British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices - FamilySearch Historical Records

United Kingdom

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains family notices found in British newspaper collections covering the period 1800-1900. This is a collaborative project with Findmypast.

A family notice is similar to an obituary but with certain differences. An obituary provides information about an individual’s life, a family notice often was created to announce when and where funerals or other memorial services will take place. While the collection is titled "Family Notices" some of the images contain birth and marriage information.

The notices in this collection come from a variety of newspapers across Britain. Major newspapers from the nineteenth century include The Courier, The Scotsman, The Chartist Northern Star, The Daily Telegraph, The Illustrated London News, the Western Mail, and the Daily Mail.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Births
 * Birthdate
 * Names of parents
 * Place of birth
 * Gender of child

Marriages
 * Date married
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Name of one or more parent
 * Place married
 * Place of residence

Deaths
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Place of death
 * Age at death
 * Relatives of deceased

Coverage Table
As of 20 July 2018 this collection contained the following records.

Digital Folder Number List
This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. For a list of the content of these folders see British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices Digital Folder Number List

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * Approximate time range for the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Save or print a copy of the image if possible
 * Use the estimated age given in the notice (if provided) to calculate an approximate year of birth
 * Use the information to find the individual in other records. Particularly useful for research are Church Records, the England Census, and Civil Registration records
 * Continue to search the record to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives, any of whom might be listed within the text of the notice

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variations of given names, surnames, and place names
 * Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record
 * Also remember that it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches
 * Search the records of nearby locations
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and England
 * Scotland Guided Research, Ireland Guided Research, England Guided Research
 * Scotland Record Finder, Ireland Record Finder, Wales Record Finder England Record Finder
 * Scotland Research Tips and Strategies, Ireland Research Tips and Strategies, Wales Research Tips and Strategies, England Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.