Research guides

• 1939 Register
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: 1939 registercensusdatasetsdigitised recordsonline collectionspopulationstatisticssurveys All records viewable online
• African ancestors – an overview
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: africaemigrationimmigration
• Caribbean ancestors – an overview
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: caribbeanimmigration
• Adoptions
  Keywords: adoptionsbirths
• Aliens’ registration cards 1918-1957
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• American and West Indian colonies before 1782
  Keywords: americacaribbeancoloniesstate papers
• Apprentices and masters
  Keywords: apprenticeshiplabour historymaster craftsmen and tradesmentradesmen
• Armed forces records held by other archives
  Keywords: armybritish armyrafroyal air forceroyal navysoldierwars
• Army regiments
  Keywords: armybritish armyregiments and corps
• Art and artists
  Keywords: art and artists
• Asylums, psychiatric hospitals and mental health
  Keywords: asylums (hospitals)healthhealth policyhospitalslunatic asylumsmental health
• Australian and New Zealand ancestors – an overview
  Keywords: australiaemigrationimmigrationnew zealand
• Bankrupts and insolvent debtors
  Keywords: bankruptsdebtorsinsolvencyprisonersprisons
• Births, marriages and deaths at sea or abroad
  Keywords: birthscoloniesdeathsmarriagesmerchant navyshipping
• Births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales
  Keywords: baptismsbirthsdeathsmarriages
• Births, marriages and deaths in Scotland and Ireland
  Keywords: birthsdeathsirelandmarriagesscotland
• Births, marriages and deaths in the armed forces
  Keywords: armybirthsbritish armydeathsmarriagesnavyrafroyal air forceroyal marinesroyal navy
• Births, marriages and deaths in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
  Keywords: birthsdeathsmarriages
• British and Commonwealth prisoners of the First World War and previous wars
  Keywords: first world warpowsprisoners of warworld war one
• British and Commonwealth prisoners of the Second World War and the Korean War
  Keywords: korean warpowsprisoners of warsecond world warsecond world war personnelworld war two
• Available on:
  
  British Army casualty lists 1939-1945
  Keywords: armybritish armydeathsdigitised recordsonline collectionssecond world warsoldierworld war two All records viewable online
• British Army medal index cards 1914-1920
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• British Army muster rolls and pay lists c.1730-1898
  Keywords: armybritish armymuster rollsregiments and corpssoldier
• British Army nurses
  Keywords: armybritish armynurseswomen's military service
• British Army nurses’ service records 1914-1918
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• British Army officers of the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warmedalsofficers (army)soldierworld war one
• British Army officers up to 1913
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armymedalsofficers (army)soldier
• British Army operations after 1945
  Keywords: armybritish armykorean warregiments and corpswar diaries
• British Army operations in the Second World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyregiments and corpssecond world warwar diariesworld war two
• British Army operations up to 1913
  Keywords: armyboer warbritish armycrimean warnapoleonic warsregiments and corps
• British Army soldiers in service after 1945
  Keywords: armybritish armysoldier
• British Army soldiers of the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warnon-commissioned officersoldierworld war one
• British Army soldiers of the Second World War
  Keywords: armybritish armysecond world warsecond world war personnelsoldierworld war two
• British Army soldiers up to 1913
  Keywords: armybritish armypensionssoldier
• British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force disability and dependents’ pensions from the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armydisability pensionsfirst world warpensionsrafroyal air forceroyal navyworld war one
• British military campaign and service medals
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armycampaign medalsmedalsofficers (army)
• British military gallantry medals
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armygallantry medalshonoursmedals
• Catholics
  Keywords: burialscatholicsrecusants catholicreligious history
• Available on:
  
  Census records
  Keywords: censusdatasetsdigitised recordsonline collectionspopulationstatisticssurveys All records viewable online
• Changes of name
  Keywords: changes of namedeeds poll
• Children’s homes
  Keywords: borstalschildren's homes
• Civil court cases: disputed wills
  Keywords: civil litigationcourts of lawdeathsearly modern periodlaw and orderprerogative court of canterburyprobatetrialswills
• Civil or crown servants
  Keywords: civil servantscrown servantsgovernment employeesroyal household
• Civilian gallantry medals, honours and other awards
  Keywords: awardscivilian gallantry awardsgallantry medalshonoursmedals
• Coastguard officers
  Keywords: coastguard
• Coastguard stations and administration
  Keywords: coastguardcustoms (tax)shipping
• Companies and businesses
  Keywords: business historycompanies and businessesindustrylabour history
• Company and business history records held by other archives
  Keywords: business historycompanies and businessesindustrylabour historytrade and industry
• Conscientious objectors
  Keywords: conscientious objectorsfirst world warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Coroners’ inquests
  Keywords: coronersdeathsinquests
• Country court death duty registers 1796-1811
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• Court of Wards and Liveries 1540-1645: land inheritance and disputes
  Keywords: civil litigationcourts of lawdeeds (property ownership)early modern periodlandland ownershipwards and liveries (court of)
• Courts martial and desertion in the British Army 17th-20th centuries
  Keywords: armybritish armycourts martialdeserters (armed forces)first world warsecond world warsoldierworld war oneworld war two
• Criminal court cases: assize courts 1559-1971
  Keywords: assize courtscourts of lawcrime and criminalscriminal courtsearly modern periodlaw and ordertrials
• Criminal court cases: Crown courts since 1972
  Keywords: central criminal courtcourts of lawcrime and criminalscriminal courtscrown courtslaw and ordermagistrates' courtsold baileytrials
• Criminal court cases: King’s/Queen’s Bench 1675-1988
  Keywords: courts of lawcriminal courtskings bench (court of)law and ordertrials
• Criminal transportation
  Keywords: australia (transportation to)convictscrime and criminalsprisonerstransportation (punishment)
• Customs officers
  Keywords: customs (tax)inland revenue
• Death duties 1796-1903
  Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)deathsduties and taxeslegacies (probate)probatetaxes and dutieswills
• Deaths in the First and Second World Wars
  Keywords: casualties of wardeathsfirst world warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Divorce
  Keywords: annulment of marriagecourts of lawdivorce
• Doctors and nurses
  Keywords: doctorshospitalsmedical servicesnursespatients in hospital
• Durham Home Guard 1939-1945
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• Electoral registration
  Keywords: electoral registers
• Emigration and emigrants
  Keywords: america (emigration to)australia (emigration to)canada (emigration to)emigrationmigrationnew zealand (emigration to)
• Enslaved people and slave owners
  Keywords: abolition of slaverybritish empirecaribbeancoloniesslavery
• Evacuees
  Keywords: evacuationhome frontsecond world warworld war two
• Excise and Inland Revenue officers
  Keywords: excise (tax)inland revenue
• Fleet Air Arm personnel
  Keywords: fleet air armnavyroyal navysecond world war personnel
• Historical education policy and administration: elementary and primary schools
  Keywords: education historypoor lawsschools
• Historical education policy and administration: secondary schools
  Keywords: education historyschools
• Historical education policy and administration: teacher training
  Keywords: education historyschoolsteachers
• Historical education policy and administration: technical and vocational further education and schools of art
  Keywords: collegeseducation history
• Home Guard personnel
  Keywords: home fronthome guardsecond world warworld war two
• Hospitals
  Keywords: healthhospitalsmedical patientsmedical servicespatients in hospital
• Household Cavalry soldiers’ service records 1799-1920
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• Houses
  Keywords: architecturebuildingshousestitle deeds
• Immigration and immigrants
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)british citizenshipimmigrationinterneesmigrationnaturalisationpassengers
• Indian Army personnel
  Keywords: armyfirst world warindian armysecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Indian indentured labourers
  Keywords: indentured labourindian indentured labourlabour history
• Inquisitions post mortem: land ownership and inheritance in the medieval and early modern periods
  Keywords: early modern periodinquisitions post mortemlandland ownership
• Intelligence and security services
  Keywords: espionageintelligence and security servicesmi5 and mi6security servicesspecial operations executive
• Internees
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)first world warimmigrationinterneesmigrationpowsprisoners of warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Irish ancestors – an overview
  Keywords: emigrationimmigrationireland
• Jewish people and communities in Britain and its former colonies
  Keywords: anglo jewish historyemigrationimmigrationjewish historymigration
• Land and property ownership: conveyances by feet of fines 1182-1833
  Keywords: conveyance of landdeeds (property ownership)early modern periodfines (land conveyances)landland ownership
• Lawyers
  Keywords: attorneysbarristerslawyerssolicitors
• Living people
  Keywords: electoral registersliving peoplemissing people
• London Metropolitan Police
  Keywords: metropolitan policepolice
• Manorial documents and lordships and how to use the Manorial Documents Register
  Keywords: early modern periodlandland ownershipmanorial documents registermanors
• Manors and manorial records
  Keywords: early modern periodlandland ownershipmanorsmaps
• Medieval and early modern family history
  Keywords: early modern periodmedieval period
• Medieval and early modern soldiers
  Keywords: armybritish armyearly modern periodmedieval periodofficers (army)soldier
• Merchant Navy medals and honours
  Keywords: awardscampaign medalsgallantry medalshonoursmedalsmerchant navy
• Merchant Navy officers
  Keywords: crew listsmerchant navyofficers merchant navy
• Merchant Navy seamen in service before 1914
  Keywords: apprenticeshipcrew listsmerchant navy
• Merchant Navy seamen in service since 1918
  Keywords: crew listsmerchant navysecond world warsecond world war personnelworld war two
• Merchant Navy seamen of the First World War
  Keywords: apprenticeshipcrew listsfirst world warmerchant navyworld war one
• Merchant Navy ships wrecked or sunk
  Keywords: first world warmerchant navynavysecond world warshippingworld war oneworld war two
• Merchant Navy ships’ records: crew lists, musters and log books
  Keywords: crew listslog books (ships)merchant navyshipping
• Military nursing
  Keywords: armybritish armynavynursesrafroyal air forceroyal navywomen's military service
• Militia
  Keywords: armybritish armymedalsmilitiapensionssoldiervolunteer soldiers
• National Farm Survey of England and Wales 1941-1943
  Keywords: agriculturedatasetsfarms and farminglandland ownershipmapsnational farm surveystatisticssurveys
• Naturalisation, registration and British citizenship
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)british citizenshipcertificates of british citizenshipimmigrationmigrationnaturalisation
• Newspapers
  Keywords: newspaperspress
• Nonconformists
  Keywords: baptismsbirthsdeathsearly modern periodmarriagesnonconformistsreligious history
• North American ancestors – an overview
  Keywords: americaamerica (emigration to)canada (emigration to)emigrationnorth america
• Available on:
  
  Passenger lists
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• Passengers
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)emigrationimmigrationmigrationpassengers
• Passports
  Keywords: british citizenshipemigrationimmigrationmigrationnaturalisationpassport
• People in business and trades
  Keywords: business historyindustrylabour historytrade and industrytradesmen
• Police
  Keywords: metropolitan policepoliceroyal irish constabularytransport police
• Prisoners and convicts
  Keywords: central criminal courtconvictscourts of lawcrime and criminalslaw and orderold baileyprisonerstrials
• Prisoners and prison staff
  Keywords:
• Prisons and prison staff
  Keywords: law and orderprison staffprisons
• Railway workers
  Keywords: railwaystrains
• Railways
  Keywords: railwaystrains
• Refugees
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)emigrationimmigrationjewish historymigrationrefugees
• Royal Air Force nurses
  Keywords: nursesrafroyal air forcesecond world war personnelwomen's military service
• Royal Air Force operations
  Keywords: combat reports (raf)first world warrafroyal air forceroyal flying corpsroyal naval air servicesecond world warsquadrons (royal air force)world war oneworld war two
• Royal Air Force personnel
  Keywords: campaign medalscourts martialpowsprisoners of warrafroyal air forcesecond world war personnel
• Royal Air Force squadrons
  Keywords: rafroyal air forcesquadrons (royal air force)
• Royal Flying Corps airmen
  Keywords: royal flying corps
• Royal Flying Corps officers
  Keywords: officers (air forces)royal flying corps
• Royal Household and Wardrobe
  Keywords: crown servantsearly modern periodroyal householdroyal servantsroyal warrant holderstradesmen
• Royal Irish Constabulary, 1836-1922
  Keywords: irelandpoliceroyal irish constabulary
• Royal Marines officers
  Keywords: first world warofficers (royal marines)royal marinesworld war one
• Royal Marines other ranks
  Keywords: first world warroyal marinesworld war one
• Royal Naval Air Service officers
  Keywords: first world warofficers (air forces)royal naval air serviceworld war one
• Royal Naval Air Service ratings
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval air serviceworld war one
• Royal Naval Division personnel
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval divisionroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Naval dockyard staff
  Keywords: dockyardnavyroyal navy
• Royal Naval Reserve personnel
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal naval reservesecond world war personnelworld war one
• Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal naval volunteer reserveworld war one
• Royal Navy commissioned and warrant officers
  Keywords: courts martialnavyofficers (royal navy)royal navy
• Royal Navy commissioned and warrant officers’ pensions
  Keywords: first world warnavyofficers (royal navy)pensionsroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy nurses and medical officers
  Keywords: navynursesroyal navysecond world war personnelwomen's military service
• Royal Navy operations and correspondence 1660-1914
  Keywords: admiraltynavyroyal navy
• Royal Navy operations in the First World War
  Keywords: admiraltyfirst world warnavyroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy operations in the Second World War
  Keywords: admiraltynavyroyal navysecond world warworld war two
• Royal Navy ratings enlisted after 1918
  Keywords: campaign medalsmedalsnavyroyal navysecond world warworld war two
• Royal Navy ratings of the First World War
  Keywords: first world warmedalsnavyroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy ratings up to 1913
  Keywords: medalsnavyroyal navy
• Royal Navy ratings’ pensions 17th-20th centuries
  Keywords: first world warnavypensionsroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy ships wrecked or sunk
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal navysecond world warshippingworld war oneworld war two
• Schools
  Keywords: education historyschools
• Sexuality and gender identity history
  Keywords: civil rightsgay and lesbian historygenderlesbian and gay historylgbtqsexuality
• Soldiers in African forces under British control
  Keywords: africanarmybritish armybritish empirecolonieswars
• Tithes
  Keywords: datasetslandland ownershipmapsstatisticssurveystaxationtithes
• Volunteers and Territorials
  Keywords: armybritish armyhome frontmilitiaofficers (army)regiments and corpssoldierterritorial armyvolunteer soldiers
• Wills and administrations after 1858
  Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)duties and taxesprerogative court of canterburyprobatetaxes and dutieswills
• Wills and administrations before 1858
  Keywords: administrations of probatedeath duties (tax)deathsduties and taxesearly modern periodprerogative court of canterburyprobatetaxes and dutieswills
• Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel 1786-1882
  Keywords: digitised recordsonline collections All records viewable online
• Women in the British Army
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warsoldierwomen's military serviceworld war one
• Women’s Land Army
  Keywords: home frontland girlssecond world warsecond world war personnelwomen's land armyworld war two
• Women’s Royal Air Force personnel
  Keywords: first world warrafroyal air forcesecond world war personnelwomen's military serviceworld war one
• Women’s Royal Naval Service personnel
  Keywords: first world warroyal navywomen's military serviceworld war one
• Workhouse inmates and staff
  Keywords: pauperspoor lawsworkhouses