DNA Testing and Ancestry
In this modern age, science is lending a helping hand to genealogical research. Sites like 23andme, Family Tree DNA, and Ancestry.com offer a service to people who can pay for it—DNA testing. While the...
-
-
Verbal Family Histories
All the advice for people starting to research their family history says to go and ask family members what they know. I was lucky that my grandparents provided me with a lot of information...
-
Using FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch.org is a website owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or the Mormons as they are widely known. The Mormons have been undertaking large genealogy transcription projects for many years...
-
The Importance of Family
As a professional writer, I typically work from home. Writing is a very solitary profession, and I find that, unless I am interviewing someone for a book or article, or visiting a specific location...
-
The Allure of Libraries
With so much focus in genealogy on internet searches, it is important to remember that libraries can be very helpful in your search for ancestry. Some libraries are set up specifically for genealogy while...
Is That You, William? How Do You Know When You’re On The Right Track?
Brick walls – every researcher has a couple. They sometimes stand for years, those annoying barriers between you and that elusive ancestor you have been chasing for what seems like forever. Now and then,...
The Genealogy of Adoptees
I am the only biological child in my family, but my parents adopted five children once I was in college. Whenever I think about genealogy, I think about them. Of course, they are an...
Tips for Successful Record Searches
Several years ago, I was assisting my mother in tracing her family tree back many generations. As the project got going, it seemed to take on a life of its own. We found the...
How to Get the Most Out of Your Google Searches
Once you have decided to delve into the realm of genealogical exploration, deciding where to begin your research and understanding how to isolate important information are crucial to developing your family tree. A key...
My Experience with 23andMe.com
One of the more interesting things I’ve done in my life was to get my genetic testing done with the goal of finding out my genetic background. The results that showed me where my...
Tax records: a virtual goldmine of genealogical information
In my previous article, I highlighted some suggestions for navigating information about ancestors in the pre -1850 census period. One of the most fruitful sources of information for more distant ancestral research is tax...
Researching your immigrant ancestors: tools to improve your search
Last week, I decided to be a tourist in my own backyard: I visited Liberty and Ellis Islands, and toured the Ellis Island museum. The exhibits detailed the history of the immigrant experience both...
Looking among the living for clues to your past
When we think of genealogical research, most of us typically focus on finding past records, locating deceased relatives and making sense of historical documents. But family historians often overlook an important resource in their...
Real strategies for overcoming that brick wall
Both novice and experienced family historians have likely encountered a common obstacle while researching their histories: hitting a brick wall. You may discover that family records were destroyed, lost or simply unavailable; information...
Help! my ancestor’s name is John Smith (or how to find relatives with very common names)
Suppose you are on a quest for information about your relative, John Smith. You then discover that there are an astounding 31,139 John Smiths listed in the 1900 U.S. census! This might seem...
Genealogy Insider Recent Articles
- Remembering the Ladies October 20, 2017Discovering women's' identities can be tricky as they were often listed under their married name, or not at all. Here are clues to help identifying them. The post Remembering the Ladies appeared first on Family Tree.Maureen A. Taylor
- 3 Tips for Hiring a Professional Genealogist You Can Trust October 20, 2017We'll share three tips for hiring a professional genealogist who can break through your tough research brick walls.This post is sponsored by Legacy Tree Genealogists. The post 3 Tips for Hiring a Professional Genealogist You Can Trust appeared first on Family Tree.Staff
- Family History Month Event – Q&A with the Editors of Family Tree October 19, 2017Recently our editors hosted a live Q&A where we answered some of your burning genealogy questions. If you missed it, check out the recording now! The post Family History Month Event – Q&A with the Editors of Family Tree appeared first on Family Tree.Ashlee Peck
- Identifying Unfamiliar Faces in an Old Group Photograph October 15, 2017Last week I shared three tips for identifying an old group photograph, using an early 1900s mystery photo of German-born inventor Emile Berliner with unnamed family members. We looked at the youngest person and the oldest person in the picture, then asked if census records could helps us identify the people in the picture. They […]Maureen A. Taylor
- Sirius Genealogy: The Complex Harry Potter Family Tree October 13, 2017What do we know about the Boy Who Lived's ancestors? We look at the Harry Potter family tree—and the surprising connections between his friends and enemies. The post Sirius Genealogy: The Complex Harry Potter Family Tree appeared first on Family Tree.Andrew Koch