‘a naming pattern solved my mystery’

Most of us have unfortunate brick walls in our family trees – those frustrating relations who seem to have appeared into the world as if from nowhere. Perhaps a person does not feature in the baptism

KATHERINE COBB is a member of AGRA based in Somerset REBECCA PROBERT is professor of law at the University of Exeter STEVE THOMAS is a genealogist with over 20 years’ experience PHIL TOMASELLI is a mi

When I was born I was given the middle name of Devonald, like my father Andrew, my grandfather Hugh and my great grandfather William. It’s derived from the Old Welsh name Dumngual, which contains Celt

Thanks again for publishing the story of my rabble-rousing ‘Family Hero’, Maria Carr, in your February 2021 issue. As was mentioned in Gail Dixon’s article, a banner to commemorate the people and even

Researching Welsh roots can be a challenge, since you usually have to contend with the overlapping identities of ancestors amid the swirl of patronymic names, endless recycling of first names, and a l

Crime has always been popular with family historians. We all love a rogue (up to a point, anyway), and finding out you’re related to one can lead to some interesting avenues of research. The more seri