A useful family tree is more than a collection of online hints. Each parent-child connection should be tested against reliable records, conflicting evidence should be resolved and uncertainties should be stated honestly.
What family tree research can include
- Building a tree from a known person backwards
- Extending one selected ancestral line
- Reviewing and correcting an existing online tree
- Finding records for a family branch or geographic area
- Adding full source references and research notes
- Preparing a narrative report that explains the family’s story
An evidence-led approach
I correlate civil registration, census returns, parish registers, probate, newspapers, military records and other sources. Online trees may provide clues, but I do not treat them as evidence unless their claims can be independently verified.
What you receive
Deliverables are agreed before work begins. They may include a sourced family tree, a written report, copies or references for key records, a research log and recommendations for unresolved questions.
Good starting information
Provide the most recent confirmed names, dates and places, together with copies of certificates, family documents or existing trees. It is helpful to explain whether you want breadth across several branches or depth on one line.