TRACING YOUR ANCESTRY

Since the dawn of time, Orcadians have known no bounds, venturing out and exploring areas of the world far beyond these shores. Far from being constrained by their remote island locations, Orcadians enjoyed a sense of freedom, many either taking up the offer of employment on board visiting ships, or taking the plunge and emigrating to far off places.

Some might assume Orcadians would be insular people, but they would be wrong.

The inhabitants of Orkney have long enjoyed a sense of adventure, and throughout history, many left these shores in search of a new life in a foreign land.

That is why Orkney has links and connections across the globe, which even to this day remain strong and are in evidence.

Many visitors to the islands come in search of exploring and uncovering their ancestry, as they set out to discover their lineage.

Orkney has had links to Canada and the Arctic since the 17th century, as the islands were often the last port of call for explorers, traders, merchants and whalers before they set sail across the

Atlantic.

Stromness, with its natural sheltered harbour, was a haven for these ships to stock up on the last provisions before the perilous journey.

However, from 1702 onwards, many young men from the islands were recruited by the Hudson’s Bay Company, which was engaged in the highly profitable beaver fur trade, in Canada.

For more than 250 years, hardy and skilled Orcadians made tremendous crew on these ships, and while many eventually returned home, many stayed, leaving descendants right across North America and Canada, and evidence of Orcadian culture throughout their new homes.

The aspirations and ambitions of Orcadians weren’t solely focused across the Atlantic however.

Australia and New Zealand were hot-spots for emigrating Orcadians in search of a better life, but Orkney men and women also made their mark in areas of Africa.

That is why descendants of these travellers come to these shores to discover more about their family history, and Orkney has a host of resources to assist.

Orkney’s archive has retained its national accredited status, following an inspection. A number of heritage centres throughout the islands hold valuable information to help trace ancestors, such as this one in Eday. (Orkney.com)