Some books relevant to medieval English genealogy
Genealogical compilations and bibliographies
-
The Complete Peerage, (2nd edition, 13 volumes, 1910-1959; reduced edition in 6 vols, 2000)
One of the indispensable works of reference for medieval genealogy, which gives
full accounts, including genealogical details, of all the holders of dukedoms, earldoms and baronies
since the Norman Conquest. Though the work is certainly not infallible, references are (nearly)
always given for its statements, so that the evidence can be followed up and evaluated.
Obviously the scope of such a monumental work has to be limited - The Complete Peerage
covers daughters and younger sons of peers only sporadically, and (at present) lacks a surname index.
A 14th volume of additions and corrections was recently published, which reflects many (but not all)
of the new discoveries made since the volumes were published.
- C.R.J. Currie and C.P. Lewis, eds,
A guide to English county histories (Stroud, 1994)
A comprehensive and quite readable survey of published county histories,
which makes it easy to see not only what histories are available but
also how reliable they are likely to be
- Donald Lines Jacobus,
Index to genealogical periodicals [1858-1952]
(3 vols, 1932-1953; revised edn by Carl Boyer, 1983; reprinted 1997)
- M.J. Kaminkow,
Genealogies in the Library of Congress: a bibliography
(Baltimore, 1972; supplements 1977, 1987; complement 1981)
Anglo-Norman aristocracy and the Domesday Book
- A.J. Camp,
My ancestors came with the Conqueror (London, 1990)
This booklet examines evidence about the few
men known to have fought on the Norman side at Hastings, and gives an index to several versions
of the spurious 'Battle Abbey Roll', including references to Domesday Book
(This volume is included in the RootsWeb list of
Books We Own,
which can be searched by volunteers.)
- M. Chibnall, ed.,
The ecclesiastical history of Orderic Vitalis (6 vols; Oxford, 1969-1980)
Parallel Latin text and English translation of a work by an English-born monk of St Evroult in Normandy, which
contains much genealogical information about the Norman
aristocracy in the otherwise barren period immediately after the conquest
- K.S.B. Keats-Rohan and D.E. Thornton,
Domesday Names: An Index of Personal and Place Names in Domesday Book
(Woodbridge, 1997)
- K.S.B. Keats-Rohan,
Domesday People: A Prosopography of Persons Occurring in English Documents 1066-1166
I. Domesday Book
II. Pipe Rolls to Cartae Baronum
(Woodbridge, 1999, 2001)
These volumes embody many of the data compiled in the Continental Origins of English Landholders,
1066-1166 (COEL) project. The first volume contains
entries (arranged alphabetically by forename), giving a discussion of continental origins, references to sources
and often an outline of the descent of the land holding to 1166.
The second volume is due to appear in 2001
- K.S.B. Keats-Rohan, ed.,
Family Trees and the Roots of Politics, (Woodbridge, 1997)
Collected papers
- D. Roffe,
Domesday: the Inquest and the Book (Oxford, 2000)
A reassessment of the survey's purpose, and of the composition of the Domesday Book.
Some of the arguments are summarised in a lecture
by the author, whose text is available online
Inquisitions post mortem
- Calendar
of inquisitions post mortem and other analogous documents preserved in the
Public Record Office, vol. 21 (1418-1422) (2002)
Legal records
- Sir F. Pollock and F.W. Maitland
The history of English law before the time of Edward I
(2 vols; 2nd edn, Cambridge, 1923; reprinted 1996)
- Curia Regis Rolls ...
Vol. 18 (1243-1245) (1999)
Vol. 19 (1249, 1250) (2002)
Chancery inquisitions miscellaneous
-
Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous (Chancery) preserved in the Public Record Office, vol. 8 (1422-1485)
(2003)
Chancery and other equity suits
- H. Horwitz,
Chancery Equity Records and Proceedings 1600-1800 (P.R.O. Handbook no 27; London, 1995)
This guide describes the post-medieval records, but has useful background information
Manorial records
- H.S. Bennett,
Life on the English Manor: A Study of Peasant Conditions, 1150-1400
(Cambridge, 1937; reprinted 1987)
Wills
- J.S.W. Gibson,
Probate jurisdictions: where to look for wills
(4th edn, 1997)
An updated and simplified version
Heraldry
- A.C. Fox-Davies,
A complete guide to heraldry
(London, 1909; most recent (revised) edition, London, 1993)
- Sir J.B. Burke,
The General Armory of England,
Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (first published London, 1844; enlarged edn 1884; reprinted 2000)
This is the standard armorial work. Its great advantage is its sheer volume;
its main disadvantage is the lack of source references for most of the
entries, which makes it difficult to verify the information or research it further.
An electronic version, consisting of scanned images with an index to surnames,
is available on the Family Tree Maker CD#367
Notable British Families. This is handy for
reference, although personally I found the resolution of the images rather too coarse for
comfortable reading
- J. Corder,
A dictionary of Suffolk crests: heraldic crests of Suffolk families
(Suffolk Records Society 40; Woodbridge, 1998)
Family letters and papers
- J. Kirby, ed.,
The Plumpton letters and papers
(Camden Society, 5th series 8; Cambridge, 1996)
- M.St.C. Byrne, ed.,
The Lisle Letters (6 vols; Chicago, 1981)
A selection of the - mostly private - correspondence of Arthur Plantagenet, Lord Lisle, deputy of Calais,
in the 1530s, from P.R.O. class SP3
- C. Carpenter, ed.,
The Armburgh papers: the Brokholes inheritance in Warwickshire,
Hertfordshire and Essex, c.1417-c.1453 ...
(Woodbridge, 1998)
- Sir H. Ellis, ed.,
Original letters illustrative of English history,
including numerous royal letters, from autographs in the British Museum ...
and one or two other collections
[First series:] 3 vols (London, 1825; reprinted New York, [1970])
2nd series: 4 vols (London, 1827; reprinted New York, [1970])
3rd series: 4 vols (London, 1846; reprinted New York, [1970])
Handwriting and language
- J.F. Preston and L. Yeandle,
English handwriting 1400-1650: an introductory manual
(Asheville [North Carolina], 1999)
- Dictionary of medieval Latin from British sources
(multiple volumes; London, 1975 onwards; in progress)
5 fascicules published so far, covering A-L:
A-B,
C,
D-E,
F-H [not currently available],
I-L
- R.E. Latham,
Revised medieval Latin word-list from British and Irish sources
(first published London, 1965; most recent edition 1989)
- J.F. Niermeyer,
Mediae latinitatis lexicon minus ... a medieval Latin French/English dictionary
(2 vols; Leiden, 1976)
Chronology and dating
- C.R. Cheney, ed.,
Handbook of dates for students of English history
(Cambridge, 1995)
- E.B. Fryde, ed.,
Handbook of British Chronology
(London, 1996)
Comprehensive listings of monarchs, officials, bishops and nobles, particularly useful
for undated documents
Victoria County History
Cheshire
- A History of the County of Chester, volume 1
[contents]
Essex
- A History of the County of Essex, volume 9
[contents]
- A History of the County of Essex Bibliography Supplement
[contents]
Gloucestershire
- A History of the County of Gloucester, volume 7
[contents]
Middlesex
- The Victoria History of the County of Middlesex, volume 11
[contents]
Oxfordshire
- A History of the County of Oxford, volume 13
[contents]
Somerset
- A History of the County of Somerset, volume 6
[contents]
Staffordshire
- A History of the County of Stafford, volume 7
[contents]
- A History of the County of Stafford, volume 14
[contents]
- A History of the County of Stafford, volume 20
[contents]
Sussex
- A History of the County of Sussex, volume 6, part 2
[contents]
- A History of the County of Sussex, volume 6, part 3
[contents]
- A History of the County of Sussex, index to volumes 1-4, 7 and 9
[contents]
Wiltshire
Yorkshire, East Riding
- A History of the County of York East Riding, volume 5
[contents]