Family bibles were handed down from generation to generation, and it was – and still is – traditional to keep a record of the family tree in its fly-leaf, to be updated by each new generation. These bibles can therefore be invaluable sources of information if you want to learn more about your family history.

Because the Bible is a sacred book, and therefore treated with respect and cherished over the centuries, people often stored important documents inside, such as wedding and birth certificates. It was also common to keep newspaper clippings about members of the family flat inside.

Reading obituaries can tell you a lot about the life of a person, and descriptions of weddings can be a fun way to remember a happy occasion in your family’s history. You might also find more personal things inside, such as letters, photographs, drafts for speeches at family events, hand-embroidered bookmarks or pressed flowers. These little details all help to make your ancestors come alive for you.

Modern-day bibles often have special pages set aside for recording family trees, to encourage people to start a tradition for themselves.

Tracing your family history

Do you have an old bible at home? Check to see if one of your ancestors has written anything inside. Compare the date of publication of the bible with the date of the first entry. Did your ancestor start the family tree when they bought the bible, or did they go back further?

Looking at the handwriting, how many generations have added to the family tree? Looking at the ink, were all the entries made at one sitting? Is there other information besides a family tree? Inscriptions can give you clues about family members and their relationships. Some bibles have notes in the margin of the text itself, noting down the occasion (such as a wedding or christening) when a reading was given.

These family trees can give you extra information that will help in your search for family history from other sources. The exact date of a wedding or birth, along with the locations, means it will be quicker to find the correct entry in the corresponding local records office. Maiden names may be listed for women marrying into the family, so you can now go and find out about them from the public records office too. Names of godparents are often listed beside the christening date for children and can help widen the search to friends of the family.

Family bibles are often sold on eBay – check there to see if a long-lost member of your family is selling off your heritage!