Starting your research

Before you start

Often the best way to start doing your family history is to read a book (browse our library catalogue) or look at a general website (for example the BBC Get Started page) to find out what is involved. Family wedding c1890

Alternatively, you may well have a local family history society near you which you can join or from which you may get specialist advice.

A lot of research can now be done online, but you will at some point need to visit an archive or local studies centre to confirm what other people have discovered. Part of the attraction of doing your family history is the contact with historical documents and the thrill of finding new information.

Researching at the Kent History and Library Centre or other Kent library

If you are planning to to visit the Kent History and Library Centre or the local history collection of a library in Kent, first check the library and archive catalogues to get a good idea of the material available. You can also find out more about the online resources we make available on our Kent History Online page.

We recommend you contact the relevant location in advance to check that the information you require will be available when you visit.

To access original archive materials in the Kent History and Library Centre, you will need to get your Kent library card `archive-enabled’. To do so you need to bring identification showing your name, address and signature (for example a driving license, or a utility bill and a bank card). You can also use a County Archives Research Network (CARN) ticket if you have one.

Before your visit please read our Guide for new users and General handling guidelines.

Research service

We provide general information about relevant materials and their location for free. This is a popular service and we would encourage you to email us rather than phone.

In addition we offer the following services and expertise for a fee:

In-depth family history, local history and house history research (beyond looking at basic sources for a specific piece of information).
Transcriptions of documents.
Summaries of Latin documents - for example key details from wills or title deeds.
Research relating to specific types of records - for example medical (Oakwood Hospital/St Augustine's) or workhouse records.
Research in the full range of material available in the archive and local history collections, for all periods back to the 15th century.

Book time with the researcher who will help with your own research in the searchroom at Kent History and Library Centre.
Bring in your own documents for help in reading and interpreting them.

We charge £32 per hour (with a minimum charge of £16). Mark any correspondence for attention of the researcher.

Please note: Research may take several weeks to be completed, and in some cases it may not be possible to carry out research due to the pressure on the service.

Guides and finding aids

General

Subject guides

Black and non-European people in Kent (PDF, 208k) - Evidence from the collections of the Kent Archives Service.
Guide to parish records (PDF, 1.9mb) This guide includes details of original parish registers, bishops' transcripts and transcripts held in Kent Archives.
The history of health and medicine (PDF, 408k) - an introduction to sources available in Kent Archives
Researching your family history (PDF, 660k)
Women In Kent - An illustrated booklet produced by Kent Archives constituting a compilation of documents held about women and the events that took place in their lives. You can get a taster of the booklet's content by viewing our Women in Kent page.
Guide to the records of Kent's mental health hospitals (PDF, 1.3mb) - an illustrated booklet giving details of Kent's former mental hospitals, the types of records available, where to find them and how they can be used.

Note: We are currently updating our guides to reflect the move of the archive and local history collections to the new Kent History and Library Centre.