Why hire a professional genealogist?

The reading room at The National Archives, Kew. Many records held here have never been digitised and can only be accessed in person.  © Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa/3.0)

"Britain is blessed with one of the most complete sets of historical records of any country."* So if you have British ancestry, you have a good chance of finding your ancestor in historical records.

However, the records that may reveal the most about how your ancestors lived e.g. manorial court rolls, settlement examinations, estate papers, kirk session minutes, are held in archives across Britain. Many have never been digitised.

This is where a professional genealogist can help. They specialise in particular regions, record types, and archive collections. Many are based in the region they're researching, so they know about the trades, surnames and places in their region, and can visit local archives for you. They can read original documents, and can perhaps work around, or draw conclusions from, missing records.

We're a British genealogy matching company. We find the right person for your research question. For example, if you're researching a First World War ancestor, we'll match you with someone with experience of military records. If you're researching a Wiltshire farming family, we'll match you with someone with local knowledge and access to the Wiltshire archives.

Before any work begins, your genealogist will talk about your project with you, explain what the records can - and cannot - tell you. You'll receive a written quote and proposal, and the research only goes ahead if you're happy - no obligation. At the end of the project you'll receive documentation (usually a written report) describing what was found, what was searched, and what conclusions the evidence supports.

See example report pages →.

All the genealogists in our network are experienced, qualified professionals. Just tell us what you're looking for, and we'll match you with the genealogist best placed to help - by region, record type, or specialism. There is no fee to use our service.

Get Started

Get matched with the right genealogist for you. Receive a research proposal and quote.

Our matching service is free. You agree fees directly with your genealogist.

*Osborn, Helen. Genealogy: Essential Research Methods. Robert Hale, 2012. Kindle ed., loc. 154

All members of our network belong to AGRA/ASGRA, and/or hold qualifications from IHGS, Pharos/SoG, the University of Strathclyde or have equivalent professional experience.