Branching Out: Discovering Family History Through Maps

Overview

Historic maps are among the most valuable resources for family, house and local history research. They reveal how places have changed over time, offering unique insights into property boundaries, settlements, land use, transport networks, industry and patterns of ownership and occupation. By placing people within their physical landscape, maps help bring the lives of individuals, families and communities into sharper focus.

This course introduces the history and purpose of historic maps and equips learners with the skills to locate, read, compare and interpret a wide range of cartographic sources. Focusing primarily on British research, the course explores accessible online catalogues and digitised collections, including Ordnance Survey, tithe and estate maps, demonstrating how these sources can enrich genealogical and local history research.

Through practical exercises, learners will develop essential skills in map interpretation, spatial analysis, online searching, comparing maps from different periods and placing evidence within its historical context. By the end of the course, learners will be able to use historic maps confidently to uncover new evidence, deepen their understanding of ancestral places and enrich their family history research.

Programme

This online course lets you study from home while connecting with a vibrant virtual community of fellow learners. The course is delivered through Blackboard, our online learning environment, and any live sessions will be hosted via Teams.

Unit 1. Introduction to maps and spatial thinking. The history and development of maps; maps as cultural and historical documents; how people understand and represent space; purpose, audience and selection; and an introduction to scale, orientation, symbols, boundaries and other common map conventions.

Unit 2. Ordnance Survey historic maps. The origins and development of the Ordnance Survey; editions, scales, symbols and changing survey practices; how to locate and download historic and modern mapping using services such as Digimap and the National Library of Scotland; and practical comparison of maps of a chosen place.

Unit 3. Tithe maps, schedules and place names. The historical context and purpose of the tithe survey; the relationship between maps and schedules; evidence for ownership, occupation, acreage, land use and field names; how to locate tithe records online and in archives; and the strengths and limitations of tithe evidence.

Unit 4. Estate, enclosure and property maps. Estate mapping in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; improvement, enclosure and the management of landed estates; estate map manuscripts and related records; how maps represented ownership, tenancy and landscape change; and how to locate relevant material in archive catalogues and digitised collections.

Unit 5. From maps to historical case study. Developing a focused research question; comparing maps from different periods; using census returns, directories, newspapers, photographs and other sources to explain change; assessing accuracy, omission and bias; and presenting a supported historical interpretation. 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:  

1. Explain how maps represent space and identify their main purposes, conventions and historical contexts.
2. Identify and locate relevant historic maps and associated records using online and archival catalogues.
3. Interpret map features, scales, symbols, place names and information contained in associated schedules.
4. Compare maps from different periods and evaluate their value and limitations as historical evidence.
5. Use maps with other sources to investigate people, property, land use and landscape change within a wider historical context.

Assessments

1. Written Assignment - Map Evaluation; 400 Words. (20%)
2. Portfolio - Research Project; 1600 Words. (80%)

Reading Suggestions

Reading suggestions will be offered throughout the course. 

Entry Requirements

This course is for everyone. No previous experience is needed and there are no formal entry requirements.

What Do I Need?

As this is an online course, you would need the following:

• Internet access
• Access to a laptop or computer with a web camera and microphone; the use of headphones might also be of benefit
• Use of the Chrome web-browser where possible.