I don't know where to start!

[Sheryl Pochin]

Hi my name is Sheryl Pochin and I am trying to find my family history and have been for some time now but I just do not know where to start.

The family names are Pochin in Leicestershire ( I was born and raised in Braunstone, Leicester)
and Dewhurst ( my mum's maiden name)

Any advice will be much appreciated! Thanks in advance

[judi2632]

Hi Sheryl

Welcome to rootschat.

With any family research start with yourself and work backwards to your parents and their parents etc.

If you get out your birth cert that will tell you both your parents names and your mothers maiden name.
If you know your grandparents names or your parents are living ask them all they know about their history and relatives etc .same with any older living relatives.

Take good notes when chatting to relatives and note down any names dates marriages etc .

ALWAYS note down who you got the information from and when . that way you can follow up any given information to cross ref and check your information.

There are a number of free to search sites Online
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/Search.pl
https://familysearch.org/search
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php ( a very good live chatroom ( very friendly) with lots of people able to offer help and advice.
Good luck and happy hunting.
Kind regards Judi

[groom]

Hi Sheryl, welcome to Rootschat and to a very addictive hobby.

As Judi said, you need to start with yourself and work backwards until you  get to people born before 1911, which is the date of the last available census. Once you have reached there it becomes slightly easier as there is more information online. The censuses are available to view on sites such as Ancestry and Find My Past. Both are subscription sites, but often have 14 day free trials. A free census site is this one:  http://www.freecen.org.uk/

If you need any help, post a question on here in the relevant county. Just remember not to mention the names of any one who is, or may still be, living. We are also not able to give information from the 1911 census, but can give advice on how to search it.

Good luck

Jan 

[Hackstaple]

You are fortunate that you have an unusual surname there - Pochin. I just took a quick look at Ancestry and found all sorts of data on various Leicestershire people called Pochin.

There are wills, apprenticeship indentures, baptismal records and so on - a wealth and they seem to extend back to 16th century.

Family Search for which Judi gave you the URL has dozens of records.

They appear in the free 1881 census.

Even Dewhurst is not all that common but I suspect that name does not stem from the same county.

However, take the great advice you got here and write down everything that you know for certain - your own parents, anything you know about grandparents. Start there.

[groom]

Something we haven't mentioned is to make sure that you check everything from as many sources as possible, don't just take other people's word from it. You will probable find quite a few trees on line with what may be your family - dont just copy them, check them for yourself.

[sheryl]

Hi Judi, I've just received your message and quite a bit of useful información regarding Sheryl Pochin.  However that is not my surname - sorry wrong lady.  Best wishes Sheryl

[judi2632]

Hi Sheryl

Perhaps we could help by asking what you know of your family todate.

Have you any relatives that have passed away that you could post information on ?

Perhaps grandparents that have passed away etc

names
marriage date approx
death dates approx and which county etc

Please don't post and details of living relatives

Kind regards Judi

[Thooperfly]

Hi Sheryl,

I lived in Braunstone from 1979 till 1997. If you need any help then feel free to give me a shout.

Cheers,

John.