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Genealogy
Writing Ancestor Stories: How to Bring Your Family's Ancestry to Life
Take your genealogy research a step further and turn it into family stories. Profile a person or a family in a compelling story to share with family or put in a blog.
How to Use GPS for Genealogy and Family History
I share how I made my family history research more productive, more educational, and more fun by using commonly available GPS tools.
How to Use Facebook for Your Genealogy Research
Make the magic of Facebook groups work for you. You can find lots of help from other genealogists, create your own family groups, get photos restored or colorized by volunteers, research in history groups, and contact museums and libraries through this social media platform.
Why You Shouldn't Toss Old Photos (Plus Photo ID Tips)
Unidentified photos of mystery ancestors are tempting to toss. Don't do it! Here are suggestions for what to do with those.
Tips for Using Newspapers.com
Newspapers.com is a wonderful resource for researchers. Genealogists love it! Here are tips from a librarian for getting the best results from your searches.
Using ThruLines on Ancestry.com
How do you use ThruLines and other new tools on Ancestry? Here's what I've figured out about these new features added by Ancestry in beta form in March 2019.
How to Research for Gateway Ancestors of Royal Descent
Learn how to research for gateway ancestors through the old Magna Carta Surety Barons whose descendants are the missing links to royal ancestry.
Kansas Photography Studios 1880 -1930
Gathering information about early Kansas photographers to help people determine a date for an old picture they have.
Is a Newspapers.com Subscription Worthwhile?
Will a subscription to Newspapers.com give you valuable information for your family history research? Here are examples of how it helped me, and why I recommend it.
How to Link AncestryDNA to a Family Tree
Here's how to connect your DNA to your family tree on Ancestry.com so you can learn how you're related to your DNA relatives and unlock more about your heritage.
Tips for Doing Genealogy Research
Since August 2016, I have been building a family tree and trying to identify my ancestors who originated in Europe. Based on successes and failures, I suggest a number of tips for doing genealogy research.
Websites You Can Upload Your My Heritage DNA Data To
In this article, learn how you can download your raw DNA data from My Heritage, which you can then upload to various websites so you can compare results.
Birth Order Affects a Person's Success
We had no control over our birth order, but scientists say the order in which we were born has a great deal to do with how successful we will become. Is that really true? Let's discuss birth order psychology research.
Learning More From Your Ancestry DNA Test
Puzzled about how to get the most out of your Ancestry DNA test? Here are some tips from an experienced genealogist.
Choosing a DNA Testing Kit for Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family
Learn about what a typical consumer DNA kit requires, how much it costs, and what it can do for you. Get help deciding whether Ancestry, 23 and Me, or FamilyTree DNA is the best choice.
How to Start Your Family Tree With a Pedigree Chart
Do you know what a pedigree chart is? Know how to use one? Building your pedigree chart will have you on your way to building your family tree in no time. It's simple to make and a great way to "branch out" from your direct lineage to grow your tree.
How Historical Newspapers Have Helped in My Genealogy Research
Historical newspapers have been a great aid in my genealogy research. I have identified many cousins, great-uncles, great-aunts, and also discovered some very surprising news about my great-grandpa.
How Older People Benefit From Knowing Their Genealogy
This article presumes that the research will produce knowledge of at least three generations past. How can this affect the well-being of older people? Probably in more ways than expected. Consider learning about your genealogy today!
Using the Census to Discover Your Genealogy
How to use the various census records when researching your family's history.
Genealogy: The Family Group Sheet
Learn to fill out the most basic form used in tracing family history. Capture the details of your ancestors' families in an easy-to-find format.
Figuring out Family Relationships: Aunts and Uncles, Greats and Grands, and Cousins, Oh, My!
How to determine if your aunt is your great aunt or grand aunt, and whether you have met a first cousin or second cousin at the family reunion.
Genealogy: How and Where to Begin Tracing Your Family's History
Tips for beginners on where to look for genealogical information, where to start, and how to get it all organized.
Creating a Family Tree
Building a family tree can a be stressful, yet fulfilling endeavor. Here I give some tips that I learned in my journey to create my family tree.
My Experience Doing Genealogy Research
This article describes my experience of searching for ancestors in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. It also lists some of my joys and sorrows in using online genealogy services.
Collect Family History From Your Living Relatives
Did you know that not all genealogy information is posted online? Use these tips to collect what your family members know before it's too late and the information is lost to time.
History and Genealogy: How Studying Historical Events Can Assist You in Your Research
When researching your ancestry, you must look past the story of your ancestors' lives and study the events that were happening around them during the era in which they lived. The knowledge of simple historical facts can open up avenues in your research that you may not have otherwise considered.
10 Sites for Researching Genealogy
Tracing one’s family history is one of the most popular hobbies among Americans. I have assembled 10 genealogy sites that can greatly help your family history search.
Using Screenshots With Genealogy
It's difficult explaining a complex family history. Using screenshots with vintage photos or with a family tree lets you add notes, arrows and boxes to clarify. It's a great way to feature research.
How to Request Birth Certificates From Italy
Applying for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis isn’t easy, especially when you need birth certificates from Italy. Here’s how to request birth certificates from Italy.
Tracing Irish Ancestry Online: A Beginner's Guide
Do you have Irish roots? Have you put off trying to trace them because you thought tracing Irish ancestry was impossible? With more records appearing online, it is becoming easier to trace your Irish ancestors.
Genealogy Research: How Visiting Old Cemeteries Can Expand Your Family Tree
A great way to find new clues while researching your family history is to visit old cemeteries. A lot of regions may not have death records available, so gravesites are the next best thing for family history investigators to find out more information.
Tracing Your Family History in Ireland: A Guide to Resources
This guide shows you how to use the numerous historical records that are now available free online, including the 1901 and 1911 censuses, church and civil records, gravestone inscriptions, ship passenger records, and large-scale townland maps.
What Is a Second Cousin Twice Removed - This Chart Explains It All
Second cousins, third cousins, once removed, twice removed - find out what it all means. You do not have to be an expert genealogist to figure out which cousin is which. Family Relationship Chart breaks it all down.
List of Genealogy Interview Questions to Ask Family Members
A list of interview questions is provided for conducting a genealogy or family history interview. It is geared towards getting information about the individual, about the family, and about history.
Genealogy: Sources to Use When Digging Deeper
Looking for a long-lost relative? Sometimes even the pros hit a brick wall. Here are some of the places they search for ancestors from way back when, including the census, church records, online databases, court and criminal records, and more.
How to Find or Create Your Coat of Arms (Family Crest)
A family crest or coat of arms distinguishes an individual or a family from others and is often displayed proudly on clothing, flags, and other items. Learn how to find your family's coat of arms or how to create your own!
Tips for Building Your Family Tree: Name Variations and How They Affect Your Research
Variations in the spelling of your ancestors' first names and surnames can cause a lot of trouble for you when you are researching your family history. This article shares tips for overcoming the hurdles caused by spelling variations and nicknames.
How to Use Family Migration Patterns to Track Your Ancestors
Learning how extended families moved from place to place in the past can become a key to unlocking missing parts of your family heritage. Here are tips for researching your ancestors based on how their extended family migrated.
How to Find Military Service Records for Veterans
Did you know that you can use online tools to gather information for official military records? All you need is some information about your veteran to discover fascinating details from their service records.
How to Uncover the Maternal Lines in Your Family Tree
Need help with genealogical research? The maternal lines of your ancestry may be difficult to research, but there are ways to uncover these branches in your family tree. Here's some advice on how to overcome "brick walls" in your family tree related to missing maiden names.
A Beginner's Guide to Using the Internet to Find Your Ancestors
A beginner's guide on how to do genealogy research online. Researching your ancestry is an interesting pastime and can lead to many fascinating discoveries. The internet can be a very useful tool for those who would like to learn more about their family history.
Did My Ancestors Participate in the Civil War?
Tips for how to find out whether your ancestors fought in the Civil War. The Civil War impacted the lives of a large part of the American population. There are many resources online that can help you discover whether any of your ancestors played a part in this conflict.