In compiling this genealogy I have used information from a wide
variety of sources. Some of these have been transcribed and here
I have tried to list the sources I have used and linked to transcriptions
of some of them.
The organising of genealogical sources is a matter for lengthy
debate. What follows is the organisation system that has grown
out of the years I have spent collecting genealogical records.
| Category |
Description and Examples |
| Vital Records (BMD) |
Most people are only officially recorded at 3 times in their
lives: Birth, Marriage and Death. In parts of the UK official
Vital (BMD) records were collected from 1837. |
|
e.g.
|
Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates |
| Census Records |
Technically a subset of Legal Records, these are given a
category of their own because of their usefulness to genealogists.
|
|
e.g.
|
England, Wales, Scotland etc (every 10 years from 1841,
published after 100 years so available to 1911); US Federal
Census (every 10 years from 1790, available to 1930); Canadian
Census (nationally every 10 years from 1861, available to
1921) |
| Ecclesiastical
Records |
Records collected as a result of religious activities |
|
e.g.
|
Christenings/Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Monumental
Inscriptions; Non-christian records; Funeral Home records. |
| Legal Records |
These are records created as a result of some legal requirement.
They should include Vital Records & Census Records but
these are normally considered separately due to their core
importance to genalogists. |
|
e.g.
|
Wills & Probate records; Court & Coroner records;
Immigration, Emigration and Naturalisation; Adoption &
Divorce; Land, Property & Deeds; Social Security &
Pension; Tax records; Voter records; Medical Records; Bills
& Bank records etc. |
| Military Records |
Generated as a result of military service. |
|
e.g.
|
Draft/Enlistment registration; Service records; Military
Pension records; Casualty Lists; Awards etc. |
| Organisational Records |
Records from non-military organisations. |
|
e.g.
|
Poorhouse, Workhouse, Almshouse & Asylum records; School
& Alumni records; Occupation, Business & Apprenticeship
records; Society and other Organsiation Records. |
| Published Records |
Records published in some form not included above. |
|
e.g.
|
Newspapers; Books; Directories; Telephone Books; Obituaries;
Maps; Diaries, Letters & Family Bibles; Online Genealogies;
Indexes etc. |
| Multimedia Records |
Non-text records |
|
e.g.
|
Photos; Film; Pictures; TV & Radio programmes; Oral
Histories & Recordings etc. |
| Personal Communications |
When someone tells me something. |
|
e.g.
|
Letters; Emails; Conversations etc. |
| Other |
Anything not covered above. |
