Genealogy prior to 1841 census records

[ROBBOTOO]

I've been doing my family tree as a surprise for my mum and I'm loving doing it, but am now getting stuck on anything before the 1841 census records.

Has anyone done a similar project and managed to go much further back and if so any tips on how?

[Pebblesuk]

Hi, You will need to start looking at the Parish records now. The library archives has all these records, its free to use at our local library. If you are able to find old graves still remaining, often names on them can also give you clues. It gets a bit more time consuming the futhur back you go . I've managed to get to the mid 1700's but am struggling now. Don't think I'll get any futhur back on my line now.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. My Sister is currently doing exactly the same as you. I have sent her an E Mail for any tips and will let you know.

[novocastrian]

as above i got back to 1740 with my surname using parish records but have hit a brick wall now.. really intersting stuff

when i get time im going to try and go down my maternal grandads side as i know nothing about this side of the family

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. Just had this back off my Sister - A lady of few words! She is subscribed to Ancestry.com

If the family come from a small place and a fairly unusual name it's easier
I find if you go back to the earliest person and sometimes others have done research on the family tree section in Ancestry.They are not always right but worth investigating. Also a very early marriage certificate for someone you are sure of will give the name of the father.
Sometimes I just put the surname and the village and an early date and do a search on ancestry
This may bring up something.
By writing the story on a word document not just staring at the facts on ancestry I find the gaps that need further research and the inconsistencies and sometimes have an eureka moment.
Really it can be quite difficult.
Sometimes I take a guess and if all the facts fit then it's likely to be correct, but beware of making them fit.
They do say if you can go any further back than 1841 you are doing well.
Oh and sometimes if your g g g granny is the eldest before birth certificates sometimes they had a very much younger sibling who had to be registered
By sending for this certificate even though you not that interested you will get the mothers maiden name

[TigerGirl]

I signed up to Ancestry when researching my family history. Sometimes you need to take an educated guess when using the records. I found it fascinating and I found a complete scoundrel on one my branches. Really great fun!

[Gezzs]

I used Ancestry.com too. Managed to get my family tree back to 1602. One thing I found was that some of the 'suggested' links can be wrong. It will use other users 'trees' (if shared) to try and make connections. It is easy to go off down the wrong route with one bad connection.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by TigerGirl

I signed up to Ancestry when researching my family history. Sometimes you need to take an educated guess when using the records. I found it fascinating and I found a complete scoundrel on one my branches. Really great fun!

See more...

Ha ha. My Sister found a lady relative way back in our 'history' who had more husbands than I have had hot dinners!

[ROBBOTOO]

Thanks everyone and Tom many thanks to your sister too.

I've used Ancestry a lot and looked at links from other people's trees to see if I can get any more help there too, but you do have to be very careful to make sure information matches what you have already.

However I think I'm probably about back as far as I am going to get, back to relations born around 1780. I've looked at the Parish records a bit, but it does say that they can be difficult as people could have been born in a different Parish to where they actually lived and it does say that that can start to get into a bit of guess work.

I've looked at marriage records and even the probates/wills sections have been helpful if addresses are listed as it helps to match people up.

For one of our family members back in 1851 they were put in prison for 12 months for "willfully throwing a stone upon a railway carriage". Others have records of them being in workhouses at young ages as parents have died. Strange to realise these people I am reading about are related to me (well that's assuming I have got it all linked together properly )!

Just sad I can't really see me getting back much further. But it is a really interesting project to do as long as you print everything off and cross check names/ages and addresses where you can against census records.

I think my mum will love looking over the information. If I can get it into any form together which she will be able to follow .

Thanks again everyone.

[TiggerBounces]

I used Ancestry when I did my family tree and agree about being careful using other people's trees as they need researching before you use them, but if they are right they save you a lot of searching!

I know in my tree I have one small part of the family that just doesn't seem right to me, I'm having a break and will revisit it again soon so my tree is private for now as I wouldn't want to give false info!

For one part of my tree I joined a Facebook group because the people that run it live in the area and volunteer their time to help with family trees, they are really knowledgable and helpful, I don't live in the area and they have helped me with quite a bit. They also have a directory of surnames so if people are looking for the same names you can link up. This may help you?

Some people do DNA tests for family history purposes and you can then check a database of others that have done the test for family matches.