Bedfordshire Family History

Bedfordshire Family History Clubs, Societies and Archives

This Bedfordshire family history page can assist those family historians who are researching ancestors who were born or resident in the small county of Bedfordshire, England UK. Please read on for a range of local family history resources specific to the region of Bedfordshire.

Bedfordshire Family History Society

This society was formed in 1977 to assist with family history research in the region. Membership, for a small annual fee, offers a range of benefits including:

  • a quarterly journal.
  • a membership pack for getting started.
  • monthly meetings held in Bedford.
  • a library with over 1200 books together with journals published by other societies.
  • a bookstall with over 350 publications on family history and Bedfordshire genealogy.



Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service

Located in Bedford, the archives here span over 800 years including public records, local government archives, church and parish records and archives from local families in the county. There is no payment required to search for archives and records. You will be asked to pay a fee if you want to copy archives.  There is a useful ‘Family History’ page on the archives section of their website which details the collections held and some of these records can be viewed online.

Bedfordshire Newspaper Archives

Local newspaper archives can be a great historical resource. Newspaper announcements provide many clues regarding the location and dates of births, marriages and deaths. They can, therefore, plug many genealogical gaps that cannot be filled by parish records, BMD records, or census records.

In addition, you may find other more colourful newspaper accounts, such as announcements of criminal activity. The British Newspaper Archive holds a great range of archived newspapers for many counties. The link provided takes you to the Bedfordshire newspaper archives section.