Most family history sources are on microfiche or microfilm, parish registers, wills and school records.
Southampton Archive - From 1199 to the present day, Southampton Archives Services hold a rich variety of material relating to the city and its people.
Civil Registration - General Register Office (GRO) Indexes - These are available for births, marriages and deaths which took place after 1837 in England and Wales.
U.S Immigration Collection.
Census Returns -The first census which is of help for family historians was taken in 1841 and a census has been conducted every ten years since then. They provide given ages, family relationships, occupations and birth places. These are available in England, Scotland and Wales.
Muster Rolls and Hearth Tax - Lists of names in early sources can give details of militia service or social position, rich and poor.
One World Tree.
Parish Registers - These give church baptisms, marriages and burials for a parish. They can date back to 1538 if the records have survived. Hampshire Record Office has film or fiche of the parish registers for the county.
U.S Records Collection.
Poor Law and Parish Chest documents - These include church warden’s accounts, settlement certificates and examinations, removal orders and overseers' documents. Where these have survived they provide rare insights into peoples lives and movements around the county.
Land Deeds and Rate Books.
Quarter Session Records - These show individuals who have commit a crime and the punishments they received. They also state the name the person who was the victim of the crime.
Trade and Street Directories - They give descriptions of towns and villages and their inhabitants with occupations if they were in trade. Street directories also mean that addresses can be found which will help finding families in census returns.
U.K Family History and Local Histories Collection.
Wills and Administrations- These can be useful in providing names of relatives, land or property owned and occupations. Many people who were not rich left wills or inventories of goods. Records of administration are also useful sources of information.
Cemetery Records and Monumental Inscriptions - details of burials and any gravestones that may have existed. Unfortunately many cemeteries have been cleared and it may be the only chance to find details of these.
Newspaper articles. These are often available at Record Offices and libraries.
London Records Office.....................................................