Like any hobby or interest that we find ourselves getting into, it always seems ludicrously expensive at first. Take cycling for example, you think; great! I’ll start cycling because that’s obviously going to be cheaper than buying a car… So, you set about buying all the equipment you’re going to need to just get started. Before you know it, you’ve spent your hard-earned money on a bike, helmet, stretchy spandex, safety equipment etc. etc. The list goes on!

Genealogy and family history research is much the same. We have endless fantastic resources, software’s and websites at the tips of our fingers, but more often than not, they’re locked behind a pay wall.

So, this blog is all about getting you started on your genealogy journey without breaking the bank – But don’t worry, this blog is perfect for even some of the more seasoned family historians among us!

1. FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a really great place to get started down the genealogy rabbit hole. Thankfully it really is completely FREE, with no hidden subscription services that require you to start with a free trial and add payment details later. Here’s what’s included from the second you sign-up:

Build your own family tree. The best bit of advice any genealogist will give you is to start with yourself.

FamilySearch allows you to begin with yourself and add your immediate family to your own tree, as well as searching their huge database of over 1.2 billion ancestors. Depending on how your brain works or the project you’re working on, you also have the added bonus to change the way you view your tree. You can choose from Portrait, Landscape, Fan and Descendancy.

How to get started. FamilySearch offers an educational resource for you if you really don’t know where to get started. These resources are broken down into separate categories, such as ‘Find Ancestors in Records’ or ‘Start Your Genealogy’ and you can begin to tackle them in your own easy, bitesize chunks.

Preserve your memories. “It’s so easy for precious family photos to get tucked away and forgotten”. Memories helps you preserve the photos, stories, documents, and audio file recordings about your ancestors in one place – think of it as your virtual back-up. You can share albums, organise by topics and even create a slideshow to share with others. All of this is also easily accessible via the app (Apple/Google Play).

You may be wondering how on earth all of this is free?! Well, FamilySearch is actually sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and their services are open to everyone, “regardless of tradition, culture, or religious affiliation”.

There is so much more available on FamilySearch than what I’ve listed here, but it would make this blog far too long. Definitely check it out and have an explore.

2. Record Offices & Local Archives

If you’re brand new to family history research, you may be wondering the importance of using records. Records are used to ensure that any research theories you have are actually true – For example, you may have some ideas about your ancestors and the lives they lived, or you may have found someone that you believe you may be descended from. Through searching archival information, you may be able to prove or disprove your theories and ultimately further your family tree, in one way or another. This is just one example of how records can help your research, but the options really are limitless.

Now, record offices and local archives are technically free (at least we haven’t come across any that charge you for entry!), in the sense that you are free to go in, read and research whatever you’d like, take notes and transcribe to your heart’s content. The catch is you’re often charged for scanning or printing documents – but as we just mentioned there are ways around this!

In order to visit a record office or archive, you’ll need to know where to find them. If you’re based in England and Wales, you can use the government website Search Local Archives. Punch in a postcode and away you go.

Each county generally has a national archive with a wealth of knowledge available, so for your research, it’s a good idea to locate yours and make a trip down there when you need to. Here’s some to get you started:

UK: The National Archives. A fantastic resource with plenty of educational sections available and for a short while are making many records available digitally

Scotland: National Records of Scotland

Ireland: The National Archives or Ireland

Northern Ireland: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)

3. Find a Grave

Find a Grave can be fantastic! By simply typing the name of one of your ancestors, you could open up a goldmine of information. Within a few clicks, you may have access to images of grave markers around the world, photos, biographies, and other details of your ancestors. If you’re really lucky, you may even find obituaries and links to other family members included as well. These are especially valuable if someone has taken the time to type out an obituary as quite often older newspapers are no longer available – again, another brilliant source for finding out more information and piecing together facts about your ancestors’ lives.

It is worth mentioning that all data on Find a Grave is uploaded by volunteers, so an air of caution is always advised, and you may find that some information may not exist yet.

4. Free UK Genealogy

As records are the backbone of every genealogist’s research, I thought I’d offer up another records tip to help you along the way. Free UK Genealogy is another volunteer-driven service and is the umbrella company for the below. Here’s how they describe each of the separate projects:

• Free BMD “provides free access to birth, marriage and death records. This resource is ideal for those beginning research into their ancestry. The central recording of births, marriages and deaths was started in 1837 and is one of the most significant resources for genealogical research. The transcribing of records is carried out by teams of dedicated volunteers and the database contains index information for the period 1837-1992.”

• Free Reg “offers a free, online database of the 19th century UK census returns. Census data can provide the full name, exact age, relationship to head of household, sex, occupation, parish and county of birth, medical disabilities and employment status of an individual. Later census years have more information. FreeCEN are currently working on the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, and 1891 censuses. Some counties have now started transcribing the 1881 census.”

• Free Cen “houses registers of baptisms, marriages and burials of the Church of England and other organisations. The recording of non-civic registers began in England and Wales in 1538; this is separate and distinct from the civil registration process that began in 1837.”

These are all absolutely vital records for any genealogist and the fact that you have free access to all of them is an added bonus. Thank goodness for the digital age!

5. Online Parish Clerks

Online Parish Clerks – or an OPC – is a group of genealogists that take the painstaking time to collect, collate and transcribe genealogical records (and other similar records) from English counties. Typically, each county will have its own dedicated group of volunteers that will transcribe the necessary documents of each parish and then make these publicly available. In order to find and view these records, an OPC will either have its own website or you’ll be able to access them via websites such as UKBMD. To find an OPC specific to a location you’re interested in, all you’ll need to do is simply Google the location followed by online parish clerks.

Transcribed records are a godsend for any newer family historians. Learning to read records is a skill unto itself, so having the opportunity to take in valuable information without too much eye strain is always much appreciated!

So, there we have it, here are 5 FREE Genealogy Resources for Beginners. But as mentioned before, these really are perfect to use for any family historian, regardless of your experience.

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