Mapping Software

[arthurk]

Does anyone have any experience and opinions of genealogy mapping software for Windows, particularly covering the UK?

I've read about a number of programs, including GenMap UK (Archer Software), Map my Family Tree (Progeny) and Family Atlas (RootsMagic), but it's quite hard to tell how good they are. Things I'd be looking for would include:
(1) being able to annotate maps and add lines and arrows etc
(2) output in a format that can be put on a website
(3) if 1 and 2 aren't possible, output in a standard graphics format for further editing in another application
(4) display/output options such as including a relief background (contour shading) and rivers etc
(5) including significant nearby places which aren't explicitly mentioned in the part of the story that's being illustrated

The above programs, as far as I can tell, all read GEDCOM or FH program-specific files, but has anyone used other more general mapping software? I've seen a few of these at a variety of prices - publishers include companies such as GSP, Anquet and Memory Map. These programs would need places of interest to be added manually, but the output looks quite good to me. (I'm thinking here of mapping-only programs, not route planners, though if anyone has used route planners successfully for this I'd be interested to hear.)

I've also read about Parloc (parish locator program) - does this have any mapping included, or is it simply a database?

Thanks for any help or ideas.

Arthur

[Mutley]

Parloc Parish Locator is very good for finding a parish and the distances to other parishes but I don't think it maps.
It's free to download and is a useful tool.
www.parloc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Mutley

[Peter Goodey]

There's plenty of gen (as it were ) about GenMap here:

https://www.archersoftware.co.uk/genmap01.htm

If it's as good as Archer's Surname Atlas, it should be pretty good.

[arthurk]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'd already seen the web pages for these products (and all the others I mentioned), and was hoping someone who has experience of the programs would be able to offer some thoughts.

I've liked the look of GenMap UK ever since I first saw it, and while I'm not in any way suggesting that the author is profiteering, it does cost more than I usually spend on such items - though admittedly a lot less than some of the specialist mapping software I've seen. Since cost is an issue, I'd been wondering whether some of the cheaper products (around GBP10) might do a reasonable job instead.

Arthur

[piecesofuk]

It's not specifically for Genealogy but you might find Google Maps Engine (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/) useful for mapping families. I've used it to visualise how some of my ancestors clustered around a particular area over time.

[arthurk]

Software has probably moved on a bit since I started this query - I move a bit more slowly! I did in fact find a copy of GenMapUK for less than the usual price on eBay, but I never got round to doing anything with it. One day, I keep telling myself... Meanwhile, FH programs probably include mapping options more than they did 7 years ago.

I've heard of people using Google maps for family history and have kept an article about this from Family Tree Magazine (the UK one), February 2009. It might be possible to get a copy from the publisher, though I expect there will be a few online guides to doing this as well.

For myself, I generally prefer things that I work on and store locally, rather than relying on a cloud or online operator. I'd still be interested if anyone had any thoughts about the more general mapping programs such as I mentioned before.

Arthur

[Guy Etchells]

I haven't tried any of the mapping software but back in 2000 I added an interactive map to my website
https://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb..../maps/fram.htm
Created with Adobe Photoshop.
In essence the map is sliced into sections and each section forms an htm link to a web page.
Click on the Framland map to start.
Then for example if you click on the word Bottesford on the big map that appears a page containing information about Bottesford appears. If you click on the black squres (houses of the village of Bottesford) you are taken to the parish register pages.

The drawback of this method is the time taken to add the links and the extra pages
Cheers
Guy