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==Starting The FIBIwiki contains lots of guidance for starting out on your 'British India' research==The FIBIS online ''Beginners' Guide'' will continue to be expanded in the future. It is recommended that you read through all of this information page before contacting FIBIS for personal research services (Members) or research advice (non-Members).

The main focus of FIBIS activities is the ‘sub-continent’ of India but we are the society is also interested in all areas and activities of the British in South Asia including the following between the founding of the [[East India Company]] in 1599 to ‘Indian Independence’ in 1947:

[[Afghanistan]], [[Aden]], [[Andaman Islands]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Bencoolen]] (Sumatra, Indonesia), [[Burma]] (Myanmar), [[Ceylon]] (Sri Lanka), [[China]], [[Macao]] & [[Hong Kong]], [[Indonesia]] (Borneo, Labuan etc.), [[Malaysia]], [[Mauritius]], [[Iran|Persia]], [[Singapore]], [[Straits Settlements]].

*[[Bombay (Presidency)|Bombay]], which covered the smallest area on the west and north of the country, including extending through [[Sind]] and to the coastal area of what is now [[Pakistan]], including [[Karachi]] and also included [[Aden]] *[[Bengal (Presidency)|Bengal]], which covered the east of the country and included [[Burma ]] and what is now [[Bangladesh]] and extended west to parts the [[North West Frontier Province|North West Frontier]] to include most of what is now modern day [[Pakistan]], including [[Lahore]], [[Multan]], [[Peshawar]] and [[Rawalpindi]]  

*Search the archives main online databases, consisting of the India Listfree sites, and a commercial site. You may find that someone else has already researched the family tree you :There are interested inthree free websites: # [https://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/index.php '''FIBIS database'''] contains information from many sources. Read how to do this, and more about the India List, in the Fibiwiki link # '''[[Mailing listsFamilySearch]] *Search the main online data bases. There are three of these, FIBIS; the IGI index on Family Search, ''' - which is the website of the LDS or Mormon Latter Day Saints Church (MormonsLDS); and the British Library site, India Office Family History Search. Depending on To search the dates records you are interested inmust "Sign In", one site may provide more information than another. Unfortunately there is not a lot located at the top right hand corner of information available for the 1900’swebsite - initial registration is required. To access the links for these data bases, and for more information# [[British Library]], read** [http://wwwindiafamily.searchbl.fibis.org/frontisuk/binui/indexHome.php FIBIS databaseaspx '''India Office Family History Search''']. Contains only a small proportion of the total records.**:Commercial sites: '''[[IGIfindmypast]]**''' is the main site for India related records. The India related records available on Ancestry are mostly a duplicate of those to be found on the free [[Church records#Records at the British LibraryIGI|Church records- Records at the British LibraryFamilySearch]]site.

*When you have some identifying details :The commercial site [[findmypast]] and the free [[IGI|Familysearch]] web site host a large volume of transcriptions based on the India Office [[Church records|church records]] housed at the British Library.:'''Note''': Only [[findmypast]] contains images of a person the records, which generally contain '''additional''' information to the transcriptions, such as nameoccupational details, date which may be very helpful for your research.:Some later records for baptisms and place(presidency)marriages are not available with full details for privacy reasons on [[findmypast]]. For those unable to visit the British Library, alternative records are available for later births and marriages on FamilySearch digitised microfilms, and previously issued microfilms, see [[FamilySearch]] and [[FamilySearch Centres]]. If FamilySearch Centres are not geographically convenient, join copies of records may be requested from the British Library for a fee.*Search the archives of the Rootsweb India List (see above) . You may find that someone else has already researched the family tree you are interested in. Read how to do this, and send an email more about the now discontinued India List, in the Fibiwiki link [[Mailing lists]]. *Consider joining your local genealogy society as most large societies, in addition to other services, provide members free online access in their libraries to commercial sites such as Findmypast and/or Ancestry, and possibly many other additional genealogy websites which would otherwise require payment. This is especially relevant as the listchurch records at the British Library are now digitised and available through Findmypast. Some Borough/Local Government and/or County/State and/or National libraries may also offer free access to websites such as Findmypast and Ancestry, asking whether anyone has any knowledge see [[Miscellaneous tips]]. Some of the familylarger genealogy societies have become FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries where it is possible to view many, but not all, 'restricted' FamilySearch digitised records which are not available on home computers. For more details see [[FamilySearch Centres]]. Findmypast and Ancestry (and additional sites) are also available at [[FamilySearch Centres]].

*Read the Fibiwiki article [[Birth, marriage and death records]] and all the associated articles and links

**For officers and soldiers in the Military, read [[Armies in India]] and all the associated articles and links which are relevant to your research.** Look at the category Occupations, accessible from the [[Main Page:Category:Occupations]], and read the articles and links about occupations relevant to your research.

*Look at the category [[:Category:Research methods]], accessible from the and [[Main Page:Category:Records]]and read the articles.*Browse the different remaining categories on the [[Main Page]] ===Visiting the British Library=== *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGZQlMGocPQ Advice For Your First Visit to the APAC Reading Rooms] - Advice from the Chairman of the Families In British India Society, Peter Bailey, on your first visit to the Asia Pacific and Africa Collection Reading Rooms at the British Library to research your family history in British India.2009 (youtube.com) == Related articles ==* [[British Library]]*[[findmypast]]* [[IGI]]* [[Birth, marriage and death records]]* [[Church records]]* [[Miscellaneous tips]]== External links ==*[http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast]*[http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/ India Office Family History Search]*[https://familysearch.org/ Familysearch]