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Wales Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Welsh Search Strategies
Step 1. Identify What You Know About Your Family
Step 2. Decide What You Want To Learn
Step 3. Select A Record To Search
Step 4. Find And Search The Record
Step 5. Use The Information
The Family History Library Catalog
Map: Wales Pre - 1974 County Structure
Map: Wales 1974 - 1966 County Structure
Map: Wales Post-1966 County Structure
Archives And Libraries
National Archives And Libraries
County Record Offices
Public And Academic Libraries
Family And Local History Society Libraries
Special Archives
Locating Web Sites For Record Offices And Libraries
Inventories, Registers, Catalogs, And Schedules
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
National Census
Understanding The Census
Searching Census Records
Locating Census Records
Census Records At The Family History Library
Census Indexes
Church Directories
Church History
Church Records
Civil Registration
General Historical Background
Information Recorded In Civil Registers
Locating Civil Registration Records
Indexes To Civil Registration Records
Searching Civil Registration Records And Indexes
Records At The Family History Library
Miscellaneous Indexes
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
Major Collections And Databases
Family Histories
Genealogical Collections
Research Coordination
Historical Geography
History
Land And Property
Estate Records
Availability Of Estate Records
Manorial Records
Language And Languages
Maps
Merchant Marine
Military Records
History And Background
Twentieth Century Records
Understanding Military Records
Locating Military And Naval Records
Records At The Family History Library
Search Strategies
Handbooks For Military Records
Names, Personal
Patronymic Names In Wales
Other Types Of Surnames
Adopting A Surname
Newspapers
Nobility
Occupations
Periodicals
Probate Records
Types Of Probate Records
Laws And Customs
Guardianship
Probating A Will
Pre-1858 Probate Courts
Post-1857 Probate Courts
Estate Duty Wills And Administrations
Locating Probate Records
Determining The Court
Indexes
Probate Records At The Family History Library
Records Not At The Family History Library
Difficulties In Locating A Pre-1858 Record
Schools
Societies
Family History Societies
Association Of Family History Societies Of Wales
The Federation Of Family History Societies
Local History Societies
One-name Groups
Locating Records At The Family History Library
Taxation
Other Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
SOCIETIES Welsh societies and organizations may have valuable genealogical information. They can be set up to cover a region, a county, or a portion of a county. Most publish helpful journals, transcripts, and compiled genealogies. They may have ongoing projects such as creating indexes or transcribing records. Some publish queries about Welsh ancestors or maintain lists of members’ research interests.
You may want to join one of these societies and support its efforts. This section discusses only Welsh and some English societies, but do not overlook societies in the country your ancestors may have emigrated to.
See the “Periodicals” section of this outline for more information about the journals and newsletters published by Welsh societies.
Membership in family history societies is open to anyone. As a member you can receive the society’s journal and have access to the indexes it produces. In addition, most societies regularly produce a “directory of member interests.” This useful tool can put you in touch with other people interested in tracing the same lines. Some members may be willing to do limited research for other members, particularly those who do not have access to records. Some Welsh societies will publish letters of inquiry in their journals, but they may expect the writer to join or pay a small fee.
To join a society, write to the secretary of that society for an application. Return the application with the amount required to join. Most societies have reasonable membership fees. You can normally find the membership fees and the society’s address in the journal it produces. Many societies have Web sites which include information about becoming a member. You may locate Web sites for societies through the GENUKI site at:
The Welsh family history societies formed the Association of Family History Societies of Wales in 1981. The function of this association is to encourage the study of Welsh family history and to publish helpful works for the Welsh genealogist. The association works with the Federation of Family History Societies Some Welsh societies are:
The Federation of Family History Societies serves as the coordinating body for the local family history societies. It supports and encourages genealogy and family history among its member societies. With its journal, Family History News and Digest (see the “Periodicals” section of this outline), the Federation helps keep individual societies informed of what others are doing. For information about this organization, write to:
There are many organized groups that study and publish journals on local history. The British Association for Local History is a coordinating organization for many local history groups. You may write for information about this association to:
The Local Historian. London: National Council for Social Service, 1952–68. (FHL 942 B2ah; films 0973337–8; computer number 0202266.) This periodical was formerly called the Amateur Historian.
Addresses for local history societies in Wales are found in the following:
Henderson, S. P. A., and A .J. W. Henderson,eds. Directory of British Associations & Associations in Ireland. 13th ed. Beckenham, Kent: CBD Research Ltd., 1996. (FHL book 942 E4hd.)
Pinhorn, Malcolm, ed. Historical, Archaeological and Kindred Societies in the United Kingdom: A List. Isle of Wight: Pinhorns, 1986. (FHL book 942 C4h; computer number 0370075.)
Some organizations gather information about all individuals with a particular surname. If you are interested in such an organization, contact:
Register of One-Name Studies 1997. 13th ed. London: Guild of One-Name Studies, 1997. (FHL book 942 D24re 1997; computer number 0804109.)
Society publications are referenced in the Author/Title Search of the Family History Library Catalog under the society name. They are also listed in the Locality Search under:
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Family History Societies
www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/#Counties
From the above site
Click [County of your choice]
Click Societies
Association of Family History Societies of Wales
mentioned below, in promoting genealogy and family history worldwide.
The Federation of Family History Societies
Administrator
Or you may visit their Web site at:
c/o The Benson Room
Birmingham and Midland Institute
Margaret Street
Birmingham B3 3BS
England
www.ffhs.org.uk
Information is also accessible through the GENUKI Web site at:
www.genuki.org.uk
Local History Societies
British Association for Local History
The following periodical contains scholarly articles on local history, book reviews, and notes:
Shopwyke Hall
Chichester, Sussex PO20 6BQ
England
One-Name Groups
Guild of One-Name Studies
A published list of one-name studies is:
Box G
14 Charterhouse Buildings
Goswell Road, London EC1M 7BA
England
Locating Records at the Family History Library
WALES - SOCIETIESWALES, [COUNTY] - SOCIETIESWALES - GENEALOGYWALES, [COUNTY] - GENEALOGYENGLAND - SOCIETIESENGLAND - GENEALOGY
Copies of some records gathered by societies are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under the record type. For example, cemetery transcripts done by a local family history society are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
WALES, [COUNTY], [PARISH] - CEMETERIES
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]