Fife Family History

(published in Voice4us, Fife Council's employee magazine)

 

Who were my ancestors? Where did they live? What did they do? Were they rich or poor? What made them unique?

 

These are questions many of you may be asking yourselves following the successful BBC2 series "Who Do You Think You Are?" Family history is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the UK, and while many people leave it until their retirement to start tracing their family tree, there's no time like the present.

 

We are very lucky here in Scotland that out records are both more in-depth and more accessible than their English counterparts. In fact, Scotland is one of the best places in the world when it comes to researching your family tree.

 

So how do you start looking into your family history? The best way to begin is by writing down all you know about your family, and asking other family members what they can remember. Armed with this information you are ready to start looking at the records.

 

You can access the records of births, marriages and deaths, and census records, by visiting New Register House in Edinburgh. New Register House is open on weekdays and costs £17 for a day pass. It's advisable to book a place in advance by phoning 0131 314 4449. Alternatively, you can search the same records by using the Scotland's People website, www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. This costs £6 for 30 credits, meaning that you can access up to 5 certificates for your £6. The records of births, marriages and deaths date back to 1855, when statutory registration began.

 

Once you've begun to gather information from certificates, you will be in a better position to start looking at other records. This is where the real detective work begins.

 

One of the most useful websites is www.familysearch.org. This gives you online access to a resource known as the International Genealogical Index (IGI), which includes an index to the Scottish Old Parish Registers. As this resource is just an index, it's always important to go back and check the original records on microfilm, as you may find that extra information is included in the record.

 

Fife Council's local libraries are a very good place to look for information. In particular, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Cupar and Methil libraries have collections of family history resources, including microfilms of the Old Parish Registers and census records for Fife. The libraries are also a good source of local history books, which will help to give a picture of how your ancestors lived. The library service organise a Fife Family History Fair every couple of years, and the 2005 fair will take place on Saturday 22 October 2005 at the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes.

 

The Fife Council Archive Centre is another good source of records. Details of its holdings are available at www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/FIF/libraries/Archives.htm. To make an appointment see the records, contact the Archivist, Andrew Dowsey, on 01592 413256/ 416504 or email andrew.dowsey@fife.gov.uk.

 

It's always worth joining a local family history society, and joining Fife Family History Society can be extremely helpful to those researching their Fife ancestors. The society holds monthly meetings and produces a journal three times a year. For more information on joining, visit the website www.fifefhs.org, where you can also search a collection of online records. The society has also produced a CD-ROM of pre-1855 Fife Deaths, details of which are on the website.

 

Tracing your family tree is a very rewarding and interesting hobby. You are bound to find something in your family history that grabs your attention. And one of these days you may find yourself in a library or record office, shouting out "Yes!" in the silence, when you find that elusive ancestor you've spent ages searching for!