Searching for Ancestors in Wales Using Ancestry.

Ancestry provides a growing and exclusive collection of Welsh records as well as a wealth of community and research tools to help you successfully find your Welsh ancestor. Below is a brief description of those tools to help you get started.

Step 1 - Search the Welsh databases.
The easiest way to start your Welsh research on Ancestry is to type in the given name and surname of an ancestor in our advanced search box. Then select Wales for the country option. If you are sure of a county in Wales you would like to search, you may also select a county to narrowly focus your search.

You should also try to search an individual database by clicking on the database name. This link will take you to an advanced search box that is built specifically for that database and provides the greatest accuracy when searching.

The best databases for getting started are the Welsh Parish and Probate Records and the UK and US Directories database. In addition, the Ancestry World Tree has linked family trees of thousands of Welsh families.

Step 2 – Post a query on the Ancestry Message Boards
We have created a community of millions of family historians from all over the world that are very willing to help you. With thousands of posts per day, the message boards can be viewed by locality or surname and will help you tap into the family history community for the area of Wales that you are researching.

One of the most useful places to post your questions is in the Locality section of the messages boards. Here you can focus on the areas where you believe your ancestor lived. If you don’t know which county they lived in, post to the general Wales message board.

Remember to post all the information you have about the individual. Instead of saying "I am searching for William Anderson in Wales," you should list birth, death, marriage information, specific place names, and any known family members.

Step 3 – Record what you find.
Record your information in Ancestry’s Online Family Tree, a free service that allows you to record, preserve, and share your family tree on the Internet without any additional software.

Additional Resources
For information about specific Welsh research strategies and sources, Ancestry has many resources to help you in your quest.

You can click on the Sources tab above to get specific information about where to go to find certain record types in Wales.

The Maps tab will lead you to our map centre for interesting historical maps.

For those that prefer professional tutors to help them through their family history, an Ancestry Online Genealogy Training Class for Wales may be available. Enrollment schedules and availability of these classes varies based on interest, so do not forget to look up and see when the next class starts.

If you are interested in sharing your genealogical finds with your family on a private and secure family web site, check out our sister site, MyFamily.com.

Ancestry has created a wealth of tools, products, and services that are all geared toward making your family history research successful. We wish you the best of luck in your adventure to find your roots.