Free family history worksheets ... and where to find them

This week, I thought it would be useful to share some free family history charts, forms and worksheets to help you plan your research and record what you find, whether you’re visiting a record office or interviewing a relative about their recollections.  

Below are a few websites where you can freely download a variety of document templates specifically designed for use in genealogical research.  You can find many more of these online, but be aware that some websites exist solely to get you to download documents that may harm your computer.  Always check that the site is trustworthy before using its resources.  If you have a subscription to a family history website, it may provide downloadable forms you can use.  

☙ Be sure to check out my tips at the end of the post

for more ideas for creating and using your templates ☙ 

·         FamilySearchWiki: Use appropriate forms  Family group records, pedigree charts, research logs, and the very focused research assessment form.  This helps you to set research goals and then make plans to achieve them. 

·         Irish Genealogy Toolkit: Free family history forms  Individual, family, and multi-generation charts; a relationship calculator for when you can’t figure out how many times removed your cousins are; suggested questions for interviewing relatives; and Irish 1901/1911 census worksheets for good measure.  Note: the Irish census has different column headings from the rest of the UK so for other parts of the British Isles census, use the templates in the next link.

·         FamilySearchWiki: Genealogy research forms  Blank census worksheets – rather than spend money on printing images, copy the information you need from a census page onto one of these Ancestry templates for the UK and North American census returns.  Having a different template for each year is particularly useful when it comes to the British 1841 census.

☙  Draw up your own charts, worksheets and diagrams in a plain notebook for convenience when out and about researching. 

☙  Birth, marriage and death certificates tend to follow the same format throughout the years, within each country.  Blank templates of each of these, with all the column headings pre-printed, would save a lot of time when working at a record office.

☙  Make copies of worksheets (printed or handmade) and store them in a "road trip" ring binder - handy to lean on when copying down a gravestone inscription or war memorial information.  Filing your sheets in polythene punched pockets will keep them safe and dry.

Being prepared with these forms ready to pick up at a 

moment's notice will save you time and frustration later on!