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.

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 and Me

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 April 2025 (7pm British Time): Jamaican Genealogy – Tracing Back to the 1770s

Cost: £5 – £13.70

In this event, Paul Crooks will use his personal journey as a case study to:

  • Reveal how he traced his family’s Black history back to the early 1800s
  • Discuss records specific to research into Black ancestry, and other valuable resources
  • Share a step-by-step approach to uncovering ancestral records
  • Explain challenges encountered in this research and how to overcome them

Click here for more information.

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3 June 2025 (7pm British Time): Researching Your Farming Ancestors and Relatives

Cost: £0

In this two-hour workshop, Ken Nisbet will show what resources can be used to research relatives who were farmworkers and farmers. He will look at how the history of a farm can be researched, and the difference between crofters and farms. He will explain why farm tenancy moved to farm ownership, in particular after the Great War, and how that conflict affected farm operation with a reduction in horse use.

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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