Discover Hidden American Ancestors in British Records

Should you search overseas records for American ancestors? Absolutely. Learn how British records can reveal “hidden” American relatives.

Jen Baldwin of FindMyPast recently joined me to discuss strategies for discovering American ancestors in British records. If you’re tracing family lines with British connections, this is a great opportunity to expand the places you search.

Missed the live chat? No problem — a replay is embedded at the end of this article.

Jen’s Best Tip for Using FindMyPast To Find Your American Ancestors

I have a strong British heritage and have used FindMyPast for years, though I now realize I wasn’t using its full potential. One of Jen’s first and most important pieces of advice is to think like a Brit when searching British records.

Understanding the historical relationship between the United States and Great Britain is essential. You need to know what records the British created, and why they created them, to search effectively.

This approach applies to researching ancestors in any country: begin by learning which records exist for your target place and period, and what they were meant to document. That background saves time and makes your searches more productive.

Taking time up front to study a region’s records will make your subsequent searches more accurate and efficient.

FindMyPast Records Collections Mentioned In The Livestream

In our live chat, Jen and I covered several British record collections that are especially useful for American genealogists. Below are the record sets we discussed and tips for using them:

1. Registers of Licenses to Pass Beyond the Seas — useful for tracking people who traveled abroad from Britain.
2. British POWs, 1715–1945 — prisoner records can contain detailed personal and service information.
3. British Army Service Records — these often include enlistment details, service history, and next-of-kin information.
4. Prisoners of War, 1715–1945 — when browsing, use keywords like “America,” “Canada,” or “Nova Scotia” to narrow results; early references may use colonial place names rather than “United States.”
5. US Servicemen in North Devon, England, 1945 — a poignant collection that can provide context and personal details for American service members stationed in Britain.
6. The Catholic Heritage Archive — an expanding collection of Catholic parish registers and related records valuable for many family histories.
7. Newspapers — British newspapers can contain surprising coverage of events and people with American connections; explore regional and national titles for broad coverage.

Best Practices for Finding Your Hidden American Ancestors in British Records

When searching British collections for American ancestors, keep these best practices in mind:

• Search multiple name variants and spellings, including phonetic and regional forms.
• Expand newspaper searches beyond a single town or county; coverage may appear far from where you expect.
• Interpret records in their historical context so you apply dates, place names, and terminology correctly.
• Remember place-name variations: historical records may refer to “America,” “United States,” “United States of America,” or colonial designations depending on the era.

Listen to Our Full Conversation