Tools and Help

Scottish Genealogy Guides & Resources

Here are some handy family history guides and useful websites to help you find your Scottish ancestry.

Scottish Genealogy Guides & Resources to help your family history research
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Family History Made Easy

Join me each month to learn more about your Scottish family history.

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Scottish Surnames

Do you have a Scottish family name and you would like to find out more about its origins, meaning, history and lots of other interesting information?

Click here to visit my growing resource on Scottish Surnames.

I’m aiming to grow this directory of surnames each month, hopefully you will find it useful.

Handy Guides

Download one of these handy free guides to help you grow your family tree:

Family Tree Packages

Starting Your Scottish Family Tree

7 helpful tips to get you started with your family research

Genealogy Tips and Tools

A Guide To The ScotlandsPeople Centre

Learn how to use the official government source of genealogical data for Scotland

Useful Websites

Here is a selection of websites that can help you with your Scottish family history research:

Here is a handy guide on useful websites to help you research your Scottish ancestry.

Upcoming Family History Virtual Events

Just scroll down to find a date that suits you.  By the way, this is regularly updated so keep checking.

6 – 8 March 2025 (all day):  RootsTech Conference

Cost: Free Online

  • 200+ new online sessions in over 26 languages
  • Join keynote sessions live from the comfort of your own home
  • Chat online with other attendees worldwide
  • Get digital syllabi and class handouts

Click here for more information.

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15 March 2025 (all day):  Scottish Indexes Conference

Cost: Free (Donations Accepted)

  • What is Ireland? Understanding the Lay of the Land’ by genealogist Chris Paton
  • ‘Blackmail, Burnings, Banishment and Shipwreck: Aberdeen Crimes and Convicts 1830s-1840s’ by Dr Dee Hoole
  • ‘Tracing your Scottish Family History: Solving one puzzle at a time’ by genealogist Emma Maxwell
  • ‘The Orkney Archive Service’ by Lucy Gibbon, Archivist at Orkney Library and Archive
  • ‘Your Scottish Archives’ by John Pelan
  • ‘Tracing a Building Through Time’ by Graham Maxwell

Click here for more information.

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24 March 2025 (630pm British Time): Banyan DNA: A Power Tool for Solving Genealogical Problems

Cost: £12

John Cleary’s presentation will guide Banyan beginners in building complex trees and solving the relationship between clusters of matches.

Click here for more information.

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25 March 2025 (7pm British Time): How the Romanticism of the Highlands Influenced Architecture and Taste 

Cost: Free

Mary Miersis a writer/editor who works in the field of architectural heritage, conservation and journalism.

She founded Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register, which she ran in the 1990s, and for several decades worked for Country Life magazine, where she was Architectural Writer and then Fine Arts and Books Editor.

She has researched and written numerous articles on buildings old and new, published seven books, done lectures and broadcasts and sat on the committees of various trusts and organisations. She lives on the Black Isle and is president of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland.

Click here for more information.

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26 March 2025 (630pm British Time): DNA Testing for Genealogy: Your Questions Answered

Cost: £12

Donna Rutherford will explore common FAQs about DNA testing for genealogy, providing practical advice and clear explanations for beginners.
 
 

Click here for more information.

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8 April 2025 (630pm British Time): Exploring the Limits of Autosomal DNA

Cost: £12

Learn about the science behind DNA: this presentation will provide a clearer understanding of the facts that underpin our DNA tests.

Click here for more information.

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10 April 2025 (630pm British Time): My DNA Matches

Cost: £12

In this webinar, you will learn about:

  • Top tips for grouping matches.
  • Case study: Confirming the identity of my Jewish great-grandfather.
  • Case study: Using matches to reconnect a fractured family and identify a lost cousin.

Rather than looking at genetic genealogy through the lens of professional research, you will look at personal family history, and all the unique challenges that come with researching your own genetic lineages.

Click here for more information.

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13 June 2025 (2pm British Time): Researching Your Family History 1837 – 1911

Cost: Free

Learn about the key sources available for tracing the lives of your ancestors living in the 19th century.

Exploring civil registration records after 1837 and illustrating the evolution of the census, this webinar will help start your journey into discovering more about your family tree.

Click here for more information.

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What My Customers Say

“Sarah researched my father’s ancestry and did such a good job! She found him relatives he didn’t know he had, and successfully set him on the path to further find out about his family history. Thank you Sarah! Highly recommended!”

Linda from Edinburgh

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