Dorset Family History Society is for those who are interested in tracing their family history, whether just starting out or experts.

We provide research support and facilities for people in the UK or overseas with family interests in Dorset, as well as those who live in Dorset but whose families may have lived in other counties or countries.

We have access to a number of genealogy websites at our research centre, together with a library and sales area, containing a wide variety of books and research material.

Onsite Collections

The Dorset Family History Society has a Research Centre which is £3 per day to use. Resources include:

Computers for

• Internet access to websites including Ancestry UK / Worldwide, Findmypast, and British Newspaper Archives
• Access to data records on CD

Fiche readers for

• Parish Register Transcriptions for Dorset
• Monumental and Memorial Inscription Transcriptions for Dorset
• Miscellaneous information for other counties (see Research Records)
• Family Trees on deposit with the Society, by Surname and Area

Research

If you are unable to visit to conduct your own research, our volunteers will search our records for you.

• Please print off a copy of the Research Request Form, complete and return it (see below regarding payment) to Treetops Research Centre OR
• You may wish to request a quotation for general research via email (choose ‘Enquiries’ from the drop-down on the Contact Us )form or by post. Our rates for up to 1 hours research are:

UK Members £12 – Overseas Members £14
UK Non Members £16 – Overseas Non Members £18

This includes the costs involved in copying and posting the results of the research.

Research fee for Monumental / Memorial Inscriptions look ups is UK / Overseas members £5 – UK / Overseas Non Members £8

Pay by Debit / Credit Card or PayPal through our shop, or by Sterling cheque, payable to Dorset Family History Society

If your query takes more than 1 hour we will contact you for instructions to continue and give an estimate of the further costs involved.

Membership Benefits:

The following benefits are available to members:-

• 11 monthly meetings (not August) at Upper Parkstone, near Poole, Dorset
• Computer Group – 10 monthly meetings (not January or August) at Treetops Research Centre
• Quarterly Journal (posted on the 1st working day of December, March, June & September). New Members receive the Journals published since the beginning of their membership year
• Register members interests and contact others researching the same surname
• Reduced fees for search services
• Dorset Family History information – some booklets, CDs and fiche are for sale, other records can be searched on your behalf for a fee
• Research advice available at meetings and at our Treetops Research Centre
• Personal research can be carried out at our Treetops Research Centre (+ 1 to 1 assistance available if needed). Not restricted to Dorset records
• Sales table – available at meetings and by post
• Lending library
• Exchange journals from many other Family History Societies available on loan (personal visitors to Treetops only)
• Coach trips to London Record Offices and, as occasion demands, to other Family History venues
• E-News – an email round up of items which may be of interest – details of how to subscribe can be found in the Journal.