Genealogy Chat

I'm brand new to all this and could do with some help! I am starting with very little information about my family and seem to be struggling to bridge the gap between the info I have and the census records. I only know my grandfather's name, his wife's name and his father's name and his wife's name. My great grandparents would have been born around or after 1900 but I don't know where. Starting to really struggle here! Any help really would be appreciated!

If you post the names on this site, someone may be able to help. There is quite a good site called Family Relatives (it is a pay-to-view site) which has the births, marriages and deaths indexed up to about 1920. Have you tried to find them on the 1901 census?

I've joined the ancestry website and have been searching the census information. I thought it would be easier as the surname is pretty uncommon. My grandad was Frank Varo, he married Jean Wilson. His father was also Frank Varo and he married Annie Rhodes. Frank and Annie had 3 children, Frank, Audrey and Mabel. I found a frank Varo on the 1901 census who was born in 1899 but i have no idea whether it is the right one!

I see that there were two Frank Varos, both born in North Bierley West Yorkshire, one in 1898 and one in 1900. It is possible that they were two brothers, and the first one had died. It is quite common for a subsequent child to be given the same name as one that had died. Is this the right area of the country?

Definitely right area of the country. How would I be able to find out what happened and whether either of these is my great grandfather? I already tried asking if anyone had heard of him having a brother but no-one in my family had any idea.

I have to go in a minute (I am at work!!) but I would look for the name Varo on Ancestry saying that they lived in Yorkshire and see what comes up. You may find other Varos born in the same area. It is a very unusual name. I think that it might be worth buying a copy of the birth certificate for the second one and see if he is yours. Ancestry will give you the reference number if you look at the birth record (It will give you the registration district, volume number and page number). You can order the certificate on-line.

I'm still very confused about all this (well I am blonde!). Why can I only find birth information for these people and no death information? Surely if one them died in infancy there should be a record? If so how do I find it?

I've found the marriage of Frank Varo to Annie Rhodes... BRADFORD v 9b pg 236 JUNE qtr, 1921 How I found this was by using that birth year of Frank Varo of 1899 (the one found on the 1901 census) and taking the usual 21years as a rough guide as to when he would have married. Counted forward 21 years and that brings us to 1920. Searched indexes for 1920, not there. Searched for 1921 - and there he was. You could order this cert online from the GRO website for £7 and that will give you both the bride and groom's father's names and occupations. Then you would know for sure if Edward was his father as per the 1901 census.

Hi Emma The births,marriages and deaths are each in a different index. What we have to try and do is make sure that we get the right details to enable you to order any certificates that will confirm or disprove a link.With the surname being pretty uncommon it is a little easier. I'll be back from about 5 o'clock and see what else has happened (playing dads taxi in a minute!) Glen

Thank you so much!! You guys are fantastic! Will get onto ordering those certificates right now.

I've double-checked the info I just gave above on the marriage and it is correct, so you can be confident in ordering this if you wanted to.

Looks like i missed the party,oh well there is always another day. Glen

Right, just have to wait for that certificate to arrive now! Don't worry about missing the party, there's still plenty more unsolved mysteries out there!

Emma if Edward turns out to be Franks father, there is a lady called Kirsty on this site that has Edward and Edwards father John in her tree might be worth to get in touch with her. Julie