Fascination in family trees is soaring with up to 1.5 million people expected to research their ancestry this month, claims publication GenealogyInTime.
Revelations about black sheep in the family revealed over Christmas, yuletide gifts of DNA kits and a desire to find a fresh hobby in 2025 are key reasons why we are tempted to invest time and money on such research.
But experts point out that you can discover your roots without having to sign up to costly subscriptions and much family sleuthing can be done for free.
Helen Tovey, editor of publication Family Tree, says: ‘The dark winter months are the perfect time to study your family tree.
‘The golden rule is to start with yourself and work backwards in time – names, dates, places and anecdotes from your family – to build a picture.’
Rather than immediately signing up to a subscription plan, she believes you should first arm yourself with a notepad and recorder and visit family to quiz them about the past. Next, draw up a map of immediate family going back two or three generations. You can then confirm and drill down on further details and fill in family gaps, using a range of services.
Family tree: Experts point out that you can discover your roots without having to sign up to costly subscriptions and much family sleuthing can be done for free
The next step, according to Ariel Bruce, a social worker who traces missing people and works on ITV’s Long Lost Family, is to visit a library for free help.
She says: ‘A central library is a great first port of call. It may offer free access to genealogy website services you might otherwise have to pay for where you can start verifying family details using names, dates of birth, marriages and deaths – fitting pieces of the jigsaw together by trawling through records. You just need to tap all known details into a ‘search’ box on the website and it trawls any records stored online.’
Bruce points out that the General Register Office records of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales since 1837 can be accessed for free – gov.uk/general-register-office – and viewed in person at various libraries.
She adds: ‘The internet has made life easy when doing research. But if you live in London, for the price of a Tube ticket you can also visit The National Archives in Kew, Surrey, which stores records.
‘Much of its information can be accessed free but call beforehand.’
Here, there are also census records from 1841 up to 1921 that should provide details of everyone in England and Wales and where they were living when the census was taken, offering insight, including age, marital status, occupation and where they were born. Kew also holds information on immigration, emigration, Armed Forces service and medals awarded. It even has criminal records, name changes and divorces.
Separately, copies of parish records, local newspaper cuttings, military, travel and migration records can assist in your search. These are often kept in parish churches and county record offices but also usually accessible online at your local library.
You can also try website FamilySearch, a free service offered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which gives access to census records, newspapers and migration records.
You can explore the ‘big four’ website services – Ancestry, FindMyPast, MyHeritage and The Genealogist – without spending a penny as well as trying out the free service FamilySearch. You simply sign up for a trial.
Tovey adds: ‘It is easy to try out the family history websites and start to build up a tree in just a weekend – so taking advantage of a 14-day free trial is a great way for you to decide which is the most suitable option. They all offer access to family records – plus a range of census details, occupational records, emigration details, as well as parish registers. If you like the service offered it can also provide an excellent helping tool and ensures research is accurate.’
Sarah Williams, editor of the magazine Who Do You Think You Are?, says: ‘The big four come with huge databases – but you really need to try them out to see which one feels most user friendly. ‘Ancestry is one of the biggest and has a huge global network that enables you to link family trees with others that also use the genealogy website, while FindMyPast has a deal with The British Newspaper Archive that is particularly useful if you are looking for colour through published articles.
‘MyHeritage is best for Americans looking for European connections while The Geneologist is a smaller outfit but can offer great value to explore British families through data such as the census.’
Ancestry charges an annual worldwide membership fee of £179.99 – though it comes with a 14-day free trial.
It provides access to census records for England and Wales from 1841 to 1921. By tapping in family details, it provides ‘leaf’ suggestions about possible ancestors, and it has access to 60 billion records. Visit: ancestry.co.uk. FindMyPast charges £199.99 a year but offers a free 14-day trial. It can trace ancestors back to the 1700s and has ten billion records. Visit: findmypast.co.uk.
MyHeritage offers a range of packages – from a ‘premium’ search for £89 a year with basic search facilities to £309 a year for unlimited family tree services that includes access to some 32 billion historical records. It also comes with a 14-day free trial. Visit: myheritage.com.
The Genealogist also has a 14-day free trial as well as a ‘Diamond’ annual subscription costing £119.95. It was voted ‘winner of the year’ in 2024 by the magazine Who Do You Think You Are? for ‘mapping capability, search options and the way results are presented’. Visit: thegenealogist.co.uk.
If still unsure about the cost-saving benefits of signing up for a year with one of these services after the trial, you might consider a shorter-term monthly option.
For example, Ancestry charges £19.99 a month for its worldwide membership or £99.99 for six months. So, although you save £59.89 taking out an annual membership rather than a monthly deal, if you only used the service for nine months of the year it would cost no more. You can cancel at any time without charge but services renew every month unless you cancel.
Williams says: ‘Look upon signing up to a genealogy website as a bit like joining the gym. If you are going to use it throughout the year, an annual subscription might make sense. But if it is to be treated like an occasional hobby, you can save money with monthly sign-ups.’
Long Lost Family’s Bruce also believes the motivation behind why you are looking into a family tree might help you know what service you might sign up for. She says: ‘Websites save you time on detective work and provide tools that help you delve into the past without it being a chore.’
Local newspapers have archived issues that go back more than 200 years. The British Newspaper Archive offers a pay-as-you access to 40 pages of searched articles for a £21.99 fee.
DNA test packages are also often sold as part of a promotion but consumer champion Martyn James says: ‘Many people view them as just bit of fun rather than genealogy, allowing you tell people at dinner parties you are a Viking.’
AncestryDNA offers a £79 ethnicity and genealogy test where you supply a sample of saliva to discover where some of your ancestors may have come from. Others include the £79 My Heritage DNA test and the £179 23andMe DNA test.
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