Family history research has overtaken eBay in terms of time spent searching the internet. A study by audience measurement firm comScore Europe found that the average time spent per usage day on a leading ancestry research site was 34 minutes per UK user.

This level of activity among users searching through family history records shakes the academic image of family history and puts it on the map, according to Ancestry.co.uk who commissioned the study.

In comparison, an average user in the UK spends 29 minutes per usage day on eBay, the online shopping portal, 10 minutes on Napster, the music downloading site and 6 minutes on Expedia Travel.

The research shows that internet users spent nearly 20% more time on the family history site than on eBay, during the average usage day.

As internet usage increases year on year, the shopping, travel and media sites continue to be the most popular destinations. However, the new research suggests that most of these traditionally popular sites lack the capability to keep users engaged for long periods of time. This is not the case with family history search.

Josh Hanna, managing director of Ancestry.co.uk commented: "The arrival of historical documents online has helped family history research flourish as a hobby."

"A site like ours not only attracts users to discover their family history but keeps them engaged for much longer than other hobby sites."

"You can begin examining one document on your maternal or paternal ancestors and move onto their siblings and their children, the list is continual. It's easy to keep searching and discovering new things about your ancestors and their past."

Hanna continued; "I've spent years researching my own family history and finding out about my roots. You're drawn in by the things you can find through these treasured archives. Lost or new relatives, associations to royalty or the famous, first hand information on how your ancestors lived ... a bit more engaging than buying a mobile phone!"

There are currently five complete Censuses available on Ancestry.co.uk dating from 1861 to 1901. Every single record has been carefully indexed so you can search by first name, surname, birthplace, county and date, all helping you paint the picture of how your family lived.

Once you've tracked them down you can find out where they were living, who with, and what they did for work by examining the original document yourself.