Devon Family History Clubs, Societies and Archives

The local family history section of this site has been created to assist genealogists and family historians who want to focus on specific local areas of the UK. This particular page aims at assisting family history researchers who are focused in the area of Devon, England, UK.

Devon Family History Society

– One of the largest Family History Societies in the UK with groups meeting in North Devon, South Devon, Plymouth and Exeter.

Devon Archives and Local Studies

– This service holds a large variety of records and published works. Also includes holdings from West Country Studies Library and the Devon and Cornwall Record Society Library.

Births, marriages and deaths

Here are useful specific Devon county search pages from the subscription site FindMyPast.co.uk website.

Births

Devon Baptisms – 16th Century – 2001

Marriages

Devon Marriage Banns – 1538-1915
Devon Marriages

Burials – including memorial inscriptions

Devon Burials – 450 years of records

Institutional records – including apprentices, paupers etc.

Devon Social & Institutional Records
Devon Plymouth & West Devon Apprentices 1570-1910

Wills and probate

Devon Wills Index – Probate Records 1163-1999

Devon Newspaper Archives

You have researched births, marriages and deaths, plus the census records. What do you research next? A logical next step is to research local newspaper archives. These can be very useful in filling gaps or just confirming what you have already concluded. This is because a newspaper announcement of a birth, marriage or death can help you pin point the date and location of these events. In addition, newspaper reports can provide an extra human layer to your research – and unearth something surprising, sad or possibly shocking.

The British Newspaper Archive holds a huge supply of local newspaper archives for counties in the UK. Their archives are easy to use; you simply search the newspaper and the relevant year. Here is the link for the Devon region.