Wiltshire family history

Customer notice

Due to essential maintenance work on Wednesday 16 May 2012 there may be some disruption to the following services for a short period of time from 6pm:

• Rights of Way, Wiltshire Swindon Learning Resource, Schools Directory, Wiltshire Community History and Wills

Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Would you like you like to trace your family history? Are you trying to find out more about a town or parish in Wiltshire or Swindon?

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre brings together the archaeology, archive, buildings record, conservation and museum advisory services together with the county local studies library. Staff are available to answer enquiries whether in person at the centre, or via telephone letter and email.

The History Centre also runs events, activities and lectures which may help you with your research.

Can the History Centre help with research?

Staff are available to answer enquiries whether in person at the centre, or via telephone letter and email. Direct enquiries to the research/help desk team can be sent to: archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

Enquiries normally relate to family history, the history of a house or piece of land, the history of a community, or research into a particular subject or topic. Before making an enquiry it is worth checking the detailed guides on the History Centre website to see if your question has already been answered online.

Where can I research my family tree?

• Find some advice on the first steps to take when researching your family history.
• Next steps in family history - a guide on resources dating from before 1837
• Wiltshire Family History Society encourages and supports the activities of family historians with interests in Wiltshire families.
• The Copy Certificate Team at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre holds birth, marriage, civil partnership and deaths records, dating back to 1837. You can order certificates of these events, which hold clues to your family history.You can contact them at certificates@wiltshire.gov.uk
• Swindon Collection of local studies and family history has resources which can help you research your family history.

Other useful family history websites for research outside Wiltshire.

• The National Archives is the UK government's official archive, containing over 1,000 years of history.
• ScotlandsPeople is the official Scottish genealogy resource
• The National Library of Wales is acknowledged as the principal centre for researching Welsh genealogy, and has resources and facilities for researching the history of your family.
• The Public Records Office for Northern Ireland (PRONI) is the official archive for Northern Ireland and holds sources for family history research
• The National Archives of Ireland holds many of the records which are relevant to Irish genealogy and local history.
• The General Register Office holds birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and deaths records, some dating back to 1837. You can order certificates of these events, which hold clues to your family history.

How can I order birth, marriage, death, civil partnership or adoption certificates?

• You can order birth, marriage, death, civil partnership and adoption certificates online from the Copy Certificate team Contact them at certificates@wiltshire.gov.uk
• The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre also hold indexes to civil registration births, marriages and deaths and you can obtain a copy certificate for a birth, marriage or death that was registered in Wiltshire (excluding Swindon)

How can I search burial records?

• Burial records and death records are held in parish registers
• The Wiltshire Family History Society offer transcripts of baptisms and burials for some parishes through their website.

How can I trace my family who are buried in a certain cemetery?

Cemetery records are held by individual cemeteries but the History Centre also holds some historical records.

Can I see a see a will to help me with my research

The Wiltshire Wills project is currently in the process of taking digital images of every item within the archive held of  105,000 historic wills dating from 1540 to 1858. and making them available to view online.

The Wiltshire and Swindon archive catalogue gives access to wills and other probate records of the diocese of Salisbury which used to cover not only Wiltshire but also Berkshire (under certain circumstances) and parts of Dorset and Devon.

Can I find out about the history of a parish?

• Wiltshire Community History  contains information on 261 Wiltshire communities covering the whole of the Wiltshire County Council administered area of the county; having been compiled by Wiltshire Libraries & Heritage.
• Parish register lists - a summary of the list of parish registers held by the Wiltshire and Swindon Archives. The registers are not available online.

Wondering about the history of your property?

• Sources for house history - a beginner's guide indicating locally available sources for the history of your house.

Catalogues

Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre holds an number of online catalogues that can help you with your research. You can also visit the Centre in person, or visit one of the county’s libraries, monuments, museums, or sites.

Last updated: 17 June 2011