Heather Nowlan

ProGen Member Overview

I started researching my own family tree when my Mother passed away and like many people became curious when it was too late to ask any living relatives questions.

This led to my passion for family history research and I started taking various recognised courses in order to help me research better, of which I still continue to do.

Including Family History Skills and Strategies Intermediate Certificate with Pharos Tutors & The Society of Genealogists, Higher Certificate in Genealogy with the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies. And numerous Courses specialising in specific aspects of Genealogy including Irish research.

Over 15 years later and I am still as passionate as when I first started, and have helped many people with their family trees and to find lost relatives including living relatives. My quest has involved finding secret families, half-siblings that didn't know the other existed, quite a few bigamists, a murderer who was executed and a line of insanity in a specific family branch.

I have carried out extensive Irish research and have connections in Ireland that enables me to have access to locally held documents. With the increase in the affordability of DNA testing, this has opened a completely new side to genealogy research that can not only present new matches but can also confirm suspected findings.

I have also been a researcher for several TV shows including Sammy Hagars family on 'Finding Your Roots'

Being based in Northamptonshire UK, I am very well positioned to be able to access most locations including some of the main Archives for example: The National Archives, Society of Genealogists, etc.