Local and Family History: Some Genealogy Books

Family History ~ or genealogy ~ is a fascinating and addictive hobby.

Hundreds of books have been published on the subject.

This item will look at just a few of them.

* * * * *

I own hundreds of books and 'History' probably features most strongly ~ including 'Family History' / Genealogy!

I love history and have been fascinated by our human origins for as long as I can remember. I loved to listen to tales of my parents, grandparents and great grandparents ~ and I often pored over royal pedigrees in books.

After a teacher mentioned her genealogical research, one day, I decided to announce to the family that I was going to start on ours. I was 16, full of enthusiasm, but lacking in information! How should I go about researching our family tree?

Finally my parents came to the rescue My mother heard genealogist Meda Mander being interviewed on the BBC, and she bought her book as a birthday gift for me.

Over the past 30+ years, I have collected quite a few books relating to genealogy. Some are probably way out of date by now ~ maybe I should do some pruning ~ but others are fairly up-to-date and remain very useful. Others are just enjoyable to read!

*

Please note that I am English ~ with English, Welsh, Irish and Greek ancestry. This has affected my personal choice in books.

This was the first family history book I owned. When my Mum heard Meda Mander being interviewed on BBC radio, she immediately knew that her, then, recent publication, 'How to Trace Your Ancestors', was the book for me!

'How to Trace Your Ancestors' was published in 1977, by Granada (Mayflower Books), having previously been published, in 1976, by David and Charles, under the title: 'Tracing Your Ancestors'.

It was a great little book and it set me on the path to my favourite ~ and possibly most addictive ~ hobby. I loved it! It may be out of date now, and I have bought newer books, but it still has pride of place on my 'family history' book shelf!

Meda Mander was born in Essex, England, and studied at London University.

*

Another early favourite:

'A Monster at the Top of the Tree', by Kathleen Menhinick Dewey was another early favourite.

Published by Carousel Books, in 1975, it is really intended for children ~ but it is great fun!

Ms Menhinick Dewey traces her ancestry into the realms of mythology ~ hence the 'monster'!

'Discovering Surnames; their origin and meanings'- J W Freeman, Shire Publications

'Your Surname Guide' ~ From 'Your Family Tree'

'A Dictionary of English Surnames' by P H Reaney (+ R M Wilson) Oxford 1997

'Military Records' ~ Your Family Tree Magazine

'A~Z of Genealogy Websites' ~ Your Family Tree Magazine

'Trace Your First world War Ancestors' ~ Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine

'Family History - Cultures and Faiths' ~ Michael Gandy

'Catholic Missions and Registers, 1700-1880' ~ Michael Gandy

'Illegitimacy, A McLaughlin Guide' ~ Eve McLaughlin

'My Ancestor Moved in England and Wales' ~ Anthony J Camp

'Genealogy for Beginners' by Arthur J Willis ~ 1976 (first published in 1955)

'A Catalogue of British Family Histories', compiled by T R Thomson, ~ Research Publishing Co and Society of Genealogists, 1976 (first published 1928)

'Everyone Has Roots', Anthony Camp - W H Allen & Co, 1978

'Discover Your Ancestors', Hugh Peskett ~ Arco Publishing (New York), 1978

'This Ancestry Business', Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry,1979 (first published 1973)

'Tracing Your Family Tree', Victor Price - Brewin books, 1989

'Short Cuts in Family History', Michael Gandy - Countryside Books + The Federation of Family History Societies, 1994

'Tracing Your Ancestors', D M Field ~ Treasure Press, 1987

'Time, Family and Community', (Professor) Michael Drake - Open University and Blackwell Publishing, 1994

'Beginning Your Family History', George Pelling - Federation of Family History Societies, 1995

'Explore Your Family's Past' ~ Readers' Digest, 2000

'The Family History Project' ~ Published by The National Archives, in association with the History Channel, 2004

'How to Trave Your Family Tree in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales', Kathy Chater ~ Hermes House, 2004

In 2001, Harper Collins published 'The People Detective; discovering your family roots', by Tom MacGregor. It accompanied the BBC 2 series of the same name. According to the back cover, it 'focuses on discovering lost or buried family history by uncovering an ancestral trail'.

'Who Do You Think You Are?' is another very popular BBC TV series about genealogy ~ with tie-in books, DVDs, etc.

'The Joys of Family History: All You Need to Start Your Family Search', by Simon Fowler, is a guide from the National Archives. It is a handy little ('concise') paperback book, with a wealth of illustrations in both black + white and colour.

I bought this book because I was so impressed by the recommendations ~ and they were right!

Diane Marelli writes autobiographically, telling the story of her research as she goes along ~ with tremendous enthusiasm. The book is in the form of a research diary.

It has been described as 'inspirational' and the Surrey Advertiser called it 'the best easy-to-read guide you will come across ...'

First published in 2003, my copy is dated 2007 ~ published by How To Books Ltd.

This is the only book I own which is specifically concerned with both genealogy and genetics ~ a fascinating combination. We have had our 'Y' DNA (via my brother) and I think that this is the future of family history!

Chris Pomery is a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies, who lectures in his subject for family researchers.

The forward is written by one of my favourite authors, Steve Jones. I have been to one of his fascinating lectures ~ he is the author of several books, including 'Y: The descent of Man', 'Almost Like a Whale' and 'The Language of the Genes'.

Learn more here:

http://www.dnaandfamilyhistory.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jones_(biologist)

I think that all family historians are aware of the importance of surnames / family names in their research, but what about Christian names / forenames? ~ Yes, it seems that they, too, can be more important than was previously thought.

George Redmonds has written a very interesting book called 'Christian Names in Local and Family History', (The National archives, 2004.) The foreword, by Hull University's Peter McClure, begins: 'Christian name are historically of great interest because they can tell us much about families, communities and culture in past times. Yet the value of Christian names as a tool of historical research has been little appreciated. ...'

David Hey, who edited 'The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History', has written 'Family Names and Family History', (Hambledon and London, 2000). In his preface, Hey notes, 'We have all wondered, from time to time, about how we got our surnames and what they mean. ...' How right he is!

When you hold a copy of 'Ancestral Trails', you really do feel that you have the answers to (almost) all of your genealogical questions, right at your fingertips. It is a large book, containing a lot of material! Yet it is written, not like an encyclopedia, but in a very friendly manner. Mark Herber is your expert companion.

According to the front cover this is 'the complete guide to British genealogy and local history' and it won the Library Association McColvin Medal for 'Outstanding Reference Work'. I have the second edition.

'Teach Yourself Tracing Your Family Tree' by Stella Colwell, is published by Hodder and Stoughton (1997).

On the back cover of my copy, I found this: 'Teach Yourself Tracing Your Family Tree is simply the most practical and comprehensive guide to tracing your family history that you can buy.'

About Ms Colwell, it states that she has 'worked at the College of Arms, London, for twelve years' and was the 'first woman chairman of the Executive Committee of the Society of Genealogists'.

'The Parish Chest' is an oft-quoted and well respected book, first published in 1946 by Cambridge University Press. My copy, dated 1983, was published by Phillimore & Co Ltd.

According to the book description at Amazon: 'The purpose of the book is to illustrate and encourage research into local history by means of surviving documents and fragments; it opens a way of actual study for many would-be local historians. Mr Tate's knowledge of documents and of the scattered literature dealing with them enabled him to describe and illustrate the evolution of local government'.

Many of those who are interested in genealogy are also fascinated by heraldry. It is a very interesting subject, but I only seem to have one book specifically on this subject ~ and it is aimed at youngsters: it is 'Heraldry' by Rosemary Manning. It is clear and straightforward, so easy to follow for beginners. That is often the joy of books for children ~ provided that they are of good quality! This book was first published by A and C Black, in 1966 and my copy is dated 1971.

Debrett's is a well-known name when it comes to pedigrees, so it is not surprising that they brought out a 'guide to tracing ancestry'. Called 'Debrett's Family Historian', and published in 1981 by Webb and Bower, it was authored by Noel Currer-Briggs and Roystan Gambier. A third edition was published in 1999.

'Who Do You Think You Are?' is a number of BBC TV series, a magazine, a set of books, a computer programme, a genealogy convention, and who can say what else!

I love it!

I do not know if the WDYTYA books and magazines are any better than any others, but they give readers the encouragement that they need to succeed with their research.

This may be a hobby, but it is often pursued at the level of post-graduate researchers and books need to address this. Similarly, family historians may be novices, with only a basic education. Books need to address this, too. I feel that the WDYTYA books do this. They are bright, clear and enthusiastic about their subject. And they don't just tell us, they show us ~ via the celebrities who research their ancestry through the TV series.

There is now a USA series, too! And a book to go with it!

I have three books with this title ~ The first is a basic 'Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History'; the second encourages readers to 'Trace Your Family History Back to the Tudors'; the third is a 'definitive' 'Encyclopedia of Genealogy'.

Don't I have enough family history / genealogy books?!

Well, I suppose that I do, but there is one that appeals to me, because it is a bit different. It is by United States academic, Joseph A Amato, and it is called 'Jacob's Well: A Case for Rethinking Family History'.

This is family history researched by a university lecturer. It puts the subject where it should be ~ in the realms of real academic historical research.

Quote from a reviewer:

'In this marvelous book, Joseph A. Amato introduces us to his parents ... Grandmas ... Great-grandfather Jacob of the book's title, and a tree full of ...[relatives]. The reader travels to Italy, Detroit, Acadia, Maine, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. .....'

'.... Amato's prose is so lovely and his metaphors so well turned that they often forced me to stop and marvel.'

[Annette Atkins ~ Saint John's University/College of Saint Benedict]
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7021/is_2_34/ai_n31378149/

Some people may not class this as 'family history', but it is definitely about our ancestors and I find it truly fascinating. Our DNA takes us back in time ~ and that is amazing!