Have you hit a brick wall in your family history research? Have you exhausted the different online avenues and need expert genealogical advice and assistance?
The Foundation’s research team can help. The Foundation has built up an international reputation as a market leader in historical research services for the six counties of Northern Ireland and the three border counties in the Republic of Ireland that make up the historic province of Ulster, serving clients around the world for more than 60 years.
Knowledge and experience
The Foundation’s research team have the knowledge and expertise to assist you in your family history research. Collectively they have over 100 years’ experience working in Irish and Scots-Irish family history.
The team is led by Dr William Roulston, Research Director and author of the peerless guide book, Researching-Scots Irish Ancestors, and Gillian Hunt, our Research Officer with 20 years of experience using local archives and a lecturer on the international genealogy circuit.
Let us do the hard work for you
If you are unable to visit the archives in person (or indeed if you have become frustrated with brick walls in your own research) we will carry out the research and examine original documents, which are only available in the archives, on your behalf.
As an organisation that grew out of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), our team know the archives and how to mine the information for your family tree. The Foundation and PRONI enjoy a close working relationship and co-operate regularly to offer our collective expertise to family historians.
What the Foundation offers
We offer expert genealogical advice through our comprehensive range of professional research services which include:
Book a personal one-to-one Consultation - from £30
If you are tracing your own Irish or Scots-Irish ancestors in Ireland, a consultation with a member of our experienced research team could save you a considerable amount of time and greatly increase your chances of success.
We are now offering virtual consultations via Zoom. The fee for a 60 minute virtual consultation is £40 (£35 for Guild members)
The fee for a 30 minute in person consultation is £30 (£20 for Guild members) or £50 for a 60 minute in person consultation (£35 for Guild members).
To book an appointment please telephone 028 9181 2073 or use our booking form.
Commission an Initial Research Assessment - £50
Ideal for those who are not sure how to get started with their Irish research. An initial assessment explores the feasibility of archival research by identifying sources of potential relevance for your family history.
In some instances you may receive factual genealogical data relevant to your personal research in addition to sound advice on the research possibilities presented by the information you provide.
Family Research Pack - £300
Your research pack will help you (or the recipient) to discover your ancestors. The Foundation will research your family history and produce a genealogical report (to the maximum stated hours in your voucher) based on the information you provide.
Commission In-depth Research - from £360 to unlimited
Whether you are at the start of your family history journey or have been researching for years; utilising original sources in the archives we can provide a detailed report of your ancestral history.
Our reports are interpretative as well as factual. We seek to build up a profile of your ancestors by examining original documents and microfilm copies in archives and libraries such as the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the General Register Office of Northern Ireland and the Linen Hall Library.
Commission Specific Research - £270
If you have specific research that you would like to have carried out, for example a particular Church register, we can do this research for you.
Document Retrieval
If you need a specific record from our local archives, which you cannot obtain yourself, we will find and copy it for you. For example if you have a very specific research request such as sourcing the details of and obtaining a copy of a marriage/birth certificate or obtaining copies of documents from archives which cannot be accessed remotely.
Most document retrieval enquiries will be no more than 2 hours (minimum 1 hour), and cost £45 per hour, with any costs of certificates/original documents charged by General Register Office or the Public Record Office additional to the actual research time.
To order document retrieval please telephone 028 9181 2073 or use our contact form.
Gift Certificates
Ulster Historical Foundation Gift Certificates, (from £30.00) may be used to buy a family history report, the Family Research Starter Kit or books available at booksireland.org.uk.
For example, an initial assessment costs just £50.00, or an hour's consultation with one of our genealogical research team costs £30.00.
It is the ideal present for the novice or more experienced family history researcher for a birthday, Christmas or other special occasion.
For more information, please use our contact form.
Family Tree DNA
Note: This service is performed by Family Tree DNA and not the Ulster Historical Foundation.
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