Britain, Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1904

Search Britain, Dictionary Of National Biography, 1885-1904

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Search through more than 40 volumes of the Dictionary of National Biography from 1885 to 1904. The publication will reveal your ancestor’s biography including life achievements and the names of children and a spouse. You will find both British and Irish names throughout the volumes.

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What can these records tell me?

With each result you will be presented your ancestor’s entry into the Dictionary of National Biography. The amount of information about each person can vary, but most will include:

  • Name
  • Birth date
  • Birth place
  • Education
  • Occupation
  • Career achievements
  • Awards or honours
  • Spouse and children
  • Death date
  • Death place

Discover more about these records

The work contains the names of notable figures in British history. There are a number of volumes in this collection including the very first edition, which was published in 1885. The volumes are organised by surnames.

The Dictionary of National Biography only included the names of deceased individuals then supplementary volumes were published between 1885 and 1900 to add the names of people who died during that time period. In 1904, a volume or errata or corrections was published.

Among the names you will find William Shakespeare, Horatio Nelson, Charles Darwin, and Christopher Wren. You will also find the names of lesser known figures such as Samuel Hailstone of Hoxton, who became the leading authority on the flora of Yorkshire in the 18th century or Ignatius Brown a 17th century Irish writer from Waterford.

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