Joanna Cicely Fennell M.A.G.I. is a multi-lingual accredited Irish genealogist with a passion for travel and photography. Her personal research interests include British India, South Africa and the Caribbean. Joanna has been a full-time professional genealogist since 2012, having discovered a talent for genealogy three years earlier when, inspired by family lore, she began to document her own family history. By exploring her family’s dramatic past, which crossed continents, social divides and religions, Joanna uncovered connections to Florence Nightingale, Clive of India and King Charles III, to name just a few of the famous individuals on her family tree.

Joanna has since conducted research for hundreds of clients with ancestors from all parts of the globe, in a variety of languages. As well as client and probate research, she has extensive experience researching for television shows such as Who Do You Think You Are? and My Family Secrets Revealed. After several years as a freelance genealogist, Joanna spent four years working for AncestryProGenealogists in Dublin, where she expanded her research skills to include DNA analysis, which she has used to great effect in solving adoption and unknown parentage cases in Ireland and abroad over the years.
- Italian (B.A.)
- French (International Baccalaureate Higher Level/1st year B.A.)
- German (International Baccalaureate Higher Level)
Joanna can also read 18th and 19th century genealogical and historical texts in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as understand elementary Afrikaans, Danish and Dutch records
- Bachelor of Arts, English and Italian (University College Dublin, 2004)
- Master of Arts, Film Studies (University College Dublin, 2007)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical Studies (University of Strathclyde, 2011)
- Member of Accredited Genealogists Ireland (2015)
Fennell Genealogy (2012-present)
- Client and probate research
- Privately-commissioned book ‘The Pitman Family’ (154 pp), available in selected libraries worldwide
- On-site research in Ireland, England, Scotland, Italy and throughout the Caribbean
- Travel itineraries and/or heritage tours in Ireland, Italy and Nevis
- DNA analysis (adoption & unknown parentage)
- Research for television documentaries
- Research for authors, students and organisations
- Speaking engagements at Back to Our Past (Dublin) and Irish Genealogical Research Society
AncestryProGenealogists (2015-2019)
- Client and corporate research
- DNA analysis (unknown parentage)
- Research for US television show Who Do You Think You Are?
- Research for UK television show My Family Secrets Revealed
- Inaugural Ancestral Home Visit in Co. Clare
- Montserrat DNA Project
- Inaugural Ancestry/GoAhead tour of Southern Italy
- Speaking engagements at Back to Our Past (Dublin) and Who Do You Think You Are? Live (London)
Joanna has written articles for Ancestry, Accredited Genealogists Ireland, Families in British India Society and Irish Genealogical Research Society. Her published work includes:
- The Pitman Family (154 pp.)
- Who Do You Think You Are? Exploring the Grenadian and Jamaican roots of Naomie Harris
- The Rocklands Tomb, Montserrat
- Ireland and the West Indies: A Brief History of the Irwin Family
- The Irish in India
- The Irish in the East India Company
- Introduction to India Office Records
- The Assassination of Thomas Parr, Resident of Bencoolen
- Tracing the Irish Abroad: Miscellaneous Foreign Records
- Tracing the Irish Abroad: Consular Records
- Researching Quakers: Disownment
- The Friends’ Historical Library, Dublin
- The Morris Family of Borris-in-Ossory
- A Short History of 40 Denzille Street
- 100 Years On: Admiral John Rushworth Jellicoe and the Battle of Jutland
Adoption, British India, Caribbean, DNA, Genetic Genealogy, Gentry, Irish Abroad, Irish Citizenship, Italian Citizenship, Quakers, Merchants, Military, Nobility, Probate Genealogy, Unknown Parentage