"Reddin' up kin"
or - 'How to trace your island ancestors and long-lost cousins'
People often ask if they can get help to trace relations in
Shetland. This is not surprising because there are certainly far more people with
Shetland connections living outside the islands as there are in Shetland. And
more and more of them are on the Net.
All this adds up to a lively interest in genealogy or just
"reddin' up kin" (recalling the family). Family trees and other records are
available for viewing or research in many of the heritage centres throughout
Shetland. With the advent of computerised records many enthusiasts are compiling
local databases.
The Shetland Family History Society tries to answer enquiries
from all over the world and can help to trace a long-lost relative. Please
remember that The Shetland Family History Society is a group of enthusiastic but
entirely unpaid volunteers. They'll help you if and when they can but, because
of the huge interest in Shetland genealogy worldwide, they can't promise a reply
by return.
You can reach the society at the following website:-
or by postal-mail at:-
Shetland Family History Society
6 Hillhead
LERWICK
Shetland
ZE1 0ED
Scotland
Also worth looking at are the following websites:-
- The Family Chronicle - The magazine specially written for people researching family trees, family history and their genealogy roots, by those who share their interest. Includes a 'best of' genealogy websites.
- Aberdeen & N.E. Scotland Family History Society - A registered charity founded in 1979. This area covers the old counties of Aberdeenshire, Banff, Kincardine and Morayshire.
- Rootsweb - The website of the genealogical data co-operative which offers several different services to the genealogical community, including web page hosting, search indexes and registries. This site tries to offer links to actual information, not just links to links.
- Ancestry.com A huge resource for all family history issues
- Bayanne House, Yell who have a guided search facility
- BMD Certificates, locate and obtain official UK (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) birth, marriage and death certificates, delivered worldwide.