Oh, how many possibilities there are with this title! How many people in the world claim that they are descended from King Oojamaflip? Or they have ancestors who have children before they are even born themselves? We have all seen those trees…. (mentioned in an earlier A-Z blog)….
Various clients come to us at FWL with slightly unrealistic expectations whether it be on the financial side of things or the research result they are aiming for. Can we prove that you were related to William Shakespeare? Possibly…. but the records prior to 1837 are not consistent across all realms of the nation. So, we like to set realistic goals in our research. Usually, stage by stage planning works best as, until we start working on the project, how can we tell from the outset what is possible and indeed, what we might find out?!
Many issues arise in our research – we cannot do it all from the United Kingdom! So, your ancestors are from Italy? Well, we have to locate a researcher on the ground to carry out the work. And it’s not the same as it is here…. you have to go to the priest himself. What if he is not very helpful? Tough, sadly. Some records have been destroyed over the centuries as well. Not purposefully but for a wide variety of historical reasons.
People hold the misconception that tracing Irish ancestry is impossible. It isn’t. However, it does present different challenges. New sources include RootsIreland, Catholic Parish Registers at the National Library of Ireland, along with Civil Registrations from 1845-1958 on Ancestry, the Irish Calendar of Wills and Administrations on FamilySearch from 1858-1920…. and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So, how far can we trace back in your ancestry? How long will it take? How much will it cost? None of these questions have a straight-forward answer! It depends on the precise requirements of the project. All trades and professions will be the same…. the cost depends on the requirement.
Tell us what you are looking for and we’ll tell you what is realistic!
