By Jayne McGarvey Finding our ancestors in a census or three can yield a huge amount of very useful information and a bunch of worthwhile clues to follow. But expanding our searches to include the neighbours can also, with a bit of patience and strategic investigation, reveal even more clues about our own ancestors. If…
DetailsBy Jayne McGarvey Do you remember those old research notes you took way back in the year dot when you first began researching your family history? Those very early notes, the ones you jotted down in a hurry while visiting relatives or in the early stages of your research when your family tree was in…
DetailsBy Caitlin Fischetti Stuck on what to get Aunt Helen “the family historian“ and you’ve run out of time? Here are a few ideas that won’t only please the seasoned genealogist, but can also spark a love for family history in another relative or friend. 23andme is not just a genetic lab test or…
DetailsBy Jeanne Rollberg When the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation Lakota and other Native Americans protested the Dakota Access Pipeline project on the basis that it could possibly jeopardize their water supply, it reminded America and the world of the primacy of caring for land and water to Native Americans historically. They called themselves the “water…
DetailsBy Jayne McGarvey All I want for Christmas is a window to the past, complete with time and date stamp in the corner, so I can find out exactly what, where and when my ancestors were up to and with whom. Unfortunately as I don’t think Santa will oblige this particular wish there are many…
DetailsBy Jamie Drake As American genealogists, family historians, and other history minded individuals, we often find ourselves drawn to the U.S. Census Records. They provide an amazing amount of information, but there is one field we often overlook. Occupation. At first glance, everyone looks to be a farmer, or if they are a woman, they…
DetailsBy Anne Sherman Most people will know King Henry VIII had six wives, and some will know that in order to have his marriage to his first wife Catherine of Aragon annulled, so he could marry Anne Boleyn, he took the drastic step of splitting from the Catholic Church and became the Head of the…
DetailsBy Julia Joy Dumas Family history research is one of the most fulfilling hobbies because it is a personal journey through the past. It’s often difficult to become passionate about the history of strangers; but, when it comes to your relatives, interest often peaks quickly. Personally, I never enjoyed history until I was able to…
DetailsBy Jayne McGarvey Christmas is a great time for gathering the family all in one place, and an obvious opportunity for any family historian to glean some information, but it can also be an opportunity to give back and bring the past to life so whether you are planning ahead for Christmas with a careful…
DetailsBy Rachel Silverman Author’s Note: This series focuses on Jewish genealogy in Eastern Europe and North America, and is intended to offer advice for researching families of Ashkenazi heritage. The information provided will not necessarily apply to Sephardi or Mizrahi genealogy. If you’ve read my blog post about the finer points of wildcard searching, then…
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