Well, for starters they’ve got an award-winning complete index of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales since civil registers began in 1837 (including records of overseas registrations).

There are complete transcripts for all census returns for all counties in England and Wales from 1841 to 1901 (except for 1881 – records are already available for London and Lancashire, and the rest will be available soon) with linked images so that you can see the actual entries if you choose.

If you’re delving back even further than 1837, they’ve got the records of over a thousand parishes on line, and the number’s growing steadily – these can take you back as far as 1538, when Thomas Cromwell ordered the recording of all baptisms, marriages and burials. There are also records for Nonconformists going back to the 1600s in some cases.

They have other research materials available too – including trade directories going back to the mid-1800s, land records from the 1873 tax survey covering all landowners with a holding of one acre or more, and many more.

All this wealth of information is checked by a team of UK experts, both paid and volunteer, to ensure the greatest accuracy possible. And to make sure it’s as useful to you as it possibly can be, there are a host of smart search tools available to help you extract all the details you can.

With a range of subscriptions to suit everyone, whether you just want to check a couple of entries on one of The Genealogist’s hundreds of databases (443 and rising) or want to carry out extensive research on several of them, The Genealogist is the online research tool for you.

Olympia, London

If you have ever wondered what your ancestors were like, where they lived or what they did for a living, Who Do You Think You Are? Live: the National History Show is an event where you can make incredible discoveries about the story of your family.

Following on from two successful events in 2006 and 2007, this is a great chance to take forward your research into your family history, to get a taste for what’s involved if you’re starting out in genealogy, or even to just find out what it’s all about!

With the largest gathering of TV historians, family history experts and nearly 200 exhibitors from Ancestors Magazine to Your Family Tree, this three-day event is a unique opportunity to fill in the gaps in your family tree and make your connection to events in history. There’s plenty of support from major exhibitors such as the Society of Genealogists (over 80 seminars!), and you can hear from celebrities such as Ainsley Harriott and Matthew Pinsent about what they’ve unearthed in their own family research. And if you’re stuck in your research and need advice on how to take it forward, then you can get a 20-minute one-to-one session with an expert.

There’s far too much to mention here! But you can find out more on the Who Do You Think You Are? Live website

Set up in 1979, the Guild is an association of genealogists undertaking specialist research into specific family names and their variants. Where people researching their own family history have got blocked, other references to the same surname may often provide the key and allow them to make further progress. This is particularly the case where the name is a rare one. (Where it isn’t, DNA testing may help.)

Guild members are willing to undertake research into paid enquiries. Some of the information Guild members have unearthed is also available online.

If you’re a dedicated genealogist and are interested in this branch of genealogy, membership is £12.00 a year and offers a wide range of benefits.

For more information see:
http://www.one-name.org/

They have research databases and a service where you can hire a professional researcher. There are free downloads plus a free question and answer service. Also check out their Free Genealogy Center while you’re there.

For more information see:
http://www.everton.com/

The have free downloadable guides on how to get started in researching your family history, and also offer a fee based service to do the searching for you.

They also have several databases which you can search for free. It you’re researching ancestors who lived in London, then this site is essential viewing.

For more information see:
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/family-research

Quite honestly, at the time of writing, their website was a complete dog’s dinner. Plenty of pictures, very little information, and pages – such as the FAQ page – “coming soon”. Perhaps they’re professional genealogists but that sure as heck ain’t a professional-looking website. What a shame. If you want to have a look anyway, here’s the link:
http://www.agra.org.uk/

They have a huge section on family history – how to get started, and all sorts of information about which records to search and where to find them.

This website is an absolute “must see” resource for anyone with an interest in tracing their family tree.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

The Institute’s extensive libraries are housed in these ancient premises in Canterbury’s Northgate Street, with holdings ranging from the most up-to-date finding aids to original collections of Tudor and Medieval manuscripts. These provide Achievements’ researchers with a unique head start. We also maintain a network of experts.

For more information see:
http://www.achievements.co.uk/

They even have a whole section devoted to genealogy. There you can find genealogy publications, information, resources, professional genealogists, and links to other useful genealogy websites.

This website is well worth a visit:
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy/index.html

Many people would like to trace their Scottish ancestors. The search for your family history can be a compelling hobby occupation and everyone who is interested should try to draw up a Family Tree themselves.

There’s a massive amount of information available on the Internet but sometimes it’s difficult to find what you need. Perhaps you don’t have time or perhaps you’ve run into a brick wall.

That is where engaging the services of a professional genealogist can help.

For more information about Scottish genealogists visit this link:
http://www.asgra.co.uk/