Every family story
starts with a question.

A name can be a useful starting point, especially when combined with an approximate date, a place or a family story. Send what you know, including uncertain details. We reply with the service that fits and its price, or a quote, and say what further information would help.

Include names and spelling variants, approximate birth or marriage dates, places associated with the family and the question you would most like answered. Mention research you have already completed, so we can build on it.

You can begin wherever you live and discuss the research remotely. We investigate relevant Polish sources and share the findings in English. If a particular enquiry involves a site visit, we can discuss that as part of the proposed work.

Place names, borders and administrative districts have changed over time. We use the historical context, nearby places and family records to help identify the locality and the archive or parish most likely to hold its records.

Depending on the family and period, research may involve civil and parish registers, population records, military files, notarial documents and other archival sources. Explore our guide to genealogy records or birth, marriage and death records.

We can investigate surviving service records, units, decorations and prisoner-of-war documentation. The best route depends on when and where your relative served. Our Polish military records guide explains the main sources, including UK connections.

Poland’s historical communities were diverse. Religion, language, locality and changing borders can all affect where records are held. Tell us about the family’s background, if known, so that the research can cover the right sources.

Research can test the evidence for a claimed connection. A surname or coat of arms alone does not establish descent: the generations need to be linked through records. How far a family line can be traced depends on the survival and quality of those sources.

Burial registers, cemetery records and other local sources may help identify a burial place. A surviving record does not necessarily mean that a grave or marker remains. If a visit or photograph would be useful, ask us to include it in the proposed scope.

Historical Polish territories and migration routes extend beyond today’s borders. Our reply to your enquiry says where the documents are likely to be held and whether the proposed research can cover them.

You can order a research package online: £750 for 10 hours, £1,300 for 20 hours or £1,900 for 30 hours. A first vital-record copy costs £145, including administrative costs and postal delivery. Extra copies cost £90 each, apostilles and sworn English translations £155 per copy, and an additional archival search £145 where details or supporting evidence are incomplete. Digital scans, groups of different records and work outside the listed packages require an agreed quote. Compare the services, or send us an enquiry if you are unsure which option fits.

Timing depends on the archives involved, access arrangements and the amount of research required. Most cases are completed within 3 to 6 months. A simpler case can take about 2 months, while an exceptionally complex one may take around 7 months or longer. Some enquiries are relatively straightforward; others need several stages. We discuss the expected timescale for your case when agreeing the scope.

Send your question through the contact form and we reply by email with the service that fits and its price, or a quote for work outside the listed services. We do not carry out free case assessments. For an online package order, you submit the research details and pay securely on Stripe; we then contact you to confirm the research question before archival work begins. Any additional charges require your approval. The findings help determine whether a further stage would be worthwhile.

No researcher can guarantee that a record has survived or will identify the right person. We distinguish documented findings from possibilities and explain gaps in the evidence. An unsuccessful search can still help rule out a source or suggest a different direction.

The agreed scope determines the deliverables. These may include copies of located records, source references, an explanation of the findings and a family tree or research report. We clarify what is included before the work begins.

We communicate the findings in English and help you understand the relevant documents. If you need full transcriptions, complete translations or a certified translation for an official purpose, tell us at the start so that the required work can be agreed.

The appropriate type of document depends on its intended use and the institution holding it. An archival scan and an official certificate are not interchangeable. See our document retrieval service and explain what the document is needed for.

Family research can help locate evidence relevant to a citizenship case. Finding an ancestor or a record does not by itself establish eligibility. We can discuss the documentation you are seeking through our citizenship support service.