Genealogy
Creating a family tree takes time, if it is
your intention to search for family ties whilst visiting Belfast
then it is important to do as much research as possible before you
travel.
How do I get
started?
The number one step is to create the
first line of your family tree. This will give you a base from
which you can easily identify gaps in your knowledge and highlights
the questions you’ll need to ask your relatives. There are
eight important pieces of information to be gathered and the more
that you can get the easier your archive search will be:
- Full name
- Date of Birth
- Place of Birth
- Full Name of Person to whom Married
- Date of Marriage
- Place of Marriage
- Each Person's Date of Death
Search for old documents, wills; birth, marriage or death
certificates, in fact anything that may have snippets of
information, even old letters. Try and discover as much as
possible.
Doing the
research:
When you have gathered all the
information you can reasonably expect to obtain from family
sources, the next stage is to begin your research in the official
archives. The following organisations listed below are useful
sources and can provide access to records and /or assitance with
your search.
Family Ulster
Telephone: +44 (0)28 9079 8551
www.familyulster.com
Family Ulster offer the following genealogical
services: simple look-ups of birth marriage and death records in
civil registration, genealogy research of your ancestors
or living relatives from Ulster, assisted research at PRONI or
elsewhere when you visit as well as ancestral tours to places
associated with your family.
Linen Hall Library
17 Donegall Square North
Belfast BT1 5GD
www.linenhall.com
The Linen Hall Library is a subscription
library containing a unique collection of local material including
a specially designated genealogical collection with its own
catalogue.
Ulster Historical
Foundation
49 Malone Road
Belfast BT9 6RY
www.ancestryireland.com
The Ulster Historical Foundation is a non-profit making
organisation which promotes interest in Irish history and
genealogy, with particular reference to the province of Ulster. It
offers an ancestral research service, publishes books, organises
conferences and runs a membership club.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
2 Titanic Boulevard
Titanic Quarter
Belfast BT3 9HQ
www.proni.gov.uk
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
is the main source of genealogical material in Northern Ireland. It
holds the official records from government departments relating to
Northern Ireland from about 1830 and has large collections of
private papers and church records.
General Register Office for Northern
Ireland
Oxford House
49-55 Chichester Street
Belfast BT1 4HL
www.groni.gov.uk
The General Register Office for Northern Ireland issue copies
of certificates of births, marriages and deaths.