Ancestry is one of the most recognisable websites for researching family history and creating family trees. Currently, they are offering new registrants a free 14-day trial to help kick start your own family tree.
Ancestry contains masses of historic records, including census and electoral rolls, military records, immigration documents, wills & probate, births, marriages, deaths and more.
Some records go back as early as 1837. Need even earlier information? Other Parish records are available that begin in 1538!
The site’s packages are structured into three: Essentials (access to the basic UK records), Premium (all UK records and access to any other new UK releases), or the Worldwide option (access to Ancestry’s entire archive of over 11 billion records – ideal for researching family records overseas).
If you’ve never traced your family history before and are unsure where to begin, the Help & Advice section contains excellent starter guides and tips on how to research genealogy effectively.
Also be sure to head over to the Community area, especially the Message Boards. It is here that you can post requests for information in your locality, or in specialist areas, such as military or immigration.