Richard Forty

Professional genealogist

Richard Forty

Genealogist and researcher in Scotland

Millions of people throughout the world have Scottish ancestry.

Let me help you trace your Scottish roots. I am a qualified and experienced genealogist and researcher in archives, able to unlock your ancestors’past and place them in a historical perspective.

See below for further details about me and the services I offer.

Check out my Links and Tips pages for further useful family history-related stuff!

Richard Forty

MA, MLitt, PhD, PGDip, CA

Professional genealogist and researcher

I have over 30 years’ experience in family history, tracing both my own ancestors and those of others.

I can read and transcribe old documents, provide reports and family tree charts to meet your requirements.

Weekly vists to the ScotlandsPeople centre and research as required in the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh. I am willing to travel to other archives or heritage centres and have  access to most major online sources. 

Credentials

Qualifications

  • MA (Honours) in Economic History, 1st Class, University of Edinburgh 1981
  • MLitt (Masters) in Modern History, University of Aberdeen 2006
  • PhD in History, University of Aberdeen 2014. Title of thesis: “A financial and political study of James Duff, 2nd Earl of Fife, betweeen 1763 and 1809”
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic studies, University of Strathclyde 2018
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic studies, University of Strathclyde 2020
  • Member of ASGRA (Association of Scottish Genealogists and Record Agents)

Areas of expertise

  • General family history including research in civil registration and church records
  • Tree building and report writing
  • Palaeography and document transcription
  • Archival research with particularly extensive experience in estate papers, financial and business records, and property records
  • Access to and experience in many other sources whether online or hard-copy,  including newspapers, directories, maps, and others

What I do and the costs involved

Some useful family history-related websites

Some tips on how to carry out your own family history research