Family History Guide (printer friendly version (258KB - pdf help))

Have you ever wondered who your ancestors were? Are you related to a great explorer or royalty?

At the Devon Record Office you can search for your ancestors in various ways. They have records of Baptism Registers, Marriage Licences, Trade directories, census returns, Wills and Electoral Registers to name a few.

First decide which family line you are going to trace. Start by adding the basic facts and information you already know.

You can now join the Devon Family History Society’s newly formed Acorn Club. The club is for young people who are interested in family history research. To launch the Acorn Club they have a competition for young people.

You will need to design and decorate a three generation family tree. (You can see mine on my Comix page!)

You may need an adult to help provide dates, names and places but you must put that information into your own A4 size tree – which must be your own work. You can enter more than one category. There are 3 age groups - up to 10, 11-14, 15-18.

Why not visit the Devon Record Office or your library to help research your family tree?

Send your entries to the Devon Record Office, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, EX2 7NL. Closing date 31st Oct 2008.

Don't forget to add you name, address and age on the back of each entry!

Why not check out these websites. www.britarch.ac.uk/YAC takes you to the Council for British Archaeology's Young Archaeologists Club. And www.groups.ex.ac.uk/das/ya.htm takes you to the Devon Archaeological Society's Young Archaeologists page.