Looking to research your Scottish ancestry?

If you want to delve deeper into your family's roots, Kate has some tips on how to make the quest for answers easier:

• Speak to your extended family and gather as much information as you can about names, places and family stories
• Search digitised records online. Websites like Findmypast and Scotland’s People can help you access birth, death, marriage and census records from home.
• Talk to local archivists and librarians. They can offer valuable insight into your ancestors’ communities and the world they lived in.

• Read secondary sources for context. History books can help bring names and dates to life.
• Dig into primary sources like newspapers, court records, pamphlets and council reports to uncover mentions of your ancestors and better understand their lives.
• Most importantly, cross-reference your sources, watch for bias – and have fun!