United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Sometimes it is difficult to know exactly how to trace ancestral records when you don't know what all of the terms mean. Scotland, Wales, and England are Kingdoms, which just means they are realms that are ruled by a king. In 1707, Great Britain was formed when the Kingdoms of England and Wales merged with the Kingdom of Scotland and Scotland adopted many approaches to the English government record systems. But the real confusion comes understanding the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom. In 1800, the United Kingdom came into effect when Ireland joined with Scotland, Wales, and England. However in 1921, Ireland split into two factions Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with Northern Ireland staying with England, Wales, and Scotland. Today the proper title is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.