Maps and Plans

Maps can be a major source of information for the family historian. They can help put family history into context by giving an impression of an area at a particular time and showing how it has changed over the years.

A map may help build up a picture of what your ancestor's daily life may have been like in that you can see what facilities were in the local area.

Were there factories nearby where the family may have worked?

Where was the nearest school?

Which church may your ancestors have used for baptisms, marriages and burials?

Comparing old maps with a modern day equivalent can, of course, help you to work out if particular buildings are still standing today.