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Places and Ethnicities England

Researching your Ancestors in Surrey

Sarah Pettyfer, QG
Jul 11, 2025
148 views
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Free through July 18, 2025
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Syllabus
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Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
2m 00s
Play. Playing.
Speaker's Introduction
1m 42s
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Introduction
3m 40s
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Brief History
15m 51s
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Challenges
10m 03s
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Main Archives
5m 54s
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Parish Registers & BTs
5m 58s
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Wills and Probate
6m 28s
Play. Playing.
Online Records
5m 49s
Play. Playing.
Surrey History Centre
2m 55s
Play. Playing.
Announcements / prizes
3m 13s
Play. Playing.
Questions / answers
6m 09s

About this webinar

Often viewed as a rural retreat for London residents, Surrey presents unique challenges for genealogical research due to its shifting boundaries over the 19th and 20th centuries. This talk will help you build a solid foundation for exploring your Surrey roots with confidence, guiding you through the complexities of tracing your Surrey ancestry, offering strategies to streamline your research journey. Learn about the essential archives and genealogical sources available, both online and in-person, and gain insights into where to find support from local Family History Societies.

Discount code: surrey25 (valid at Familytreewebinars.com)

Valid through: July 15, 2025

About the speaker

About the speaker

Sarah Pettyfer, QG
Sarah is an experienced distinguished family, house, and local historian, blending her legal background with advanced genealogical expertise. Beginning her career as a solicitor, Sarah transitioned to historical research after over two decades of
Learn more...

Comments (19)

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  1. DC
    Dennis Cox
    1 day ago

    Looking forward to 1) viewing the material again once upload, and 2) studying the syllabus.

    Reply
  2. RS
    Richard Smith
    1 day ago

    It was a marvellously succinct tour of an area that I knew was genealogically complex, but I didn’t know that it was THAT complex. I now know about a lot more resources than I thought existed. I’m looking forward to finding Sarah’s book.

    Reply
  3. TS
    Teresa Smith
    1 day ago

    Very useful information not only where to find records, what records are available but now I understand the complexity of Surrey.

    Reply
  4. CD
    Cyndi Davis
    1 day ago

    Surrey seems like a complicated area to research, but these English county webinars are sure helpful. Thank you for providing them.

    Reply
  5. PS
    Patricia Salt
    1 day ago

    Lots of facts to take in, and the maps and information about boundary changes were particularly interesting. Thank you!

    Reply
  6. DK
    Dale Ketch
    1 day ago

    Sarah presented so much information in a clear, concise and easy to follow manner, especially how Surrey’s boundaries have changed in time. This is a great resource to watch if you’re searching in Surrey.

    Reply
  7. DB
    Deb Buxton
    1 day ago

    lots of good info. Appreciated the info on how the boundaries have changed multiple times over the centuries

    Reply
  8. PB
    Patricia Briggs
    1 day ago

    I found this webinar extremely interesting. There was lots of information and talk about the areas of Surrey that might have been overwhelming for someone just starting to investigate family. I grew up in Surrey and am familiar with all the names and places but I think some participants may have found it difficult to follow. Sarah is a mine of information and a great presenter. Thank you.

    Reply
Show all comments

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