that is known is that 'they came from Wales'. For many people whose ancestors left Wales for other parts of Britain or the New World this predictive method could offer the first real opportunity for making progress in tracing those elusive (and often seemingly anonymous) Welsh ancestors by narrowing down the potential search area."- 4. The Family Tree Detective 3rd ed, by Colin Rogers 1997. Tracing your Ancestors in England and Wales. ISBN 0-7190-5213-0
- 5. Basic Sources for Family History. 1: back to the early 1800s, by A.Todd 1989. 2nd ed.[Allen & Todd]
- 6. Ancestral Trails . The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History. by Mark D. Herber 1997. [ISBN 0-7509-1418-1] Published by Sutton Publishing/S.O.G. 674 pages.
There is a revised and updated 2nd edition published in 2004. (CN 120647)- 7. Second Stages in Researching Welsh Ancestry, 1999, edited by John and Sheila Rowlands. ISBN 1-86006-066-8. 'Success in researching our Welsh ancestry requires some understanding of the social, cultural , religious and economic background to the communities in which our ancestors lived, this book aims to broaden that understanding, especially for the period before 1800......'
- 8. -
- 9. Tracing the History of Your House, a guide to sources. By Nick Barratt. PRO, 2001. ISBN 1-903365-22-8
- 10. Tracing your Ancestors in the PRO. By Amanda Bevan. ISBN 1-903365-34-1. 6th ed, PRO, 2002. 524 pages.
- 11. The Local History Companion. By Stephen Friar. ISBN 0-7509-2722-4. Sutton Publishing, 2001. 506 pages.
- 12. The Welsh Almanac. By T D Breverton. 2002. ISBN 1-903529-107. Crammed with facts about Wales and Welsh events, a most informative book
- 13. Making Sense of the Census Revisited by Edward Higgs. University of London School of Advance Study/Inst. of Historical Research/TNA, 2005. 232p. ISBN 1 905165 00 5
The following have been recommended by other researchers;
- 1. The Family Historian's Enquire Within by Pauline Saul & F.C Markwell (FFHS 1991)
- 2a The Oxford Guide to family History
2b The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History
Genuki, a route map
What is Genuki ?
The aim of Genuki is to serve as a large virtual reference library of genealogical information that is of particular relevance to the UK and Ireland. It is a free service using computer resources that are kindly provided by various universities and individuals.
Its front page can be accessed at Genuki with an useful Frequently Asked Questions page on FAQ.
Or go direct to the Wales page .
There are separate county Surname Lists reached via Welsh genealogy, these are for you to post your own interests, and check out the names other people are researching.David Hawgood has written a book on Genuki and it is also available online in its entirety on http://www.hawgood.co.uk/
See also Getting certificates [GRO]
See also Registration Districts
IGI
The International Genealogical Index is a database containing well over 100 million names , mainly baptismal entries from parish and non-parochial registers all over England & Wales, together with a smaller number of marriages. Neither deaths or burials are included.
The Index has been compiled and computerised by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
It is arranged under counties, the entries are listed in alphabetical order of surnames grouped under spelling variations as decided on by the compilers.
The surnames themselves are arranged in alpha order of forenames and then chronologically.
Marriages are indexed under the names of both parties.
The coverage of any given parish is not necessarily complete.
In Wales the LDS has not been allowed to microfilm or index the parish registers so the Welsh IGI contains only a small number of entire registers. But this is less serious than it seems as they have been able to use the BTs instead.The IGI can be a most useful resource but should be used as a finding aid only, indexed entries should be checked to the actual register etc.
There is a problem peculiar to Welsh research in that the method adopted to cope with the patronymic system,when registers pre 1813 also contained no surname column , assumed incorrectly that in all cases a son took his father's christian name as his surname.
For example, a 1783 bapt for William son of John Thomas would be indexed under John, not Thomas in the Surname Index.
It gets worse, if there are more than 2 father's names, the rest are discarded completely, so the actual surname may not appear at all never mind in the wrong place.
There is also a Given Name index, where, for example, all the Williams are grouped together.The IGI is available on fiche for searching at many Records Offices, and some FHS centres, as well as the LDS FHCs where name extracts are increasingly downloadable to CD for taking away with you. [see also Patronymic)
Welsh language
Some sites with links to many other Welsh language sites;
http://www.anoeth.demon.co.uk/cyfall.html#CADG "Cymraeg, a Dysgu'r Gymraeg" (Welsh, and learning Welsh)
http://www.gwybodiadur.co.uk/ "These pages are designed to help you find books, tapes, CD-ROMs and online resources to do with the Welsh language, focusing particularly on Welsh dictionaries. They are aimed mainly at Welsh learners and therefore written in English. You won't find much here about Welsh literature, music, history, politics, genealogy, tourism, mythology, recipes, Celtic jewellery or whatever, although some of the links will still be useful to you........."
http://pcfcij.dbs.aber.ac.uk/cymraeg/welsh.html Twll - the Welsh Learners' Links
Welsh/English and English /Welsh online dictionary (Univ of Wales, Lampeter)
http://www.cymraeg.org.uk/ "apertium-cy, the first free automatic translator for Welsh"