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Family history

Access to family history research websites in all our libraries also includes free access to the Ancestry website. 

Ancestry Library Edition

Please note, free access to Ancestry Library Edition is only available within libraries.

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Ancestry Library Edition provides access to: 

  • index to civil registrations of births, marriages and deaths 
  • census returns for England & Wales from 1841 to 1911 
  • an increasing number of family history datasets from all over the world, including military and immigration records

 

Find My Past

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You can now research parts of your family history for free on Find My Past. This is available at all North Somerset libraries.

The 1921 census has been made searchable for free via a subscription for library members, offering access for anyone interested in tracing their family tree. 

It provides detail on: 

  • location
  • age
  • marital status
  • occupation
  • information on other residents at the same place.

Find My Past is an online archive of more than 13 billion records. It features everything from parish, school, census, and migration records to military collections from across the globe.

Research assistance

You can get help with researching your family tree from Weston-super-Mare and District Family History Society volunteers. Their free drop-in sessions run on the first Saturday of the month from 2pm to 3.30pm at Weston Library.

At the drop-in session, you can get access to the family history records website Ancestry as well as local resources including street directories, parish registers and maps.

You're welcome to bring your own laptop or device. Please see staff on the day to register for Wi-Fi access.

Additional resources