The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History

If like many Americans you're curious about your roots, this Companion is the perfect guide to investigating family history in the British Isles. Edited by David Hey, a leading authority, the book provides helpful information for anyone enquiring into their English, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh origins and for anyone working in genealogical research or on the social history of the British Isles. This fully revised and updated edition has been newly structured for ease of use, with an informative thematic essay section followed by an A-Z dictionary with more than 2,000 jargon-free entries, as well as detailed appendices which include further reading and up-to-date recommended websites. New essays for this edition are: "A Guide for Beginners," "Links between British and American Families," "Black and Asian Family History," and an extended article on "Names." With research tips, a full background to the social history of communities and individuals, and a special updated appendix listing all national and local record offices with their contact details, this is an essential reference work for anyone interested in uncovering and understanding the past.