© Wigtownshire’s People 2010 - enquiries@wigtownshirespeople.co.uk

In recent years, genealogy has become more important to people. The interest in tracing your family's past has become one of the UK's biggest pastimes.

In an effort to connect with our past, many people have searched to discover their ancestors - to see if they can discover what makes them 'who they are'.

When you look at a detailed family tree and see who your ancestors were, what they did for a living, where they lived etc. you can build up a picture of their lives and how through subsequent generations arrived at yourself. It's incredible to think, when viewing a detailed tree, that if just one person out of that line had died, moved away or even not been born, then the whole tree crumbles and you would never have existed, or at least - would not be the person you are today.

Programmes such as the BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" have fuelled our desire to learn more about our ancestors and Genealogists such as us are here to help you.

 

When tracing a family tree, it is vitally important not to discount any family stories you may have heard as these can often be an invaluable source or information. However, do not rely on all family information unless you can be sure it's correct. Many times we've come across - including with our own trees! - that names and dates supplied by family members can be far from accurate...BUT, it's better than nothing at all!

 

 

Make a note of what information is available, either from relatives, a family bible or other documentation and start to work your way slowly back, making sure that the information is correct. Check out census records to try and track down your ancestors and order birth/marriage or death certificates to confirm your findings or to give you another lead. Alternatively, get us to do it!

Another mistake people often make is to rely too much on sites such as Ancestry.co.uk. While these are undeniably a fantastic source of information, they are also full of many pitfalls.

If you start filling in your family tree online and discover a link with someone else's tree - you suddenly discover your family stretching back to the dawn of time. What you have done is simply put your faith in a strangers ability to compile this information accurately. Unless they can supply rock solid proof of their conclusions - you may simply be looking at someone else's family tree!

If we are uncertain of a link in your tree, we will always inform you and tell you what we think the probability of their relationship is to you.

Our information is always backed up by some form of evidence whether it be a BMD certificate, census return or parish record and you are kept informed every step of the way.

Tracing your family tree can be a long, time-consuming, expensive and often frustrating experience ... Yet it is also incredibly rewarding when you see your ancestors names laid out in front of you!

 

 

If you are tracing your own tree and would simply like some help if, perhaps, you’ve hit a brick wall  in your research, then we can help you there as well.