Tracing Living Relatives (255)

This course has been designed for those wishing to trace living relatives, and is suitable for: solicitors, executors and legal staff carrying out probate research and who need to trace beneficiaries of a deceased's estate; professional genealogists who are searching for descendants; as well as those who are researching their own family trees and who wish to trace family members, perhaps in connection with DNA testing.

The course will:

• guide you through the main sources for locating people;
• show you how and where to access relevant records;
• show you, via case studies, how to prove straightforward family connections;
• outline how to present your findings; and
• give you some advice on how best to approach potential beneficiaries and living relatives.

Most resources described in this course cover England and Wales only. Reference will be made to sources in the rest of the UK along with some links and guides relating to research in other parts of the UK and beyond.

Whilst this course will help you find living relatives and includes advice on how to contact them, it will not cover how to administer the estate of a deceased individual, how to distribute the assets of an estate, or the duties and responsibilities of an executor. In other words, this course does not specifically look at how to become and work as an Heir Hunter, although issues touched upon relating to probate research are covered.

Although some basic understanding of family history research may help, as would experience of searching online sources, it is not essential as the lessons will outline and explain the relevant resources and procedures. Please be aware that some of the databases and online sources presented here may require registration and/or subscription, and ordering documents will incur charges.

Reading List:

Students often ask us for recommended reading for their courses, that they can look at before the course starts. Here is a suggested book list for this course.