Women have played a crucial role throughout history, yet many of their contributions have gone unnoticed for decades. Countless influential women have helped to shape the world, only to be overlooked in historical narratives.

This might seem like nothing new, but a new study has revealed the scale of the issue. Research by Ancestry found that one in three people in the UK believe women haven’t received the recognition they deserve in history. With the findings being released to coincide with International Women’s Day, the study also found that while 46% of us feel confident in their knowledge of 20th century British history, a striking eight in 10 people couldn’t identify the year women received the same voting rights as men.

The research reveals that many respondents failed to recognise key female figures in history, with 96% unaware of Hilda Hewlett, the first British woman pilot, or Eleanor Rathbone, a pioneering social reformer who led to the introduction of child benefits in 1977.

Not only were these influential women overlooked, but historical milestones for women’s rights also remain largely unknown. More than four-fifths of respondents couldn’t identify the year women gained equal voting rights to men. Additionally, 85% were unaware that the Equal Pay Act granting women the legal right to equal pay was introduced in 1970, while 28% mistakenly believed women were able to access contraception through the NHS regardless of marital status as early as 1960, when in fact it was over a decade later in 1974.

Commenting on the findings, Laura House, family history expert at Ancestry, said: “International Women’s Day is a time to honour the incredible contributions of women throughout history. These women, often unrecognised in history books and documentation, played a crucial role in shaping the world we live in today.”

Images: Getty