How To Books

How to do Research in England and Wales

Gardner, David E. and Frank Smith. Genealogical Research in England and Wales. (3 vols.) These three volumes are excellent. Volume three contains examples of old handwriting. Out of print, but available in many public libraries.

Irvine, Sherry. Your English Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans is designed to help Americans get their English ancestry back to the mid-eighteenth century. All of the resources discussed are available through major libraries and Family History Centers. The book contains lists of suggested research procedures.

Milner, Paul and Linda Jonas. A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage. This book is a step-by-step guide to locating your ancestors in the most important records for English genealogical research. It tells the order in which to search the records, how to find them, how to interpret them, and what to do if you can't find your ancestors. It is specifically designed for those who do not live in England.

Research Outline: England. Compiled by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you acquire only one guide to English research, this should be it. This guide is available free in electronic format and also for sale in print form through Family History Centers worldwide.

Research Outline: Wales. Compiled by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you acquire only one guide to Welsh research, this should be it. This guide is available free in electronic format and also for sale in print form through Family History Centers worldwide.

Rogers, Colin. The Family Tree Detective: A Manual for Analysing and Solving Genealogical Problems in England and Wales, 1538 to the Present Day. This is the best book for getting practical ideas when a problem occurs in searching for a birth/baptism, marriage, death/burial record. It covers civil registration and parish registers back to 1538.

Rowlands, John, et. al., eds. Welsh Family History: A Guide to Research.

Wagner, Anthony R. English Genealogy discusses the study, records, and literature of English genealogy. It covers the social and historical background of groups who came to England and of those who left England to settle elsewhere.