Premium Family Tree Research Packages
I believe that your family history is a precious treasure that should be celebrated and shared with future generations. My Family History Research Packages, which are bound as beautiful custom family history books, are not just a collection of dates and facts, but a visual representation of your family's journey through time. Each page is carefully crafted to bring your ancestors' stories to life and preserve them for years to come.
The one surname package is just £495, and larger packages are available, if you want to explore more of your ancestry. You can also add extra research time to try and work back further, or add extra detail.
Whether you are looking to uncover the mysteries of your family's past or simply want to create a beautiful keepsake, my family history research packages are the perfect way to celebrate and preserve your heritage. So why wait? Let's start exploring and preserving your family's history today by contacting me, or ordering your package!
Update 10 October 2024: The next available research slots for my popular family tree research packages are to start early-December, for completion late-January/early-February†. If you are looking for a Christmas gift for completion in the new year, please contacting me to discuss.
† Based on the One Surname Package.
The main difference between the packages are the number of branches of your ancestry that are explored. All include:
- Family tree charts, that are easy-to-follow, visually displaying your ancestors and their relationships. Many clients display these on their walls.
- Personalised family tree book, presenting the findings. Extra copies can also be purchased and all include:
- In-depth information on each ancestor researched, such as when and where they were born, married and died; where they lived; what occupations or trades they worked in and how history impacted on their lives. Depending on the person, it might also include information like where they went to school, if they served in the military, or committed a crime.
- Comprehensive research report detailing the entire genealogy research process, including the sources used and methodology employed. This is the proof that the people researched are your ancestors.
- Transcripts and copies of the sources used, including census records, birth extracts, parish register entries, and wills, providing evidence of the information discovered.
- Glossary of genealogy and historic terms and abbreviations, allowing you to understand the language of the past.
- You can include details about your immediate family, so they too can appear in the book and on the chart(s) and you can add photographs from your own collection.
- Main goal of tracing back over 200 years, to the late-1700s or early-1800s, depending on surviving records, with option to add research back further, if possible (fees apply).
- A valuable resource for understanding and preserving your family history for future generations giving a sense of connection and pride in your family's heritage.
- A perfect and unique gift for loved ones, showcasing the story of their ancestors, with the bonus that you get to learn about your ancestors too.
- Traces ancestors in England, Wales & Scotland. I can sometimes trace ancestors in Ireland, but please contact me first, as family history records haven't survived very well there.
- Digital copy (PDF) of book and chart(s) if requested (no extra charge).
Australian family history packages now available from fellow professional genealogist, Kylie Brown.
† Magnifying glass, watch and letter opener not included.
Family Tree Research Package Prices
Premium Family Tree Research Packages start from just £495 for the one surname package. The goals and main features of each package are below. If you have something specific in mind, please contact me with your goals for an estimate.
- One Surname
- 1 surname to late 1700s/early 1800s
- Traces ancestors in England, Wales & Scotland
- 1 Family Tree Chart
(the surname researched) - 10 hours work
- Book ~80 pages
- 20-25 documents
- Ready late-January/early-February†
-
£495
deposit: £247.50 balance: £247.50
(extra copies: £55) - Great starting package -
you can add more later - Order
- Two Surnames
- 2 surnames to late 1700s/early 1800s
- Traces ancestors in England, Wales & Scotland‡
- 2 Family Tree Charts
(1 for each surname) - 18 hours work
- Book ~120 pages
- 40-50 documents
- Ready late-January/early-February†
-
£895
deposit: £447.50 balance: £447.50
(extra copies: £60) - Most popular - usually
both parentsʹ surnames - Order
- Four Surnames
- 4 surnames to late 1700s/early 1800s
- Traces ancestors in England, Wales & Scotland‡
- 4 Family Tree Charts
(1 for each surname) - 30 hours work
- Book ~200 pages
- 90-100 documents
- Ready mid-February†
-
£1525
deposit: £762.50 balance: £762.50
(extra copies: £70) - Great to look at all four
grandparentsʹ surnames - Order
- Pedigree
- 16 great, great grandparents & more
- Traces ancestors in England, Wales & Scotland‡
- 5+ Family Tree Charts
(4 surnames + pedigree) - 40 hours work
- Book ~250 pages
- 120+ documents
- Ready mid-February†
-
£1925
deposit: £962.50 balance: £962.50
(extra copies: £75) - Most comprehensive
package - Order
† Estimate based on if the package was ordered today. Research slots are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis in the order that deposits are paid.
‡ Research might be possible in Ireland, for some (but not all) of the branches being researched, but please contact me first.
How It Works...
Please contact me if you have any questions about a package, or you wish to customise it in any way. I have to schedule the start dates of the packages, so I am not working on too many projects at once. If the next available start date is more than a couple of weeks from today, I will post a message at the top of this webpage.
- Once you have chosen your package, the first step is to commission the work with the deposit. This reserves your research slot and allows the work to start. If you wish to pay by debit or credit card, you can order now on my website. I also accept bank transfers or cheques, please contact me to arrange.
- I send a form for you to complete which gathers what you know already. Donʹt worry if that is very little, as I start where your own knowledge ends. Return before the agreed start date.
- I conduct the research, obtaining the required documents like birth certificates, census records and parish register entries. I will update you at roughly weekly intervals during this stage. From the start date allocated, it takes about 6-8 weeks to research the one or two surname packages, and about 10-12 for the larger packages. The reason this stage takes several weeks is because I have to order documents then wait for them to arrive back; often this has to be repeated several times. In the rare event that the family canʹt be traced, I will discuss options like full or partial refund or following an alternative line.
- When the research is complete, I will write up the project and send some documents to you for checking. Once agreed, I will arrange the project to be bound. The four surname and pedigree packages include a draft book too.
- The balance is due just before the project is posted. It is sent via first class post. Extra copies can be ordered if required. Many clients go on to commission further projects.
...The work you have done is marvelous. The information you have unearthed is remarkable, something I could not have done myself...
Melissa, Manchester
What Do You Need to Get Started?
In most cases work can start with very little information. For example, knowing roughly when and where your ancestor was born, or the full name of who they married, can be enough to begin. If you are concerned that you don't have enough, please contact me.
How Long Does it Take?
The one and two surname family research packages take about 6–8 weeks to complete, but there is sometimes have a waiting list. The pedigree package takes a little longer and is usually around 10–12 weeks. The main reason why the research takes time is that the proper documents, i.e. birth and marriage certificates are used to prove the family tree, which have to ordered from the relevant agencies.
Can You Research My Family Back Further?
The main records used for genealogy in England, Scotland and Wales have survived well from the Victorian period onwards and so most families are traceable back to an ancestor born in the late 1700s or early 1800s. However, once you go back further research is less predictable. It might be that the records just don't survive for the parish where your ancestors lived. If there are no records it isn't possible to go back further.
Even when there are records, they aren't as detailed as later documents and so it isn't sometimes possible to discover where your ancestors moved from or to distinguish two people with the same name from each other. This is where many amateur genealogists go wrong and inadvertently latch on to the wrong family.
Earlier research is very interesting, but this is only possible where the records survive, and there is enough evidence to do so. The chances of success will vary on many factors: how common the family surname was, how much your ancestors moved around, their socio-economic status, and even the whim of a church curate. Any work is done at the usual hourly rate, to a pre-agreed budget, with expenses (for example travel to an archive), at cost. This work can be added to one of the packages if you wish.
What Isn't Included in the Packages
The packages concentrate on your ancestors (that is from who you directly descend). This is not the same as all relatives i.e. cousins/aunt/uncles etc. Your ancestors siblings/children's names, normally along with roughly when they were born, are included on the charts and in the books when this information can be reasonably found (but see information about more recent times below); these siblings/children themselves are not traced forward. To do that would take a variable amount of time as it would depend how many of them there were and when they were alive, so can't be done at a fixed price. If you want to trace your ancestors' siblings forward, then the packages can be used as a starting point, but extra charges would be incurred to locate this information. Please contact me before purchase to discuss if this is one of your requirements. Most clients prefer that their budget is used to concentrate on their ancestors as working forward as well as backwards can be expensive.
Research within roughly the last 100 years is subject to data protection rules etc, and it may not be possible to locate certain kinds of information within this period, or is prohibitively expensive to do so. Most client's already know this information and so it can be included if you provide it. The packages should not be used with the goal of locating living relatives as that is just not what they are designed to do.
I undertake research in domestic British records, including those in England, Scotland and Wales. I will undertake Irish work as part of a package (and only where there are other branches from the rest of the British Isles), but due to poor survival of Irish records, please contact me first to discuss this before ordering. Records outside of the British Isles are beyond the scope of these packages, and you are likely to need a specialist in the country of origin.
What Is Meant By One Surname, Two Surname or Pedigree
People don't think about this, but we all have a lot of ancestors; the number doubles at each generation: 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents etc. The more of these branches that are followed impacts on the time and cost of a project. The one surname packages follows back along the route of one surname, i.e. when a couple married, although both are included in the project, only one is followed back to the next generation and so on. A two surname package follows back along any two surnames in someone's ancestry, and then follows back along the route of each. In summary they guide the decisions about which ancestral lines to follow back at each generation.
The pedigree package is different and aims to follow back on all branches, back to the 16 great, great grandparents and some information on some of the 32 great, great, great grandparents as record survival and time allows, i.e. it offers breadth of the surnames making up your ancestry.
...I am still digesting the contents but would like to say that it is a very nicely presented piece of work that recognises the lives of my grandparents, as intended. Thank you for your efforts in bringing my ancestors to life...
Geoff, Oxfordshire
I asked Tony to research my mother's and father's male line separately as I was curious who my ancestors were, where they came from and if any were 'Famous' (no!). I found his work very thorough and some interesting information came to light. Good value and well presented. I was kept informed on a weekly basis. It is good to see all your ancestors in print and leaves you wondering what they were like and what sort of life they lead? I would highly recommend Tony if you want your ancestors put into print, a great gift for someone to receive. Thanks.
Douglas, Northamptonshire
Dear Tony, the book and other documents arrived this morning. The work you have done is marvellous. The information you have unearthed is remarkable, something I could not have done myself. The finished result and presentation is incredible. Thank you.
Melissa, Manchester
I was so pleased with my family history. It was great to discover that my grandfather had been mentioned in despatches, what an honour. I can't wait to find out more.
Lorraine, Kent
My dad was so pleased with his family tree... he shows everyone that walks through the door!
Anna, London
Dear Mr. Griggs, Thank you for the wonderful and highly professional way you have documented my family history. I can only imagine the amount of time you must have spent on the research, especially as the names are so common. I am absolutely delighted, as I am sure members of the family will be. My daughter-in-law, Janet, certainly gave me the very best of presents. Once again, thank you.
Joan, Berkshire