Tracing family history has become increasingly popular in recent years, following the rise of the internet, advances in using the study of genes and DNA to combat illness and greater media coverage such as the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are.
You might be surprised at what you can uncover when you start digging into your family's past and learning about past generations really is a worthwhile, interesting pastime.
With records going online and local organisations making them easier to access than ever, this is definitely a great time to get started! Once you begin to look you'll be amazed at the amount of records there are- the Hull City Council Website is an excellent place to start if you are unsure.
The main problem that beginners come across when researching their family tree is that records tend to be scattered around and from different sources.
Where should I start?
The best place to start tracing your family tree is to talk to your grandparents- you could be unaware of the amount of information they can give you that you never knew about.
The next step is to go to local archives, libraries etc. The best places to do this in and around Hull are:
City Archives, Lowgate
Central Library, Albion Street
Register Office, George Street
Crematorium, Chanterlands Avenue
Hull University Archives, Cottingham Road
East Riding Archives in Beverley
National Archives at Kew
Ask for the basics such as birth, marriage and death certificates and also the census records (It is important to remember that census records are only made public after approximately 100 years so you cannot view anything from 1911 onwards). Other great sources for budding genealogists include burial records, church records, websites such as ancestry.co.uk and of course, your local family history society!
For more information about tracing your family history in Hull please visit
www.hullcc.gov.uk