Ancestors Abroad
Tracing ancestors who emigrated requires understanding foreign record systems and sources. Articles explain vital records, military documents, electoral rolls and genealogical indexes across different countries.
American and Nordic Roots
Norway sent the second-largest wave of immigrants to America after Ireland, with thousands settling in the Midwest starting in 1825.
Ancestors in Other British Colonies
Finding records for ancestors in British colonies means knowing where to look, from the National Archives to local archives overseas.
Australian Aboriginal Records to Trace Your Family History
Track down your Aboriginal ancestry using Australian archives and the Aboriginal Name Index to research your family roots.
Australian Census to Trace Family History
Australian censuses after 1901 were destroyed, but older records from the 1700s and 1800s can help trace your family history.
Australian Military Records and Family History
Find Australian military records split between national and state archives depending on the time period and which branch of service your ancestor served in.
Australian Vital Records
Each Australian state maintains its own birth, marriage and death records with different access methods and starting dates.
Australian Wills to Research Your Family History
Find Australian wills by state to uncover family details, relationships, and what your ancestors owned for genealogy research.
Canadian Genealogy Sources
Find Canadian birth, marriage, death and immigration records through Library and Archives Canada and provincial resources.
Electoral Rolls for Genealogy Research in New Zealand
New Zealand electoral rolls show where your ancestors lived and sometimes list other family members, making them valuable for tracing your genealogy.
Employing a Foreign Genealogist
Hiring a genealogist abroad can help you research family history faster and break through language barriers when tracing overseas roots.
European Resources
How to trace your British ancestry in Europe despite language barriers and limited online records.
Genealogy and Land Records in Ireland
Land records in Ireland can fill gaps when census data runs thin, and tithe applotment books offer names, land holdings, and townlands for tracing ancestors.
Genealogy and U.S. Immigration Records
Use U.S. immigration records and passenger lists to trace where your ancestors arrived and build your family history.
Genealogy in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands
Finding your Isle of Man and Channel Islands ancestors requires different records than England, with some available online and others only on the islands.
Genealogy Resources in Australia and New Zealand
Find passenger lists, naturalisation records, and birth-marriage-death indexes through Australia's National Archives and state resources.
How to Use and Find Native American Genealogy Records
Track down Native American ancestors using census records, Bureau of Indian Affairs documents, and other sources held in the National Archives.
International Genealogical Index: Family Tree Research
How the free International Genealogical Index can help you trace your family history across millions of records worldwide.
Ireland Vital Records
Find Irish birth, marriage and death records from 1845 onwards through civil registers and family history centres.
Irish Census Records
Irish census records from the 1800s were mostly destroyed, but 1901 and 1911 returns are available to help trace your ancestors.
Irish Emigration Records and Genealogy
Track down your Irish ancestors who emigrated using ship passenger lists, customs records and genealogy databases.
Jewish Genealogy Sources
Tracing Jewish ancestors requires different records and resources than other family histories, especially when your roots go back to Eastern Europe.
New Zealand Birth Records
European births in New Zealand have been registered since 1848, making them easy to trace, though Maori birth records didn't become mandatory until 1913.
New Zealand Death Records
New Zealand has registered European deaths since 1848, making them valuable for family history research, though the Registrar General's index isn't online.
New Zealand Maori Records
How to research your Maori ancestry using family records, genealogies and New Zealand's Maori Land Court documents.
New Zealand Marriage Records
How to search New Zealand's marriage records from 1854 onwards, including where to find the Registrar General's Index.
New Zealand Military Records
Where to find New Zealand military records for your ancestors, from the 1800s land wars through both world wars.
New Zealand Vessel Arrival Information to Trace Ancestors
Ship passenger lists and arrival records help you pin down when your New Zealand ancestors immigrated and where they landed.
Other Useful Genealogy Records in Australia
Beyond official records, newspaper obituaries and cemetery listings can help you trace Australian ancestors when state records don't have what you need.
Researching Australia Immigrant Records for Family History
Find your Australian ancestor's arrival records using passenger lists and other immigration documents from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Scotland Poor Law Records and Genealogy Research
Scottish Poor Law records can reveal whether your ancestors received relief, peat or food from the church or parochial boards before and after 1845.
Scottish Births and Birth Certificates to Trace Ancestors
Search Scottish birth records from 1855 onwards and earlier parish registers to find your ancestors' details online and in person.
Scottish Death Records and Family History Research
Scottish death records split into two eras at 1855 when compulsory registration began, with post-1855 certificates packed with genealogical details.
Scottish Marriage and Family History Research
How to find Scottish marriage records before and after 1855 using church records and official registration documents.
The Clearance and Scottish Emigration
How Scottish landlords forced thousands from their homes in the 1700s, sending families across the Atlantic in search of survival.
The Importance of Ellis Island in American Immigration
Ellis Island processed 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954, serving as the gateway for most Europeans seeking a new life in America.
The Importance of Wills in Irish Genealogy
Irish wills reveal far more than just property, they show family relationships, occupations and personal details that help fill out your ancestor's story.
The Irish Potato Famine and Emigration
Between 1845 and 1850, Ireland's potato famine killed over a million people and forced two million more to emigrate across the globe.
Transportation Before Australia
Before Australia became the notorious destination for convicts, the British Empire shipped criminals to America and the Caribbean as punishment.
U.S. African-American Records to Trace Ancestors Abroad
Census records named all African-Americans starting in 1870, but earlier slave records offer limited personal information for tracing ancestry.
U.S. Birth, Marriages and Death Certificates in Genealogy
Birth, marriage and death certificates are scattered across U.S. states and counties, but they contain vital clues for tracing your family history.
U.S. Land Records
Find land records from colonial America to trace your family's property ownership and history back generations.
US Census Records and Genealogy
US Census records from 1790 onwards show where your ancestors lived, family size, and other details crucial for building your family tree.
Using Archived Scottish Wills to Trace Ancestors
Scottish wills reveal how your ancestors lived and divided their property, with unique laws that shaped inheritance patterns across generations.
Using Canadian Genealogy Sources
How to find Canadian genealogy records and trace your family history using official resources and online databases.
Using the US Registry of War Ration Books
How to use the US Registry of War Ration Books to break through research roadblocks when tracing relatives during World War II.
Using U.S. Military Records to Trace Ancestors Abroad
Use military records from the National Archives and state repositories to find information about American ancestors and their service histories.
Using U.S. Resources to Trace Ancestors Abroad
U.S. archives and courthouses hold vital records that can help you trace ancestors who emigrated from Britain and Ireland.
Using Voters' Records for Tracing US Relatives
Voter records can help you locate US relatives and piece together where they lived, but availability varies widely by state and time period.
What if You Have Asian Roots?
Research your British and Indian ancestry by using church records, census data, and military documents that span back centuries.