Genealogy for Librarians

A guide to the sources of information required by genealogists and where they can be found. The work concentrates on English sources, although some mention is made of equivalent sources in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Topics covered include heraldry and migration.

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Since the publication of the first edition of this book in 1983, interest in genealogy, and the consequent pressure on libraries, have continued at a high level. This guide gives comprehensive coverage to the sources which can provide the information required by professionals or amateur genealogists or by other professionals such as solicitors or medical researchers needing occasional recourse to population records. The guide contains chapters on preliminary and ancillary material: published secondary sources; inhabitants lists; records of births, marriages and deaths; career records; poverty; crime and litigation; heraldry; and migration. While concentrating mainly on English sources, guidance is also given for Scottish, Welsh and Irish sources and brief mention of other European sources is made. The introductory chapter examines the role of the librarian in assisting the genealogist to identify and trace sources, and examines the problems of how much help can be given and at what cost. This book should also be of use to genealogists in countries with populations of English ancestry, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.