Geneaology advice please

[jazzactivist]

Hi all, I have suddenly taken a notion to find out more about my great grandmother who was reportedly Italian. I don't have any living relatives to ask, and all I know about my grandfather is that he was born in 1904 in London, and married my grandmother sometime between 1921 - 23. I have tried looking on various wesbites, but as both had pretty ordinary names so there are lots of possibilities to choose from, and each of the websites requires payment to look in more depth. Does anyone know of any free ways to search for my grandfather's birth certificate where I could get the name of his mother, so that I don't have to pay for a whole lot of strangers' birth certificates? Thank-you and much appreciated.

[sheddie]

A friend of mine did some searching for me and used Census forms to get lots of free information. Hope this helps, it really is so interesting.

[Serenity]

Hi, I've been researching mine for a couple of years now and have found this site quite useful www.freebmd.org.uk . Its free to search but as its put together by volunteers some parts of the UK aren't covered. If you need any other info please let me know.

[eleanor2]

jazz i will watch this thread cus i am interested to.i do have a mormon library close.i keep promising myself to go and search.

[Serenity]

Their website is really useful too - www.familysearch.com . I was lucky and found that someone on the site had an ancestor linked to one of mine (my great great grandmothers sister)and had traced the family back to the 1500's. I haven't been that lucky elsewhere but have traced most branches back to around 1800 - execpt for my paternal grandmothers side - she's a real enigma!!!

[eleanor2]

this is great 2 links i am going to try them later.i am really interested in the past.would love to unearth something exciting in my family.

[gothfairy]

Good luck Jazz, I have no family either, haven't had for a long time now, and so when I became interested in finding out about my family it was hard work. I pay to belong to one site, for a year, which will be enough time for me to find out all I want for now, without having to travel to other parts of the country, hundreds of miles away, which isn't possible. Good luck.

[sunflower]

The census is a brilliant free way to start searching for past family. I managed to find my Grandma's family.....all her sisters and brothers, their ages, and whether they were scholars....school age, or out to work. Age 13 Weaver! Age 12 Spinner! etc. Very interesting. Then from their age on the census, it gives you some idea what year to search for birth certificates. Good luck

[SheepyJames]

I tried all sorts of freebies but in the end I paid to join Ancestry UK. I have found out an enormous amount about my family going back to 1683 on one side. The sub has been worth every penny.

[lily]

Would suggest starting with your parents and working back from their birth and marriage certificates. As people weren't so mobile then, you might get some idea of what area in London to narrow down data from Census returns. You might then find a family history society in that area- often these have publications and from these you might get further information. Ther are some genealogy magazine- Family History Monthly and Practical Family History come to mind. There is also a book published by the Public Record Office called "A Clearer sense of the Census", which might be helpful. There are various levels of payment on the websites- you might be lucky and get started with just a small search fee. Just re-read this and see there are an awfu lot of mights- but that I suppose sums it up- sometimes you get lucky and others you have to plod slowly . Anyway, I hope you make progress!

[gothfairy]

The census is a brilliant free way to start searching for past family. I managed to find my Grandma's family.....all her sisters and brothers, their ages, and whether they were scholars....school age, or out to work. Age 13 Weaver! Age 12 Spinner! etc. Very interesting. Then from their age on the census, it gives you some idea what year to search for birth certificates. Good luck

I agree the census is fascinating... I discovered one of my great aunts, aged 12, was a paper bag maker!

[franbee]

Just ressurected this thread, to ask if any of you have had any success with your searching. Do tell if you've found anything, it's good to hear of other people's findings. Oola, I have discovered some of my ancestors are called Reynes, from the Manor of Clifton Reynes, and Marston Mortaine, and Tyringhams, from Tyringham. BTW my ancestor who was at court was over 100 years before that Speaker Lenthall of Rich's.

[SummerSkye]

Hi Jazz, best of luck with your search. My OH always wondered about his "different" surname and a few years ago I searched high and low to find any existing relatives, sending letters to all parts of the world. We did find 'family' in the basque region of northern spain, close to the french border and have visited them twice now. It was exciting for all of us and just in time as his new found aunt passed away aged 98 last year. Together we all made the trip back to a small mountain village where OH's grandfather was born and where his great grandfather had taught school, quite emotional stuff!

[Crocus]

I'm also searching, or rather trying to. My father's ancestors reportedly came to S.A. with the British Settlars round about 1820, they being from Wales. Lloyd was his surname, but I don't know enough to really do a thorough search. There's nobody left i can ask, but I was thinking to go the records of the church where he was christened. I may find out something of his immediate family which I hope may take me further. My mom's ancestors were from France. I'm going to try the websites given here as well.