FAQs
We understand that you might have some questions you'd like to ask us. We've therefore compiled the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our research and photography services for you. You can of course contact us if you have any other questions at all. We would be delighted to hear from you!
Research services
How confident can I be in the results of the research? You can be confident that the results we present to you will be based on the most accurate of information available to us through authentic, original historical records. In addition, we always aim to verify the information we gather from a number of unique and trusted sources.
How will the research results be presented? Your research results will be presented in both hard copy and PDF format. This gives you the flexibility to copy, print, store and share your research results with your family and friends as you wish. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to open our PDF files. If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer, you can download it free here.
What is a GEDCOM file? GEDCOM, an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunication, is a specification for exchanging genealogical data between different genealogy software. The current version of the specification is GEDCOM 5.5. A GEDCOM file is essentially a plain text file containing genealogical information about individuals in a family tree, and metadata linking these records together. Most genealogy software supports importing from and/or exporting to GEDCOM format. This means that our customers can use the GEDCOM file we provide to upload details of their family tree to a huge range of genealogy software packages, many of which are free to access online.
How far back will you be able to trace my family, within the time allocated? Every family is unique, and although we are normally able to trace a family tree back to at least the 1700s, it has to be appreciated that tracing some, more elusive ancestors, takes longer that others who are much easier to track down. This means that we cannot guarantee to trace every family as far back in time as is possible, but that is ultimately what we always aim to do within the time available to us. What we can promise, however, is that we will use our research time as efficiently as we can to provide as full a picture of your ancestral family as is possible within the allocated research time. If, at any time during the research, we find that there is no further prospect of success in obtaining new details, we will provide you with the option to accept a refund on the available balance or allow us to begin research on another family line.
Can I purchase a research package as a gift for someone else? Yes you can. A detailed family history record makes an ideal gift for Christmas, a special birthday, a christening or an anniversary. We make every effort to meet a given deadline when this is feasible. When this is not possible, we provide a personalised gift card to let the special person know that the gift is on its way.
How do I order a search? To commission a search simply contact us with your particular requirements and we will get back to you with an application form and details of the information we require in order to get started with the work.
What information will you need from me in order to get started? We will need to know what research package you would like to commission, how you would like to pay for your order and information about your family. The more key details you can provide us with, such as the dates of births, deaths and marriages for the family members you know of, the better our chances are of finding your other Scottish ancestors quickly and efficiently. If you commission us to trace your Scottish roots we will provide you with a simple and easy to fill out form to record all the key details of your family members that you already know of. This is so that we don’t spend the time you’ve paid for researching family members that are already known to you!
What payment options are available to me? Payment can be made by cheque, by bank transfer or by credit/debit card via PayPal. Thistle Ancestry is a fully verified PayPal business account holder. Further details about the available payment options will be provided when you commission a search.
Will it be possible to continue investigations after receiving your results? Of course! We provide you with suggestions for further research so that you can proceed with your own investigations if you wish to do so. We also keep your records on file within our offices so that we can re-open your case and trace your Scottish roots further back in time, or in more detail along another family line, if you wish to re-commission us to do so for you.
What happens if you are unable to find any results? How successful we are in tracing your Scottish roots is determined by a number of factors. These include the survival of records, how common your surname was, your family's mobility, their social status and level of literacy and the possibility of transcription errors. Rarely though, have we found it impossible to trace a family’s history and find fascinating results. However, if it becomes clear at the start of the project that very little or no results will be returned, we will end the search and only charge you for the work completed to that point.
How will the research results be presented? Your research results will be presented in both hard copy and PDF format. This gives you the flexibility to copy, print, store and share your research results with your family and friends as you wish. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to open our PDF files. If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer, you can download it free here.
What is a GEDCOM file? GEDCOM, an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunication, is a specification for exchanging genealogical data between different genealogy software. The current version of the specification is GEDCOM 5.5. A GEDCOM file is essentially a plain text file containing genealogical information about individuals in a family tree, and metadata linking these records together. Most genealogy software supports importing from and/or exporting to GEDCOM format. This means that our customers can use the GEDCOM file we provide to upload details of their family tree to a huge range of genealogy software packages, many of which are free to access online.
How far back will you be able to trace my family, within the time allocated? Every family is unique, and although we are normally able to trace a family tree back to at least the 1700s, it has to be appreciated that tracing some, more elusive ancestors, takes longer that others who are much easier to track down. This means that we cannot guarantee to trace every family as far back in time as is possible, but that is ultimately what we always aim to do within the time available to us. What we can promise, however, is that we will use our research time as efficiently as we can to provide as full a picture of your ancestral family as is possible within the allocated research time. If, at any time during the research, we find that there is no further prospect of success in obtaining new details, we will provide you with the option to accept a refund on the available balance or allow us to begin research on another family line.
Can I purchase a research package as a gift for someone else? Yes you can. A detailed family history record makes an ideal gift for Christmas, a special birthday, a christening or an anniversary. We make every effort to meet a given deadline when this is feasible. When this is not possible, we provide a personalised gift card to let the special person know that the gift is on its way.
How do I order a search? To commission a search simply contact us with your particular requirements and we will get back to you with an application form and details of the information we require in order to get started with the work.
What information will you need from me in order to get started? We will need to know what research package you would like to commission, how you would like to pay for your order and information about your family. The more key details you can provide us with, such as the dates of births, deaths and marriages for the family members you know of, the better our chances are of finding your other Scottish ancestors quickly and efficiently. If you commission us to trace your Scottish roots we will provide you with a simple and easy to fill out form to record all the key details of your family members that you already know of. This is so that we don’t spend the time you’ve paid for researching family members that are already known to you!
What payment options are available to me? Payment can be made by cheque, by bank transfer or by credit/debit card via PayPal. Thistle Ancestry is a fully verified PayPal business account holder. Further details about the available payment options will be provided when you commission a search.
Will it be possible to continue investigations after receiving your results? Of course! We provide you with suggestions for further research so that you can proceed with your own investigations if you wish to do so. We also keep your records on file within our offices so that we can re-open your case and trace your Scottish roots further back in time, or in more detail along another family line, if you wish to re-commission us to do so for you.
What happens if you are unable to find any results? How successful we are in tracing your Scottish roots is determined by a number of factors. These include the survival of records, how common your surname was, your family's mobility, their social status and level of literacy and the possibility of transcription errors. Rarely though, have we found it impossible to trace a family’s history and find fascinating results. However, if it becomes clear at the start of the project that very little or no results will be returned, we will end the search and only charge you for the work completed to that point.
Photography services
Do I need to order a research package to commission your additional photography services? No you don't. Our personalised photography services are available to everyone, including people who have traced their family tree themselves or even commissioned others to undertake the research on their behalf. We do find, however, that customers who order a research package from us get a lot of value from commissioning us to visit the places we have been able to identify as significant to their family history.
How do I commission photography services? To commission a visit simply contact us with your particular requirements and we will get back to you with a non-obligation quote for the work. If you are happy with our fee, we will make arrangements to undertake the site visit as soon as we can. Normally results are returned within two week - weather permitting!
What payment options are available to me? Payment can be made by cheque, by bank transfer or by credit/debit card via PayPal. Thistle Ancestry is a fully verified PayPal business account holder. Further details about the available payment options will be provided when you commission a visit.