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MY GREAT-GREAT-GRAND UNCLE - THE EARL OF SOMETHING - Family Ancestry Travel in Britain

2007 was the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown in Virginia, the first British settlement in North America in 1607. A decade later, the Pilgrims settled in Massachusettes. Many American families can trace at least part of their ancestry to the “jewel set in the silver sea” of Great Britain and at some point come to the question "how can I find my family heritage?" My own family ancestors, originally from a tiny village in the German Rhineland, sailed from Plymouth, England in the mid-1700’s and settled in Pennsylvania taking a over month to sail on a dank creaking ship to put down roots in a new unknown land. One of my most satisfying travel trips was a journey to find the town where my family's ancestors had come from 300 years ago, visiting the tiny Gothic church still existing that was the center of their world. I have other relatives who came from England and Wales 100 years later, now, on my“to do” list. Millions of others may be thinking of taking the same travel of discovery.

Perhaps there is a baronial manor house to pass along to the children. For those from Wales www.homecomingwales.com has a useful section on the origin of Welsh surnames. The Scottish site, www.ancestralscotland.com includes a listing of events which may have a specific clan link, such as Highland Games, while www.discoverireland.com taps into the Irish Genealogical Project with its 15 million records dating from the 17th century. Those who think they may be related to one of the original Jamestown settlers can log on to special websites at www.visitbritain.com/ancestry

Until the 1860s it took 35 days to sail from one of the emigration ports of Plymouth, Southampton or Liverpool to the United States or Canada. For those heading to Australia or New Zealand, 10 to 17 weeks was nearer the mark. Now a flight to Heathrow takes 9 to 17 hours. Thanks to the ease and available tools the Internet has given to amateur researchers, more and more people are on a search for their family’s roots. More than nine million emigrants sailed from Liverpool in a 100 year period from 1830 to1930. Maybe one of them was your great-great-grandfather.

The services of the British National Archives, which holds the records of the UK government from the 11th century to the present can be a useful resource in your own family journey www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. For those researching their Scottish roots, a new Scottish family history centre in Edinburgh is expected to open in fall of 2007, it will enable visitors to search records going back 500 years. The Scottish Famile Centre will include exhibitions, search rooms and retail spaces www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk. © Bargain Travel Europe

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SEE ALSO:

WANDERING IMMIGRANTS
Rhineland Palatine Genealogy Center Kaiserlautern

HAMBURG BALLINSTADT EMIGRATION MUSEUM
Emigration from Europe in the Age of Steam

KENILWORTH CASTLE
England’s largest of castle ruins

LONDON THRILLER – HITCHCOCK SLEPT HERE

FLYING OVER LONDON ROOFTOPS
British Airways London Eye

LONDON PUB TOUR
Historic Drinking Spots of Ole London Town

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