NOTICE: Genealogical research
We hope that this site will be helpful to anyone making a study of their family history. However, we are an entirely voluntary society with limited human resources and consequently we are unable to assist with genealogical or academic research on behalf of others. For this reason we regret that we may be unable to answer emails and letters from individuals or groups requesting such assistance.
Genealogy
Creating a family tree takes time. If you don't live in Ireland and it is your intention to search for family ties whilst visiting Ulster then it is important to do as much research as possible before you travel. Apart from information contained in this web site and its various publications, Craigavon Historical Society is unable to offer any assistance with family research. However, we hope the following information and advice may be helpful:
How do I get started?
The number one step is to create the first line of your family tree. This will give you a base from which you can easily identify gaps in your knowledge and highlights the questions you'll need to ask your relatives or other sources. There are eight important pieces of information to be gathered and the more that you can get the easier your archive search will be:
- Full name
- Date of Birth
- Place of Birth
- Full Name of Person to whom Married
- Date of Marriage
- Place of Marriage
- Each Person's Date of Death
- Place of burial
Search for old documents, wills; birth, marriage or death certificates, in fact anything that may have snippets of information, even old letters. Try and discover as much as possible.
Doing the research:
When you have gathered all the information you can reasonably expect to obtain from family sources, the next stage is to begin your research in the official archives. The following organisations listed below are useful sources and can provide access to records and /or assistance with your search.
Family Ulster
Telephone: +44 (0)28 9079 8551
www.familyulster.com
Family Ulster offer the following genealogical services: simple look-ups of birth marriage and death records in civil registration, genealogy research of your ancestors or living relatives from Ulster, assisted research at PRONI or elsewhere when you visit as well as ancestral tours to places associated with your family.
General Register Office for Northern Ireland
Oxford House
49-55 Chichester Street
Belfast BT1 4HL
www.groni.gov.uk
The General Register Office for Northern Ireland issues copies of certificates of births, marriages and deaths. For data protection reasons, if you are using the internet to search the register, some of the records will not be available to view. You will be able to access the following records:
Linen Hall Library
Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707
17 Donegall Square North
Belfast BT1 5GD
www.linenhall.com
The Linen Hall Library is a subscription library containing a unique collection of local material including a specially designated genealogical collection with its own catalogue.
North of Ireland Family History Society
North of Ireland Family History Society
Unit C4 Valley Business Centre
67 Church Road
Newtownabbey
BT36 7LS
www.nifhs.org
The North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS), formed in 1979, is a voluntary non profit-making organisation encouraging an interest in family history with special reference to families who have roots in the North of Ireland and their descendants, wherever they may be.
The Society now has many Branches in the North of Ireland and hundreds of Associate members in countries worldwide. It is not a Research Agency, although it does like to put people in contact with one another and share information.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
2 Titanic Boulevard
Titanic Quarter
Belfast BT3 9HQ
www.proni.gov.uk
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is the main source of genealogical material in Northern Ireland. It holds the official records from government departments relating to Northern Ireland from about 1830 and has large collections of private papers and church records.
Ulster Historical Foundation
Telephone: +44 (028) 9066 1988
The Corn Exchange
31 Gordon Street
Belfast BT1 2LG
www.ancestryireland.com
The Ulster Historical Foundation is a non-profit making organisation which promotes interest in Irish history and genealogy, with particular reference to the province of Ulster. It offers an ancestral research service, publishes books, organises conferences and runs a membership club.
- birth records over 100 years old
- marriage records over 75 years old
- death records (including World War II death records) over 50 years old