If you are looking for a family tree gift for your favourite genealogist, or you are a family historian who wants to share some of the joy of their research with others, then there are some great options for every budget. Whether you are looking for a Christmas gift, a birthday present or you just want to say 'thank you', here are our favourite suggestions that will put a smile on any family historian's face.
Family tree gifts under £20
Certificate binder
Store your certificates safely in our exclusive Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine certificate binder. It comes with five acid-free plastic A4 wallets.
Best family tree books
- Buy now from Pen and Sword, from £9.74
- Buy now from Waterstones, from £12.99
Pop a genealogy book into someone’s Christmas stocking this year. Pen & Sword has a wide range of specialist family history guides in the 'Tracing Your Ancestors' series, covering all areas of family history. Waterstones also has a great selection of family history books and memoirs (click the link above to go straight to their collection).
Genealogy notebook
- Buy now from Rose and Bear Studio on Etsy, £14
Family history notes are important and these gorgeous personalised notebooks are just what every genealogist needs. You can choose from a wide range of colours as well as personalising the name. And because they are UK based, the turnaround is quicker than ordering from abroad. This is a perfect secret santa gift for a family history enthusiast.
Suffragette Xmas tree decoration
- Buy now from The National Archives Shop, £14.99
Who wouldn’t want this Suffragette hanging from their Christmas tree this year? The National Archives shop has lots of other stocking fillers for family historians, from pencils and notebooks to family history books and maps.
Genealogy mug
- Buy now from All Things Genealogy on Etsy, £19.99
Declare your love of genealogy as you sip your favourite brew. There are lots of mugs for family historians out there, but we rather like the ones on the All Things Genealogy shop on Etsy as they come with free delivery to UK addresses.
Family tree gifts under £50
A whole year of Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
- Buy now from Our Media, £39.99
Gifting a magazine subscription gives joy every month, not just at Christmas. Our gift option means you can buy a one-off subscription of 13 issues without it auto-renewing. The family historian in your life will be thrilled to get the UK's leading genealogy magazine under their tree as it will inspire them and keep them up-to-date with the latest family history news all year!
Historic map jigsaw puzzle
- Buy now from Butler and Hill, £35
Family historians love puzzles and maps so why not combine the two for the perfect family tree gift. These 400-piece puzzles from Butler and Hill can be centred on a town or village where your ancestors used to live. It's a great way to spend some time getting to know an area where your ancestors once lived.
MyHeritage DNA kit
- Buy now from MyHeritage, special offer from £33 plus shipping
MyHeritage have been discounting their DNA kit heavily this season so if you are thinking about testing and have a tight budget, then this is an excellent option. See our review of the best DNA tests.
Family tree gifts under £75
Ancestry DNA test kit
- Buy now from Ancestry, special offer only £59
Normally priced at £79, this current offer runs all the way up to Christmas. Ancestry’s DNA test kit is a great choice for family historians. You can see our review of the different DNA tests to find out which one is right for you.
3 months Findmypast Everything subscription
- Buy now from Findmypast, £59.99
Buy a friend or relative a 3-month subscription to Findmypast with complete access to all its records, including parish records, military records, access to the British Newspaper Archive and exclusive access to the 1921 census.
Family Historian 7
- Buy now from Calico Pie, £59.95
Keep your family history in order with this excellent software package, developed by a British company. Read our review of family history software for a range of options.
Best luxury family tree gifts
Family tree research with a one-hour presentation
- Buy now from YourTour.live, £195
Offer a loved-one a mini Who Do You Think You Are? experience with this genealogy product from a new UK start-up, YourTour. Professional genealogists research your family history, guided by what you would like to explore, and then present their findings in a one-hour online conversation. After the live session, you are sent a detailed report of the findings including all the historical documents that were uncovered during the research. It's the perfect gift for someone who would like to know something about their family history, but haven't got the time or feel uncertain about carrying out the research.
Traditional calligraphy family tree
- Buy now from Moon and Tide on Etsy, from £300
- Buy now from Oakleaf Calligraphy, from £210
One of the best family tree gifts you can give is a family tree! If you’ve got the budget, why not go high end and get a professional handwritten tree. We love this example above available from Moon and Tide on Etsy (from £300 for 30 names, up to £1,000 for 100). Another great option is Oakleaf Calligraphy. Janet Smith drew the tree for Danny Dyer’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? and she really understands what family historians want. At the more affordable end, she can create a beautiful print of your tree, making it look much better than the standard templates offered by software packages. Alternatively, push the boat out and get your family tree beautifully presented with one of her exclusive hand-written family trees (prices from £620 for 60 names).
Hire a personal biographer
- Buy now from Story Terrace, from £333
- Buy now from Book Of My Life, from £2,350
- Buy now from Lifebook, from £9,000
Not everyone has the time, or, let’s be honest, the skill, to write their autobiography, but recording a life can be one of the best legacies we can leave for the next generation. Personal biography companies employ professional writers to interview the recipient over several meetings and collaborate with them to produce a book that will be cherished for generations. As well as getting a digital copy, most packages come with at least one beautifully-bound hard copy. Story Terrace prices start at £1,950 (for a junior writer), Book Of My Life starts at £2,150 or you can go for the Rolls Royce of biography writing with Lifebook whose prices start at £9,000 and go up to an eye-watering £24,000.
