Family Tree Forum's Reference Library

The Wiki has been created as a repository for reference information and research advice that has previously been stored within threads in the forums. This has had the effect of splitting the site into definitive Reference and Forum sections.

We want this to be a safe, enjoyable and friendly environment for all of our members. We don’t pre-screen material contributed to the site and are reliant on our members to point out anything that doesn’t conform to the Terms and Conditions.

Please ensure that you read our Terms and Conditions and the Copyright Guidelines.

Starting Out on Your Research

The County Records Office is the place where you will find your primary evidence - a myriad of documents which will be useful in your research. This Records Office Guide will explain what is likely to be found there and how it is going to be useful.

To be 99% sure that you are researching the correct people, you are going to have to get Birth, Marriage and/or Death Certificates. These pages will help you find out All About Certificates and how to go about obtaining them.

Alongside the personal details of your families, one of the most useful sets of documents for you will be the Census Returns. The Census Search Guide will give you more information on using these valuable sources of evidence for your research.

Online Research

These days, the advent of the Internet and digital resources has enabled family historians to carry out much of their initial research online. The Online Research pages give an outline of the main resources available and "Hints and Tips" based on how some of the members have carried out their own research online.

The World Index Page is a collection of hundreds of hyperlinks to websites which the members of the Family Tree Forum have found useful. They are categorised by Country and then by County. The recommendations range from official County Council websites to small privately run village sites which give you a flavour of the area where your ancestors lived.

One of the most exciting and enjoyable aids to genealogical research is making contact with others researching the same family as you. The Surname Directory is a selection of the surnames being researched by the members of the Family Tree Forum.

General Reference

The pages in the General History section of the Wiki contain links to many websites which will not only help you place your ancestors in context historically, but may contain links to further your research.

The Big Book of Genealogy is a collection of the jargon and vocabulary which you may come across in the various sources you will encounter.

To enable you to place your ancestors in context geographically, you might like to explore the links in Maps and Photography. These pages contain links to sites with historical maps and photographs from all over the British Isles.

Help using The Wiki

The Help Pages for Users will help you find your way round the Wiki.

To start exploring an area of the site, you can click on any of the pictures on this page as well as the hyperlinks to the pages.

If you get lost, you can find your way back to this page by selecting Main Page from the menu on the left of the screen.

You should also consider using the search box in the left hand pane. Press SEARCH and if the text you enter into it is present on the Wiki it will be found. N.B. If you press GO, the search engine will try to find a page with the title of exactly what you put into the search box.

To help you explore the depths of the Wiki, you could try to answer the questions from our Quizmaster on Find Your Way Around The Wiki.

To return to the Family Tree Forum you can click on the HOME tab at the top of the page.

Adding Content to The Wiki

All Family Tree Forum members have the ability to add content to the Wiki.

These creations and amendments will be tracked by members of the Site Content And Development team to ensure conformity with layout as well as preventing undesirable content from appearing on the site.

If you wish to create content, please read the Help Page for Editors first to familiarise yourself.

You should also bear in mind that all text is published under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Any content not formatted to the style of the rest of the site will be amended.

If anyone feels that we need a new page or section, please let us know.

Here be Dragons

The pages below should be considered as reference points for creating pages, any information held within them should not be considered as verified from a genealogical standpoint

• The Playground use this page to practise the coding ...

• Authoring Suggestions - Please read before creating content on the Wiki

• Counties Page Template - Please stick to the conventions laid out in this template