8/1/2002
By Nancy Hendrickson
Ancestry's UK-Ireland collections could push your research across the pond.
Trying to take your roots research back to the British Isles? Ancestry <
www.ancestry.com
> might have your ticket. Its new
UK-Ireland subscription brings you online access to records containing nearly 20 million names.
• Parish and Probate — The largest UK-Ireland database boasts 15 million names from English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish parish registers dating 1538 to 1837. You'll even find some nonparish records that go back as far as the 12th century.
Most vital records include a name, place, date and source; birth records list parents' names, too. Even basic marriage records may hold valuable tidbits, such as this description of a husband's occupation: "sailor in Greenock, last on board of the Elizabeth Snow of Glasgow, Captain David Blair, commander."