British Ancestral Research

Ancestry Research Service

Your choice of Investigation
What will I receive?
How far back can we go?
How much does it cost and how long will it take?
What sort of guarantee will I receive?
How do I get started?
Online application form
Free Information pack sent to your home

Your choice of Investigation

One Surname/Line Investigation
We will research one ancestral line of the family of your choice e.g. your direct male line of descent (father's surname).

Two Surname/Line Investigation
We will investigate two ancestral lines of the family of your choice e.g. your father and mother's surnames or your paternal grandfather's and grandmother's surnames or your father's surname and your spouse's father's surname etc. For this investigation you will receive two separate reports.

Personalised Investigation
If neither of the above two investigations meet your particular requirements, we can carry out a minimum of seven hours research specifically tailored to your individual needs.

What will I receive?

With our one or two surname/line investigation you will receive an attractive report containing :

• Your Family Tree.

• Copies of original documents discovered e.g. birth & marriage certificates, parish register entries, census reports, wills, trade directory entries, original old postcards, Victorian maps etc. Obviously each investigation will contain a different mix of documentation depending on our discoveries.

• A description of the step by step research undertaken on your behalf, outlining what has been discovered about your family including villages/towns that your ancestors originated from and occupations/trades they were associated with.

• Choice of additional copies. This will allow you, if desired, to share the cost with other members of your family or give a copy as a gift.

How far back can we go?

In England and Wales, most families can be traced back to the middle of the 1700’s and some to the start of parish registers in 1538. Unlike our competitors, this is a once only fee and we will endeavour to go back as far as possible. Much will depend on the survival of records, the distinctiveness of your ancestors' names and the extent to which they have moved about the country.

How much does it cost and how long will it take?

One Surname/Line Investigation:

3 monthly payments of £165 (US$295)
or a single payment of £435 (US$775)

Two Surname/Line Investigation:

3 payments of £295 (US$525)
or a single payment of £785 (US$1,395)

Personalised Investigation:
Seven hours minimum research at £185 (US$325)

If you choose to pay in instalments your report will be sent to you in three separate parts, approximately every eight to ten weeks. After your first payment in advance you only pay the remaining amounts once you have satisfactorily received each previous part. Your report will therefore be complete in about six months. You are free to stop or postpone this process after receipt of any part. If you wish to make one single payment in advance, then your complete report will be with you in about twenty weeks. In some cases reports can take longer, however we will inform you if there is to be any delay.

In the case of a personalised investigation we would expect to get back to you in about eight to ten weeks.

What sort of guarantee will I receive?

With regard to our one and two surname/line investigations, we will guarantee to extend the line by at least four generations if the starting point is in the 20th century and based in Great Britain. If we are unable to do this we will present you with the information we have found and refund your money less £25 for each hours work carried out. In the case of our personalised investigation, if after two hours work it becomes apparent that we can't extend your family line, we will refund the cost of the remaining hours.
We can, if necessary, provide you with names and e-mail addresses of people we have worked for.

We will also be pleased to provide an update whilst research is in progress. All information that is supplied will be treated in the strictest of confidence and only used for the benefit of research on your behalf.

How do I get started ?

In order for us to begin research into your family history, simply complete our application form. Please provide us with as much information regarding your family as you know. This will ensure that no work is duplicated and will allow us to have your report ready sooner. However, don't worry if you know very little, as it is possible to work from just your full name, place and date of birth. Please note that there is a crown copyright on all census returns, certificates from the GRO and parish register extracts and that copies are provided for private purposes only. Alternatively, send us your postal address via our homepage form and we can send you our FREE information pack.