In 2018, the infamous Golden State Killer was captured after over 40 years on the run. Joseph DeAngelo, who committed a string of 13 murders in California in the 1970s and 1980s, was finally caught when the FBI controversially used a genealogy website to trace the DNA of a close family member. He is now serving life in prison.
While the odds of stumbling upon a serial killer are thankfully small, finding criminals in your family tree is a common occurrence for any genealogist. It’s well known that many Australians are descended from the 160,000 British convicts who were transported to the country in the 18th and 19th centuries, but not every criminal was sent abroad. Many remained in Britain, and many more went on to start families.
A criminal ancestor can be a sensitive subject. While some people are excited by the discovery, others view it as a source of shame. Living relatives may be unwilling to discuss the topic, creating a roadblock to further investigation. A criminal ancestor can also cause practical problems as false names, made-up stories and sudden changes of location may enter the mix.,
Overcoming these difficulties is tough, but the results can be truly illuminating. From tracking down elusive figures to bringing up the topic with living relatives, here’s how you can make sure you don’t get derailed.
How Do I Know if I Have a Criminal Ancestor?
Tracking down a criminal ancestor can be difficult. Most criminals don’t want to get caught, and this can lead them to use false names or even fabricate entire biographies. That said, there are a few telltale signs to look for when perusing family records:
- Sudden unexplained changes of location
- Gaps in the records that could indicate time in prison
- Biographical details that seem unlikely
- Reluctance of family members to talk about a certain relative
While criminals will often take steps to obscure their identities, crime itself is meticulously recorded. The UK has detailed court records going back to the 19th century, all of which can be accessed through The National Archives. Many individual prisons also keep records of names, dates of birth and even the home addresses of prisoners. Often, these record sets are available online – Ancestry and FindMyPast have substantial numbers of prison registers and other records about criminal behaviour available. The proceedings of the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey are also freely available online for the years 1674 – 1913, containing records of almost 200,000 trails.
Newspapers can also be a valuable source of information. Crime is a staple of tabloid journalism, and this has been true for centuries. The British Newspaper Archive contains over 80 million digitised newspaper pages dating back to the 1700s. If an ancestor’s crime made the papers, there’s a good chance you can find some details here.
Sometimes, records you consult on a regular basis anyway will show you that someone was a criminal. Prisons were enumerated on censuses like any other institution, so if your ancestor was incarcerated on census day, they will appear there. Be aware, however, that in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses, only initials of the prisoners will appear.
How Can I Handle the Situation Sensitively?
Even if you’ve identified a criminal relative, discussing them with your family can be difficult. This is especially true when talking about the recent past. Family members may be in denial about the actions of someone they remember personally, or might have grown up believing a different version of events.
While it may be tempting to avoid the subject, these people can offer vital insights. Confronting your family’s past can also be cathartic for those that have felt shame for a long time. This is will always be a difficult conversation, but there are some things you can do to make it easier:
- Make it clear to your relatives that you don’t hold them responsible for the actions of their ancestors
- Point out that criminal acts of the past were often the result of desperate times rather than moral shortcomings
- Let your relatives know how important it is to you to build an accurate family tree, regardless of what you might find
Of course, some criminal acts carry more shame than others. We may sympathise with a desperate thief, but murder is much harder to justify. If the crime in question is more serious, your approach will have to be even more sensitive. In these cases, offering to donate to a relevant charity can be a great way to make amends symbolically without shying away from the truth.
Untangle Your Family Tree
A criminal in your family tree can be unsettling, but the associated records could unlock all sorts of hidden treasures. If you’re struggling with court records, newspaper archives or anything else in this area, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Our team has years of experience, allowing us to pinpoint the relevant information in a fraction of the time. Give us a call to get started.
