If like many Americans you're curious about your roots, this Companion is the perfect guide to investigating family history in the British Isles. Edited by David Hey, a leading authority, the book provides helpful information for anyone enquiring into their English, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh origins and for anyone working in genealogical research or on the social history of the British Isles. This fully revised and updated edition has been newly structured for ease of use, with an informative thematic essay section followed by an A-Z dictionary with more than 2,000 jargon-free entries, as well as detailed appendices which include further reading and up-to-date recommended websites. New essays for this edition are: "A Guide for Beginners," "Links between British and American Families," "Black and Asian Family History," and an extended article on "Names." With research tips, a full background to the social history of communities and individuals, and a special updated appendix listing all national and local record offices with their contact details, this is an essential reference work for anyone interested in uncovering and understanding the past. Reviews for this edition: "substantial and invaluable" --Times Literary Supplement"all historians working in the field of British history should have the book on their shelves ... a most companionable volume" --History"an essential guide for going back to your roots" --Dundee Courier and Advertiser"a compact and comprehensive handbook" --The Oxford Times"Fascinating to dip into, immediately accessible for reference - essential for your bookshelf." --Who Do You Think You Are?"An invaluable companion to research." --Family History Monthly"full of practical information" --Family Tree Magazine David Hey is Emeritus Professor of Local and Family History at the University of Sheffield. His many publications include The Oxford Guide to Family History, Family Names and Family History, How Our Ancestors Lived: A History of Life 100 Years Ago , and Journeys in Family History: Exploring Your Past and Finding Your Ancestors.