IMPORTANT NOTICE

This site is no longer being updated. Links change so often I'm getting frustrated when I click on something and it goes nowhere. I'm finding I spend too much time checking and maintaining it rather than doing my own research.

In the meantime I will leave it on-line for those that do use it; just be warned that some external links are non-working.

Hello and welcome to my fellow "genies". So you’re thinking of researching your families but you don’t know where to go or how to start and you don’t want to spend a fortune. I’m not saying you’ll be able to do all your research from the comfort of your own home but if you have a computer with Internet access and some time on your hands there is an awful lot you can do without setting foot outside.

Primarily this guide is for those whose people came to New Zealand from the British Isles, though it could be of assistance to anyone undertaking family research.

Please be aware I am not a professional researcher and do not claim to be an expert. The purpose of this site is to share what I’ve learned in the time since I first began researching and to point you in the direction of resources.

I've also spent a lot of time putting together a website of links to (mostly free) resources and information. See Links above.

Researching can be an incredibly frustrating exercise, especially from this part of the world, but it has its highs too. The censuses especially make fascinating reading. These days many archives are being transcribed and/or indexed and it's amazing what can now be accessed.

However, it’s not all just about Internet links. I’ve included tips on how to begin researching, what to look for and where; also advice on computer specifications / protection and stationery suggestions for organising your documents.

It's unlikely you'll be able to trace your family back earlier than the 1600s, unless they were nobility, gentry, famous or infamous. There's just not much to be found earlier than that as far as records go, though some parish registers do exist for the 1500s.

I hope you enjoy looking through the site and find something that is helpful to you.

PLEASE NOTE: Most links open in the same window. To open a link in a new window or tab, right-click on the link and left-click Open in a New Window (or tab).

TIP

If you are researching your ancestors from Lancashire in England, rather than buying each birth or marriage certificate separately for around $NZ30, consider buying a month's subscription with Ancestry. You can then search and download as many parish registers as you like for roughly the same price as just one certificate.