Coronavirus in Scotland: how to research your family tree during lockdown

The BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are can take much of the credit, having sprinkled a generous helping of celebrity stardust on the task of trawling through dusty census records and marriage certificates.

Technology has also played a huge role. The internet means access to sophisticated online archives is only a mouse click away and there are scores of websites offering advice to those hoping to discover their inner Sherlock Holmes.

It all makes genealogy – and historical research more generally – ideal for locked-down Scots seeking mental stimulation at home.

The premises of institutions such as the National Library and National Records of Scotland might be shut but that’s no barrier when information can be obtained instantly and from anywhere. Even more importantly, much of it is free.

Researching your family tree

There has over the last two decades been an explosion in the range and richness of online content available to those looking to find out more about their ancestors. Public interest in family history has grown just as rapidly.

The ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk), part of the National Records of Scotland, provides online access to births, marriages and deaths, as well as wills, census documents, Coats of Arms and valuation rolls.

Fees are charged for viewing some items but, explains Iain Ferguson, Centre Manager, the entire operation has been designed to maximise speed and ease of use.

“Instead of the olden days when you had to come in, we now have digitised museum records,” he says. “You just type in a name and year, and the system can search for it in an instant. And you have the opportunity to look up images of records.”

Of course, the online quest to trace a family tree doesn’t have to be limited to big national organisations.

Independent websites can also offer a vital helping hand. FindMyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk), one of the largest and best known, gives armchair genealogists access to billions of records and its archive is expanding all the time. Late last year, it announced a new online collection spanning nearly five centuries of Dundee and Angus history. The materials provide names, dates, residences and occupations, as well as photographic documents of streets and people. Many are full colour scans from paper originals.

Technology and a certain BBC TV show, says Mr Ferguson, have combined to turbo-charge the popularity of genealogy as a hobby – and there’s no sign of a slowdown.

“I would say there has been growth in the number of people being interested in family history, certainly, particularly around ten years ago, when Who Do You Think You Are was on television,” he adds.

“And, as time has progressed, more and more records have been put up by family history societies and so on. People are far more keen. They have a thirst for knowledge.”

It’s good to talk

While technology undoubtedly supports the task of discovering an ancestor or their involvement in a major historical event, there's no substitute for conversation with family when it comes to unearthing the most exciting clues.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles and, of course, mum and dad should all be among the first ports of call. Even older siblings and cousins can help if elderly relatives have passed away. And video chat apps mean the coronavirus lockdown is no obstacle to enjoying quality, face-to-face contact.

“Talking to your family is hugely important,” says Tahitia McCabe, Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme Course Director at the University of Strathclyde.

“It’s the way you get the juicy bits - the stories and all the interesting stuff. Genealogy is about bringing history, people and places to life.

“The official records don’t tell you the ‘why’. They can only really capture the interface with governments and organisations, all the formal things that happen in your life. But there are lots of things that happen that don’t get captured in a formal way.”

Moving the focus of genealogy beyond official records and on to real human relationships is crucial to its wider appeal, says Ms McCabe, adding that the number of people under 30 attending her courses is definitely “creeping up”.

The broader picture

An accurate record of individual events is vital but so is context - and few institutions are better equipped to provide this than the National Library of Scotland (NLS).

Its huge multi-media archive (which can be found at www.nls.uk/digital-resources) is a gold mine for digital genealogists and historians of all ages, particularly those seeking information about ancestors caught up in the two world wars.

Lists of officers enrolled in the army, navy and air force, and an extensive collection of black-and-white photographs from the Western Front, are available free of charge. Also on offer are clan histories, maps and a moving image archive containing footage from communities across the country. Lucy Church, NLS reference services assistant, says such resources are vital for adding a social dimension to the raw information set out in documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates.

“People use [our collection] to find out about specific individuals but what it’s best for is the bigger picture – social and local history, for example,” she adds.

“What we have available has vastly increased in recent years. Since the internet has been available, the archiving world has really engaged with it - and how we can provide a service through it.”

Stressing that staff are always on hand to assist home users in difficulty, she says: “If you think of institutions like ourselves, the National Museum of Scotland, National Records – they all have really excellent websites. The best way [for people] to familiarise themselves with the collection is to have a look and just be guided by what their particular interest is.”

Parents in particular will find Scotland’s major cultural institutions invaluable when they're trying to keep children busy. The NLS website features a wide-ranging learning zone with materials about topics such as the women’s suffrage movement.

The Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust, meanwhile, has created dedicated online resources (www.prestonpans275.org/inspiration/) which its leaders hope will inspire youngsters to create prose, poetry and art about Bonnie Prince Charlie’s famous victory in 1745 over a government army led by Sir John Cope. Entries will be published online and organisers hope to include as many as possible in a special commemorative book to mark the battle’s 275th anniversary.

Also offering online home schooling assistance is the National Wallace Monument, which has launched a video series to help young people learn about William Wallace and the Wars of Scottish Independence. Available at www.nationalwallacemonument.com, it is aimed at children aged between 8 and 12 who are encouraged to watch the videos and answer questions based on the content.

Catherine Morrison, Learning and Volunteer Co-ordinator at Stirling District Tourism, says: “Usually, I’m hosting trips for school children at the Monument, or visiting schools to teach them all about William Wallace. These are things we’re not currently able to do, but we wanted to do something to support parents and keep their children learning about history.”

Sidebar – top tips for the budding genealogist

1) Start with what you know. Begin by writing down everything you know about your family – names, dates of birth, places of residence. Even if all you have are rough dates and more questions than answers, it’s a place to launch your project.

2) Talk to your family – do this sooner rather than later. If elderly relatives have all passed away, try older siblings or cousins.

3) Search official records. Generally, you’ll want to try and obtain birth, marriage and death information for your ancestors and anyone else on your tree that is of interest. Plus, finding them on available census records is of primary importance. It’s best to start as close to the present as possible and work your way back. That way you can usually verify facts with your memories and records, or by checking with other family members.

4) Once you have built up your skills, keep going! You could get involved in new projects such as a transcription or indexing project in your spare time. This is a great way to expand skills in deciphering old handwriting. It also supports the genealogy community as a whole.