Public Record Office pocket guides to family history

Find out how to start researching your family tree with the Public Record Office pocket guides to family history. They cover the most common records available to researchers.

Click on the title to find out which libraries have the book and reserve a copy online. You can ask for it to be delivered to your local library.

'Getting started in family history' by David Annal, Public Record OfficeEverything you need to start researching your family tree, from what questions to ask your existing family members to the wide range of resources available to the beginner in genealogy. (2000)

'Using birth, marriage and death records' by David Annal, Ann Morris, Public Record Office
Births, marriages and deaths are the events that give us the outline of our ancestors' lives. Explains how to use civil registration records and parish registers, where the records for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland can be found, and how to get the best from them. (2000)

'Using census returns' by Ann Morris, Public Record Office
Use the census to find out about your family members, what they did for a living, who they lived with, and where they came from. Explains what the census is, how it evolved, and where you can search for your family in the census returns from 1841 to 1891 in England and Wales. (2000)

'Using wills' by Ann Morris, Karen Grannum, Public Record Office
How to find and interpret your ancestors' wills, including how and why wills were made in the past and how to get the most from the information they contain. (2000)

'Using army records' by Public Record Office
Outlines the records available on military careers, explaining the types of records available, where to find them and how to continue your search. (2000)

'Using navy records' by Ann Morris, Bruno Pappalardo, Public Record Office
Outlines the records available on maritime careers, explaining the main types of records available, where to find them and how to develop your search further. (2000)

'Using Poor Law records' by Simon Fowler, Public Record Office
Poor Law records allow family historians to track individuals, places of family settlement, and relationships between family members and different family groups. Outlines where Poor Law records are kept and explains the various types of record that exist. (2001)

'Using criminal records' by Ruth Paley, Public Record Office
Most families have a criminal or two among their ancestors, although these are often conveniently forgotten until someone begins to delve into the family's past. Outlines how to find out what crime they were charged with and what happened to them. (2001)

'Tracing Scottish ancestors' bySimon Fowler, Public Record OfficeA brief introduction to finding out more about your Scottish ancestors. Looks at the historical background, and the sources available at the major archives and specialist libraries, including the collections of the General Register Office for Scotland at New Register House. (2001)

'Tracing Irish ancestors' by Simon Fowler, Public Record Office
Guide to various sources of records, where they are held and what you need to be looking for to trace the history of your Irish family members. (2001)

'Tracing Catholic ancestors' by Michael Gandy, Public Record Office
Guide to help you find and interpret records about your Catholic family members and delve more deeply into your family's past. (2001)

'Tracing Nonconformist ancestors' by Michael Gandy, Public Record Office
Outlines the types of record that are common to most nonconformist worshippers, including Anglican and state records, as well as the history and specialist records of the main nonconformist groups. (2001)