Whenever a new series of Who Do You Think You Are? airs, there is an uptick in the number of people who decide to trace their own family history. Watching the show, it is tempting to think that conducting this research is easy. But underpinning each episode is hundreds of hours of research conducted by expert genealogists and historians – only the most exciting moments make it to your TV screen.

As you do your own research, it’s important to bear in mind that it can be a time-consuming and frustrating – as well as deeply rewarding – process.

There is a wealth of information to help you get started with tracing your family history, including online guides written by Laura Berry, lead genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are?

As a social historian with a particular interest in the history of family, I frequently draw on genealogical research techniques in my teaching work – as well as tracing my own family history in my spare time. Here are four tips I have found particularly useful.

Whenever you discover an ancestor in your family tree, there’s always more to uncover. A good start is to find out who their siblings were. Trace their relatives not just back in time but forwards too, and make a note of every person who is documented in their records. At some point, you might manage to connect back to your common ancestor.

While this will undoubtedly take time, this collateral research will give you a better understanding of the family, its size, structure and social class – and maybe lead you to more information.

For example, I was having problems confirming an Irish ancestor’s maiden........

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