Date: Thursday 19 February 2026
Speaker: Dai Davies
Members and visitors of the Airedale & Wharfedale Family History Society enjoyed a fascinating and thought-provoking talk by professional genealogist and writer Dai Davies, who introduced an innovative research concept titled “Forget the Family Tree! Tend Your Family Ivy.”
Drawing on a background in anthropology and extensive research into rural Welsh ancestry, Dai encouraged family historians to rethink how they approach genealogical research. Rather than focusing solely on the traditional “family tree” — tracing direct ancestors backwards — the talk explored the value of expanding research sideways and outward through the networks created by marriage and kinship.
Moving Beyond the Traditional Family Tree
Dai began by describing the frustration many researchers encounter when they reach a brick wall. Instead of pushing only vertically through generations, she proposed thinking about research directionally:
Vertical research – parent-to-child ancestry.
Horizontal research – siblings and cousins.
Diagonal research – extended family links such as aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
These different directions reflect the complex social relationships our ancestors had, which often appear in records such as wills, obituaries, household arrangements and parish documents. By following these wider connections, researchers can uncover clues that are not visible when focusing solely on direct ancestors.
Introducing the “Family Ivy” Concept
The central theme of the talk was the idea of Family Ivy — a metaphor describing how the families of spouses intertwine with our own ancestry. While a family tree grows upward like an oak, Dai suggested imagining ivy climbing around it, representing the relatives gained through marriage and the repeated links between neighbouring families.
Her research showed that in many communities, especially in 18th- and 19th-century Britain, marriages were rarely random. Social, cultural and economic factors often encouraged people to marry within known networks. As a result, the same families frequently reappeared across generations, forming dense webs of kinship rather than isolated branches.
Kin Alliances and Marriage Patterns
Using examples from her Welsh ancestry, Dai explained how historians describe marriage as a form of kin alliance — a way of strengthening relationships between families. She highlighted several patterns that genealogists may encounter:
Cousin marriages.
Double sibling marriages (two siblings from one family marrying two from another).
Sibling exchanges between families.
Repeated marriages between distantly related kin.
Although some of these patterns may seem unusual today, they were often culturally normal in the past, particularly among farming communities, nonconformist religious groups and families managing land or business interests. Understanding these practices can help researchers recognise recurring surnames and unexpected DNA matches.
Breaking Brick Walls Through Wider Research
One of the most engaging parts of the talk was Dai’s personal case study showing how researching the extended family of a spouse led to a major breakthrough. By tracing cousins and in-laws rather than the ancestor directly, she uncovered wills and parish records that revealed a previously unknown maiden name and opened an entirely new branch of research.
This illustrated a key message of the evening: sometimes the quickest way to solve a problem in your own tree is to research outside it — then return with new evidence and context.
Understanding Culture Through Connected Families
Family Ivy research does more than solve puzzles; it can also deepen historical understanding. Dai demonstrated how studying the records of related families revealed details about local religious disputes, literacy, reading habits and community life that were not preserved in her own ancestors’ records. These contextual discoveries help build richer stories about how people lived, rather than simply when they were born or died.
Limitations and Practical Advice
Towards the end of the talk, Dai acknowledged that this approach is not universal. Cultural practices varied widely, and some ancestors may not show the same patterns of intermarriage. She encouraged researchers to be strategic and mindful of time — exploring “family ivy” selectively so that it enhances, rather than overwhelms, ongoing research.
Discussion and Member Engagement
The presentation sparked lively discussion among members, particularly those with Welsh ancestry who recognised the challenges of researching common surnames such as Davies, Evans and Jones. Questions covered topics such as geographical patterns of marriage, accessing Welsh wills, and the practicalities of mapping complex kinship networks. Members commented on the striking visual family diagrams used during the talk, which demonstrated how colour-coding can clarify complex relationships.
A New Perspective on Genealogy
Dai Davies’ talk offered a refreshing perspective on family history, reminding researchers that genealogy is not only about tracing lines backwards but also about understanding communities, relationships and culture. By tending the “family ivy” alongside the traditional family tree, genealogists may discover new routes around brick walls and gain a deeper appreciation of their ancestors’ lives.
A handout is available for this talk in the Digital Library https://awfhs.org.uk/members/library/view.php?file=doc_2026-01-29_Tending_the_Family_Ivy_Handout-_Dai_Davies_of_GenealCymru.pdf