There are many archival sites around the world that carry a wealth of information for genealogists. They store documents and records such as Wills, Schools, Hospitals, Orphanages, Immigration, Courts, Lands, War, Shipping, Business to name but a few.
Canada
- Library and Archives Canada – this website offers both English and French versions to explore the vast collection of images, documents, and records relating to Canadian history.
England
- Archives in London and the M25 Area – this site contains information regarding archival materials for the Greater London area.
Ireland
- Irish Archives Resource – holds many archival records pertinent to Ireland such as people, places, and events.
- Linen Hall Library – established in 1788 this library has many holdings relevant to Northern Ireland.
- The National Archives of Ireland – this is the main archive holdings for Ireland and contains resources such as digitised records, resource guides, Wills including Soldier’s Wills, Estate records, to name but a few.
- The National Library of Ireland – provides online catalogues, newspapers, and other databases relevant to Ireland.
- Sources Database – provides a portal for searching for names listed in institutional manuscripts until the 1980’s.
- The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) – this direct government site platform provides loads of information about digitised and indexed documents relevant to Northern Ireland such as probate, war
Scotland
- Scottish Archives Network (SCAN) – Scottish based archives, museums, and libraries use this centralised facility to list their catalogues.
- The National Library of Scotland – this library has many digitised records including maps and directories to name a couple.
- Digital Gallery – Scottish History in Print – the library also hosts a digital gallery of historical publications.
- National Library of Scotland Archives – this is hosted separately to their other holdings but contains many records not on their main site.
- The National Records of Scotland (NRS) – this is the one-stop shop for Scottish records from the merger of the National Archives of Scotland and the General Register Office.
United Kingdom
- Archives Hub – this site gives you the opportunity to perform centralised searches for many academic institutions in the UK.
- The British Library, London – this library holds in its repository books, journals, sound recording among many other resources and has many catalogues and digitised records such as newspapers.
- The British Library – Catalogues and Collections – a useful starting point to explore their holdings.
- The National Archives (TNA) – this is the main archive holdings for the UK containing resources such as digitised records, resource guides, WWI records and diaries to name but a few. Some of these include:
- Search for UK Archives – this site allows you to locate local UK-based archives providing links to their websites as well as information on the resources held by the archive.
- Access to Records of National Archives – England and Wales based archives, museums, and libraries use this centralised facility to list their catalogues.
- Hospital Records Database – this database provides information about the location of hospital records in the UK.
- Manorial Documents Register (MDR) – an official index to Welsh and English manor house documents held both privately and publicly.
- Online Records – a basic listing of what can be found online through The National Archives.
- Palaeography – a great guide on how to read and decipher old handwriting.
- UK Web Archive – this site has archived websites since 2004 and contains invaluable content of sites that no longer exist or a snapshot in time of a website.
United States
- National Archives – offers a range of documents, photos, and records pertaining to the history of the USA.
- The Library of Congress American Memory – this site has a range of collections related to American history including immigration, military, and woman’s history to name a few.
Wales
- The Archives Wales (Archifau Cymru) – provides a search facility to find archives held in various repositories across the country.
- The National Library of Wales (Flyfrgell Genderaethol Cymru) – holds many digitised collections and catalogues in both English and Welsh.
Worldwide Archives
- Wayback Machine – this site is a non-profit online library that contains archives of websites, as well as free books, movies, music, and more.
- WorldCat – a worldwide catalogue that lists resources held in various repositiries around the world.