This International Women’s Day, Ancestry, the global leader in family history, is inspiring women to connect with their female relatives and ask questions that have never been asked before. This comes as new research from Ancestry shows a striking seven in ten UK adults (69%) regret not asking a female relative about her life before it was too late, leaving generations of personal stories at risk of being lost forever.
For much of the 20th century, women’s stories and interests were often omitted from official records or confined to the ‘Women’s Pages’ of newspapers. This means many of the personal and professional achievements of women were never fully documented in history, a reality that more than half (58%) of UK adults are aware of. Highlighting the importance of pairing meaningful family conversations with the rich detail found in historical records, Ancestry is on a mission to preserve the contributions, achievements, and milestones of the women who shaped our families and lives today.
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A fixture in British newspapers, the Women’s Page was more than a column; it was a reflection of the social norms and moral strictures that shaped a woman’s life The Way of the Woman (The Sunday Sun, 1922)
New research from Ancestry shows a profound curiosity about the lives of family matriarchs, as two in five (39%) express a wish to learn about the childhood of their female relatives, while almost one in three (28%) have a desire to learn about their dreams and aspirations, and one in four (26%) show curiosity about their personal achievements.
The desire to understand the matriarchs of our families as individuals is a powerful motivator, with 65% of UK adults stating they would feel very proud or inspired if they discovered a female ancestor was a pioneer in her profession. However, a quarter of UK adults (25%) have never asked their matriarch about their past, and shockingly over half (51%) have never taken steps to preserve the stories of the women in their family, leaving these rich histories uncovered.
A key reason these conversations often don’t happen is that just under one in three (30%) UK adults assumed they ‘had more time’ to ask about their family history. Other barriers include not knowing what to ask or the conversations feeling too emotional. This has led to a widespread sense of regret, with almost seven in ten UK (69%) adults regretting not asking a female relative about her life before it was too late.
These groundbreaking ancestors are not always found in headlines but in the rich detail of Ancestry’s historical records. One such trailblazer is Gertrude Lilian Entwistle. Her story is found within Ancestry’s UK Electrical Engineer Lists, 1871-1930 where records reveal she became the first female student member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1916, going on to become the first British woman to complete a full career as a professional engineer.
A similar journey from anonymity to acclaim is powerfully captured in Ancestry’s Census records of Hilda Hewlett, the first British woman to earn a pilot’s license. After appearing without an occupation in early documents, the 1911 Census shows her as the head of household, proudly recording her own aviation occupation. By the 1921 Census of England and Wales, her authority is solidified as she lists her male business partner simply as her ‘Boarder.’ The discovery of details such as these turns a name in a family tree into the legacy of a trailblazer.
Laura House, Family History Expert at Ancestry, said: “International Women’s Day is a time to not only celebrate the achievements of women today but to reflect on the progress made by the women who came before us.
Many of the incredible stories of women from history are hard to find because historical documents sometimes exclude women’s occupations, and newspapers often recorded women under their husbands’ names; but our research shows that people have a deep desire to learn about their women ancestors. For those who do not know where to start, we encourage them to ask their relatives questions and have those important and poignant conversations that will lead to the discovery of fascinating historical records and newspaper articles. Family stories and records weave a rich narrative of the lives, achievements, and world of our women ancestors, so they become more than just a name in the family tree.”
On Ancestry the details of our female ancestors are waiting to be discovered within billions of historical records. Go beyond census and marriage records to uncover trailblazing career documentation in collections such as Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates or the UK, Electrical Engineer Lists. Find evidence of her wartime service in the UK, World War II Women’s Land Army Index Cards, or trace a life-changing journey in UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists.
Ask the questions. Discover the records. Preserve legacies. Receive free access to Census Records, Marriage Certificates and Newspapers.com on Ancestry until 18th March 2026 and capture your female relatives’ stories before it’s too late.