Family history

In the Local Studies Library, visitors can see printed and published materials. These include books and pamphlets, newspapers and periodicals, parish registers on microfilm, directories, theses, maps, photographs, a range of CD-ROMS and access the internet. You can use ancestry.com for free in all Hertfordshire libaries.

Your family history - get started!


step one: talk to your family
Make a note of everything you know about your immediate family - names, dates of birth, marriage and death, where they lived and so on. Talk to as many older relatives as possible.
step two: look for clues
Are there any family heirlooms, such as photographs, personal letters or official documents? These items can provide important clues - for example, family bibles often have details of family events such as christenings.
step three: build your family tree
Your family tree is a way of organising what you know and what you need to find out. For help with drawing up your tree, visit the BBC's family history pages.