Frequently asked questions

Research package prices are dependent on the dates covered in the research due to the differing costs for parish records (pre 1837) and certificates (post 1837). For instance, a Home Person who is born more recently will require more costly birth, marriage and death certificates than a Home Person who is born earlier in time.  A fixed price will be agreed between us before any research commences and won’t be exceeded under any circumstances, unless you have agreed to it.

Unfortunately, genealogy is not an exact science and, for a variety of reasons, there are some ancestors who remain elusive and don’t want to be found! You pay for our research time and expertise however, please be assured that we will endeavour to use all the resources at our disposal to find your ancestors in a timely manner.

We can research your family history in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. We have extensive local knowledge of the East Midlands of England and are very familiar with the rest of England, Scotland and Wales. In terms of Irish ancestry, many official records were destroyed in a fire in 1922 which can make Irish research a little harder. Having said that though, we have the specialist knowledge to know what records are still available and where to find alternative forms of information to cover missing census years and church records.

We can undertake some Australian research to link a family by a generation or two to their British ancestors where the majority of our research takes place and which is our speciality.  We don’t research solely Australian family history (ie. No British connection) and recommend that you contact an Australian genealogist for help with that research.

We specialise in British family history and do not undertake European, American, African or Asian ancestry research. If it is found during our British research that any direct ancestors moved to another part of the world, we will contact you further at that point and, depending on the country involved, we may endeavour to trace any relevant life events.

Some of the research will reveal siblings and wider family members. For instance, the census returns will detail all family members and other people present at a particular address on census night. Basic information about siblings such as names and dates of birth will be included on the Descendant charts included in the research package. If you require more detailed information about a family group or particular siblings, then our hourly rate service or a customised plan may be more beneficial to you.

Once a research plan has been agreed, and prior to commencement, a 50% deposit to cover the cost of incidental research expenses will be required. The remaining 50% cost is payable on receipt of the research package.

The research time very much depends on the package chosen as some packages require extensive investigation into more people over more generations. In addition, some families may have stayed within a small village for generations whilst others may have moved to different parts of the country for work, making them harder to find in the records. It’s a good idea to advise us of any deadlines when purchasing our services and also to give at least 3 month’s notice in case we have a large workload and are unable to fit in with a short turnaround time.

Complete our contact page with the basic details of what you are wanting to find out and we will contact you in 2-4 business days to discuss your requirements further. Based on our discussion, we can tailor and cost a package to suit your needs.

The more the better however we can work with as much or as little information as you can provide to us. It’s a good idea to ask yourself these questions:

• What do I already know?

• Who in the family can perhaps tell me more?

• Are there certificates, papers, photos or heirlooms which verify or provide further details?

• Are there any family rumours or myths that I’ve heard?

Once you’ve completed the contact page with the basic details of what you are wanting to find out, we will contact you in 2-4 business days to discuss your requirements further. Based on those discussions, we will agree on a research package to suit your needs and will both sign a research agreement. 50% payment is required at this point and research will commence using a research plan which follows the Genealogical Proof Standard. Once the research has concluded, the relevant hard copy reports and documents are mailed to you along with a digital copy on USB. Final payment is required on receipt of the package.

Gift vouchers are valid for 2 years from the date of purchase and can be redeemed as full or part payment against any of our research packages or items in the Acorn to Oak FHR shop.

We recommend that you contact a DNA specialist for any in-depth analysis of your DNA results or if you are trying to find biological parents for adoptees and similar situations.