10 great map websites
Here are a few of the many useful websites containing maps for British Isles genealogy
1 Britain from Above
britainfromabove.org.uk Look down on your ancestors’ early to mid-20th century homes from the skies.
2 British History Online
british-history.ac.uk/map.aspx This website is crammed with background information on places, and includes the 1872 Ordnance Survey maps.
3 Know Your Place
maps.bristol.gov.uk/knowyourplace This project, using historic maps of Bristol, is an excellent example of how archives can share their map collections online. A ‘community layer’ enables users to ‘pin’ their own comments, photographs or memories to the maps.
4 National Library of Scotland Map Library
www.nls.uk/ maps/ index.html The website contains a formidable array of searchable maps of Scotland, but it’s not just Scottish maps on offer here. Click on ‘Recent Additions’ for links to OS maps for London and the rest of the UK.
5 National Library of Wales
llgc.org.uk/ collections/ learn- more/ introduction3 This page lists the library’s magnificent collection and how to access it. Also, get involved in the new Cynefin tithe maps project ( cynefin.archiveswales.org.uk).
6 Public Profiler
gbnames.publicprofiler.org This very useful website produces surname distribution maps showing where names are found today and where they were in the 1881 census.
7 The Genealogist
thegenealogist.co.uk This site is adding numerous maps in 2015 including tithe maps from TNA linked to the records themselves.
8 Valuation Office map finder
bit.ly/1y80dEc The Inland Revenue valuations were compiled between 1910 and 1920 and are held at TNA in IR 58 ( field books) and IR 121-135 (maps) with comparable records for Scotland at the NAS. They list surveys and valuations of most buildings with names of owners and leaseholders.
9 Old Maps Online
oldmapsonline.org This amazing portal is a gateway to historical maps in librares around the world. Search for the area that you are interested in and find out what’s online.
10 A Vision of Britain
visionofbritain.org.ukw Gives considerable historical background detail on places, with a fine collection of maps including the OS First Series.