Gill Johnson, BA, MAGI

Email: research@ancestraltrails.ie
Website: www.ancestraltrails.ie

Areas of research: All of Ireland

Research speciality: Tracing living descendants, reconnecting long lost families, Irish Citizenship Application Assistance.

Gill grew up just outside of Dublin and graduated from Maynooth National University with an honours B.A. degree in Local Studies, specialising in primary documents. Throughout her studies she covered many aspects of local studies and has a keen interest in social history. In particular, Gill’s university thesis focused on the slums of Dublin and the social history of this period. She has also completed the genealogy course delivered by Sean Murphy in the National Library of Ireland.

Gill has been fascinated with family history from an early age which was evident in the many interviews she conducted with older family members, recording family lore for future generations. Her paternal line were Protestant farmers from Co. Wicklow and can be traced back to the late 18th century. In stark contrast to her father’s line, her maternal family hailed from Dublin city and were Roman Catholic.

Gill is an experienced genealogist with nearly a decade of expertise in genealogical research. She has developed her approach by extensively investigating and documenting her own family history, honing her skills to deliver thorough and insightful research.

Previously working with Timeline, a genealogical research company based in Dublin, Gill contributed to major projects, including research for the BBC and RTE series Who Do You Think You Are? and the RTE series The Great House Revival. Now operating her own independent research service, Gill specialises in reconnecting clients with long-lost relatives or uncovering living descendants, often solving intricate puzzles to bridge gaps between generations.

Gill is part of the panel of AGI experts which provides the Genealogy Advisory Service at the National Archives of Ireland, and she has experience in the museum sector, tour guiding and working within education.

In 2018 Gill attained Affiliate Status with Accredited Genealogists of Ireland, progressing to formal Membership in 2023. Gill currently serves as council member.