Burke’s has long been a name associated with heraldy. Before the internet came on the scene, the only way to find its resources was to visit a large library that had copies of its many volumes. But now, researchers can literally tap into this valuable data with a few strokes of the keyboard. The Burke’s Peerage Online database includes detailed genealogical information on over 15,000 families (some going back over 1,000 years) whose members shaped the history and evolution of Britain and Ireland and North America. Over one million family members are included.

Specialists in Irish and British online genealogy, The Origins Network have totally re-designed the Burke’s Peerage Online service, making it much easier to search the rich genealogical database and to access an extraordinary range of detailed articles and essays on many aspects of the culture and traditions of the British Isles.

The two standard subscription rates are 24 hour access for £15.95 or annual access for £64.95. [Anyone taking out a joint subscription to The Origins Network and Burke’s Peerage Online will benefit from a 20% discount for the first month. ]

In addition to detailed lineages of peers, knights and landed gentry, over 5,000 entries relate to current personalities - actors, politicians, artists, industrialists, architects, and musicians. There are detailed lineages of the kings and queens who ruled England and Scotland from the 9th century up to now, and of 42 US presidents and 33 UK prime ministers.

Often referred to as the “aristocracy bible” Burke’s Peerage & Baronetage and Burke’s Landed Gentry have, for over 175 years, recorded the genealogies and become the definitive guide to the major British, Irish and American families. Each of the family records has been meticulously researched by a team of professional genealogists to ensure the information is accurate and reliable. Burke’s Peerage Online now offers a lower cost and more flexible access route to the rich genealogical data contained in the print publications.

The new site allows you to search on a family name or simply on the name of a person who may be mentioned in the records. You can restrict the search to people who were born, married or died within a specified period, to places associated with a person, to particular geographic regions, or to particular categories of record (eg Peerage, Contempory, American Families). The addition of NameX® (a proprietary name-matching tool) allows you to search for names even if you are unsure about the spelling.

Each online record has been structured so that experienced and first time users can quickly search and find information. The generations of each family are color coded and indented to make the record much easier to read than in the print editions.