Use these seven steps to easily research your Wales / Welsh ancestry.
This article is written to assist you in searching for Wales / Welsh ancestry online. Sample Google search queries are suggested for your use to help you research and learn about your ancestors.
Seven Steps to Google Welsh Ancestry
The following search queries are designed to provide search results that will get you off to a good start by finding the essential information when researching your ancestral roots. For ease of presentation, I am going to organize the article as follows:
- Country of Origin Resources
- Providing A list of Websites vs. Queries to Find Websites
- Understanding Search Query Organization
- Step 1: General Search Queries
- Step 2: Content Specific Search Queries
- Step 3: Free database search queries
- Step 4: Subscription Database Search Queries
- Step 5: “In country” Website Search Queries
- Step 6: Locations Within Country Search Queries
- Step 7: Major In Country Databases
See other articles for specific countries.
To find the Google Country Codes for searching in other countries that are not listed above, see the article:
Websites referenced in this article include:
Finding Country of Origin Resources
Where do you find the country of origin genealogy resources on the Internet? It is a seemingly simple question with a complex answer. You will find records in many places, such as large databases to tiny family-related websites and blogs. Records for each generation are going to be different. The records created and available on the web for a specific place in 1940 will be different from those created for 1880, 1840, or earlier. Remember that only a small number of records have been digitized and available online, but digitized records are growing at an ever-increasing rate. I have researched for records for one month without success and found them six months later with the same Google search queries. Why? The records were put online during that six months, or I didn’t find them the first time I searched.
Providing a List of Websites vs. Queries to Find Websites
Over the years, I have provided genealogists with a list of websites to research their ancestry and search queries to find internet resources they can explore.
Overwhelmingly the best success has come from providing search queries. Why? When search queries were used, the genealogists said their search returns included the websites specific to the period, type of record and place they were searching. It was much easier to go from one site to the next to search for the same type of information.
When I just gave them a list of websites, genealogists felt it was cumbersome because they didn’t know which websites included the information they wanted and/or which websites were related to the type of content they were seeking.
Providing a List of Websites vs. Queries to Find Websites
Over the years, I have provided genealogists with a list of websites to research their ancestry and search queries to find internet resources they can explore.
Overwhelmingly the best success has come from providing search queries. Why? When search queries were used, the genealogists said their search returns included the websites specific to the period, type of record and place they were searching. It was much easier to go from one site to the next to search for the same type of information.
When I just gave them a list of websites, genealogists felt it was cumbersome because they didn’t know which websites included the information they wanted and/or which websites were related to the type of content they were seeking.
Understanding Search Query Organization
As you use a variety of search queries, you will see the following elements routinely used:
- Countries of the United Kingdom. I have chosen to focus on the individual countries of the United Kingdom (e.g. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and have created search queries for each country.
- Use of (site:). The “site:” operator will allow you to confine/restrict your search to a specific domain.
- Use of “Wales OR Welch.” I have used the words “Wales OR Welch” because I find websites will use both words to define genealogy collections as they relate to Wales.
- Use of quotes (“”). The use of quotes around two or more words (e.g., “Wales”) tells Google that you search for these words/phrases exactly as they are written and in the same order.
- Use of OR. I have used OR Boolean operator (e.g., ” database OR index OR records”). Google will search for both options and will return either “database,” “index, “records” or any combination of the three words.
- Use of genealogy. I have used the word “genealogy” in all most every query. I have found this word to be necessary to get to the records or databases that I can use for genealogy or family history research. Feel free to try and use other descriptive words.
Part 1: General Search Queries
These are general search queries that can be used to uncover the more frequently used websites and databases to get you off to a good start in your research. If I were searching for genealogy libraries or archive websites, my query string would be as follows:
- “Wales” genealogy “library OR archive.”
Instructions. Choose the general search you would like to conduct and replace the “place text here” with the corresponding query element.
- “Wales” “place text here.”
Note: Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Wales” or “Welsh” or “Wales OR Welsh.”
(Searching general term) = (Use query element). Use the associated query element if you are searching for a general genealogy search term.
- Education = genealogy “guide OR tutorial OR how-to”
- Beginning = “beginning”
- Catalog = “catalog”
- Classes or Workshops = “classes OR workshops”
- Dictionary = “dictionary”
- Family history = “family history”
- Forums = “forums”
- Genealogy websites = “genealogy OR ancestors OR roots”
- Language = “language”
- Library and archives = genealogy “library OR archive”
- Message Board = “message board”
- Records and databases = genealogy “records OR database”
- Research links = genealogy “links OR sources”
- Societies = genealogy OR history “society OR group”
- Wiki’s = genealogy “wiki”
These queries cast a broad net and will find a wide variety of websites.
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy OR ancestors OR roots
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy OR research OR database
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy OR historical society OR group
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy online OR site
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogical library OR archive
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy sources OR links
- “England and Wales” genealogy
- “United Kingdom” genealogy
Part 2: Content Specific Search Queries
This search query is designed to help you find websites and databases that include specific types of records. If I were searching for census records, my search string would be as follows:
- “Wales” genealogy “census” “database OR records”
Instructions. Choose the record type you would like to search for and replace the “place text here” with the corresponding query element.
- “Wales” genealogy “place text here” “database OR records”
Note: Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Wales” or “Welsh” or “Wales OR Welsh.”
- (Search for record type) = (Use query element)
If you are searching for a specific record, use the associated query element.
- Adoption / guardianship = “adoption OR guardianship”
- Bible = “bible”
- Biography = “biography”
- Birth / christening = “birth OR christening”
- Business = “business”
- Cemetery = “cemetery”
- Census = “census”
- Church = “church OR parish”
- Civil registration = “civil registration”
- Court = “court”
- Culture / history = “culture OR history”
- Death = “death”
- Directories = “directories”
- Divorce = “divorce”
- Immigrant / settlers = “immigrant OR settlers”
- Immigration / emigration = “immigration OR emigration”
- Land / property = “land OR property”
- Maps = “maps”
- Marriage = “marriage”
- Military = “military”
- Naturalization = “naturalization”
- Newspapers = “newspaper”
- Obituary = “obituary”
- Passport = “passport”
- Pensions = “pensions”
- Poor houses / orphanages = “poor houses OR orphanages”
- Obituary = “obituary”
- Periodicals = “periodicals”
- Royal / nobility = “royal OR nobility”
- Probate / will = “probate or will”
- School = “school”
- Ship passenger lists = “passenger”
- Tax = “tax”
- Vital = “vital”
- Voting = “voting”
Sample queries. These queries will focus on finding websites with specific types of content related to records. The queries are a little long but will save you hours of research. I would encourage you to modify and experiment with the following queries using what you have learned in earlier chapters of this book.
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “guide OR tutorial OR articles OR how-to”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy Catholic “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “adoption OR guardianship” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “cemetery” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “civil registration” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “church OR parish” ” database OR index OR records “
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “court” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “culture OR history” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “death” ” database OR index OR records “
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “immigrant OR settlers” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “immigration OR emigration” “records OR database”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “Jewish” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “land” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “language” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy Lutheran “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy maps “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “marriage OR divorce” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “military” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “municipal” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “naturalization” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “newspaper” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “obituary OR cemetery” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “passenger lists” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “passport” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “poor houses OR orphanages” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “probate or will” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “royal OR nobility” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “school” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “tax” “database OR index OR records”
- “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “vital” “database OR index OR records”
Part 3: Free Database Search Queries
There are extensive websites/databases that include thousands of free records and resources related to almost every research topic. To have Google search only a specific website, you will be using the (site:<URL>) operator. If I were looking for death records on the website FamilySearch.org, my search string would be as follows:
- site:familysearch.org “Wales” genealogy “death” “database OR records”
Instructions. Choose the web property you would like to search for and replace the (site:<URL>) with the corresponding query element to the search string you used in Step 1 or Step 2 or of your choice.
- (site:<URL>) (search string from Step1 and Step 2)
Notes: 1.) Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Wales” or “Welsh” or “Wales OR Welsh.” 2.) I prefer to use the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. 3.) You can use the (site:) operator with any URL you want to search. 4.) Many genealogy/family history organizations will use .org non-profit websites to host their information.
(Searching website) = (Use query element). If you are searching for a free database website, use the associated query element.
- FamilySearch = site:familysearch.org
- USGenWeb = site:usgenweb.org
- RootsWeb = site:rootsweb.ancestry.com
- .org (Non-profit websites) = site:org
Sample queries. The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer to the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end.
- site:familysearch.org “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
- site:familysearch.org “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
- site:familysearch.org “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”
Part 4: Subscription Database Search Queries
There are a variety of subscription websites/databases that include many records and resources. You can either use the websites’ search engine or have Google locate the resources of the specific website. You will be using the (site:<URL>) operator. If I were looking for birth records on the website Ancestry.com, my search string would be as follows:
- site:ancestry.com “Austria” genealogy “birth” “database OR records”
Instructions. Choose the web property you would like to search for and replace the (site:<URL>) and the corresponding query element to the search string you used in Step 1 or Step 2 or of your choice.
- (site:<URL>) (Text goes here from Step 1 and Step 2)
Notes: 1.) Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Wales” or “Welsh” or “Wales OR Welsh.” 2.) I prefer to use the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. 3.) You can use the (site:) operator with any URL you want to search.
(Searching website) = (Use query element). If you are searching for a subscription database website, use the associated query element.
- site:ancestry.com (Ancestry) (Subscription)
- site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)(Subscription)
- site:findmypast.com (FindMyPast)(Subscription)
The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer to the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end.
- site:ancestry.com “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “census” “records OR database”
- site:ancestry.com “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
- site:ancestry.com “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”
Part 5: “In country” Website Search Queries
The following query element will focus your search to only websites that are located in “Wales OR Welch.” Add any of the following query elements to the Part 1 or Part 2 queries.
- site:co.uk (Searches only United Kingdom websites)
- site:gov.uk (Searches only United Kingdom government websites)
The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer to the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end.
- site:co.uk “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
- site:co.uk “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
- site:co.uk “Wales OR Welch” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”
Part 6: Locations Within-country Search Queries
The following query elements focus on locations in Wales. Replace the words “Wales OR Welch” from Part 1 and Part 2 queries with a location such as a state, province, and/or county. If you desire, you can also use city, town, or village (e.g. Cardiff, Newport, Swansea) or the in-country spelling of the location. The following are the key geographic boundaries/counties in Wales.
- “Anglesey OR Sir Fon”
- “Brecknockshire OR Sir Frycheiniog”
- “Caernarfonshire OR Sir Gaernarfon”
- “Carmarthenshire OR Sir Gaerfyrddin”
- “Cardiganshire OR Ceredigion”
- “Denbighshire OR Sir Ddinbych”
- “Flintshire OR Sir Fflint”
- “Glamorgan OR Morgannwg”
- “Merioneth OR Meirionnydd”
- “Monmouthshire OR Sir Fynwy”
- “Montgomeryshire OR Sir Drefaldwyn”
- “Pembrokeshire OR Sir Benfro”
- “Radnorshire OR Sir Faesyfed”
The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements.
- “Radnorshire OR Sir Faesyfed” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
- “Radnorshire OR Sir Faesyfed” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
- “Radnorshire OR Sir Faesyfed” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”
Part 7: Major In-country Databases
The following are major in country free, subscription and government databases that you will want learn about and search. Google search on the name in bold and you will find the resource.
- 1901 CensusOnline.com (Features census, birth, marriage, and death records and more.) (Subscription)
- Ancestry.UK (Features census, birth, marriage, and death records and more.) (Subscription)
- Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (Features list of professional researchers by region.)
- BMD Registers (Features images of birth, baptism, marriage, and death records from non-parish sources 1534-1865) (Purchase credits)
- British Origins (Includes Dorset marriage, wills, probate, apprenticeship, court, burial, militia and passenger list records/indexes.)
- Federation of Family History Societies in the United Kingdom
- FindMyPast.co.uk (Features census, birth, marriage, and death records and more.) (Subscription)
- FreeBMD (Features birth, marriage, and death records) (Free)
- General Register Office in England and Wales (Features birth, marriage, and death records for England and Wales 1837 to recent.)
- Genes Reunited (Features census, birth, marriage, and death records and more.) (Subscription)
- GENUKI United Kingdom (Similar to US GenWeb and features guides, transcribed records and more.)
- National Archives of England and Wales (Consortium of archives in England/Wales)
- National Library of Wales / Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru (Features documents such as electoral lists, marriage bonds, probate and estate records and tithe maps)
- Society of Genealogists in the United Kingdom
- UK BMD (Provides links to free and subscription birth, marriage, and death resources.)
