A Few Genealogical Recommendations

When you start researching in genealogy, you quickly realise that there are lots of records out there in archives which could just hold the clue to breaking down a brick wall in your story. If you've hit a dead end in your research, it also makes sense to hire a local who will have in-depth knowledge about your requirements and who can suggest alternative strategies for your research.

This is the sort of work I do often here at Glasgow Genealogy. Some records can provide huge amounts of detail about families and are just not available online. I'm thinking specifically about Poor Law records here in Glasgow which often give both details of extended family members, commentary on the family's living conditions or circumstances, or even places of birth outside Scotland. I have several archives within striking distance of home, and Scotland's People in Edinburgh is just an hour away.

Finding a Local Genealogist

Some locations are a bit too far for me to travel though, and if your family story takes us to Ireland, Lancashire, London or elsewhere in the UK, usually the best thing to is to pass the research on to someone in that location. Always check out the qualifications and experience of people claiming to be professional genealogists. You are looking for someone with formal, postgraduate qualifications. Not everyone is a member of a genealogical organisation, but using someone who is properly qualified will guarantee a professional job. We genealogists are a close-knit community and I have a few recommendations for you for people around the UK and Ireland who I know are great and what they do.

Ireland

We've talked before about crossovers with Irish and Scottish research and there are so many people whose roots lie in both places. We also know that Irish research has the reputation for being challenging.

Kayleigh Bealin - Kayleigh has almost a decade's professional research experience and is brilliant at investigating family based in the Republic of Ireland.

Claire Bradley - Claire is based in Dublin and is great at disentangling complex DNA test results.

Ciara Chivers - For research based in the north of Ireland, Ciara's company Shamrock Roots is highly recommended.

Rest of UK

Kim Hunter - Kim is based in Lancashire and can help with any families who have their roots in that part of England.

Fiona Gray-Davies - Fiona is from Cardiff and can help with any and all Welsh research.

Jade Nunn - Jade is lucky enough to live just down the road from the National Archives in Kew and can help with any research in the capital.

These are all people I have worked with in the past and can recommend personally. I know they'll all do a great job for you. If your research takes you further than the UK or Ireland then get in touch for advice. I have contacts with genealogists in other parts of Europe as well as in the United States and Canada, should you need an obscure document only available there.