Are genealogy New Year’s resolutions on your radar? If not, they should be, and here is why. They can help you keep your genealogy on track when it is so easy to get lost in it. While your...
Category - Genealogy Clips
What is Your Genealogy Vision?
Do you have a theme in mind for your genealogy research this year? What is a theme for genealogy research, anyway? Here is what you need to know about themes for genealogy research, and why they are...
Interested in a Professional Genealogy Career?
Are you considering a career in genealogy? If you have been doing genealogy for a while, you might have thought about it. It is an excellent and rewarding career for those who have a true passion for...
Locate Your Ancestors with Scottish Naming Patterns
Scottish naming patterns of the past few centuries can provide excellent clues as to the names of parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents of your Scottish ancestors. If you have a brick...
More Tips on Female Ancestors: Finding Them Before 1850
Your female ancestors are notoriously difficult to find, because of name changes and being absorbed into her husband's identity. This is particularly true of those ancestors who lived before 1850...
Weird Genealogy Terms: What is a Grass Widow?
What is a grass widow? You may come across this unique term in your genealogy research. It is an old one, and has different meanings in Europe and America. It was used in old newspaper records, as...
How to Use Foreign Language Genealogy Sources
Are you researching foreign-speaking ancestors? Whether they lived in America or you are researching them in their homeland, you may come across foreign language documents that you need assistance in...
Using the 1890 US Veterans Schedule
Did you know that alternative records exist to help you fill in the gaps left by the loss of most of the 1890 US federal census? There are several such sources. One of the most useful, but little use...
Irish Wedding Traditions
There are tens of millions of people in America with Irish ancestry, and even more around the world. Therefore, knowing about Irish traditions, such as wedding traditions, is important to...
A Quick Guide to Using the US Census for Genealogy
Are you a genealogy beginner? If so, have you used the US census yet? Have you ever heard of the US census? This is a brief outline of what the census is and what it can do for you in your...
Your Rebel Ancestors, Part Two: The Women
Just like the Puritan magistrates and ministers were against men wearing their hair long, they were also against the women wearing their hair elaborately. Anything other than a plain bun covered by a...
Genealogy Abbreviations You Should Know
Genealogy has a large array of code words, slang, and abbreviations associated with it. If you are new to the hobby, you might not be familiar with all of them yet. Here are some of the most common...
Were Your Ancestors Social Rebels?
Were your ancestor’s social rebels against societal convention? There was a time in early New England that the leaders did not want men wearing their hair long. They said it was ungodly. Plenty of...
How to Make a Family Cookbook (and Why You Should)
The food that families make is wonderful and ties the generations closer together in shared meals, traditions, experiences, and emotions. Preserving these recipes is an important part of your...
How to Organize Your Digital Genealogy
Your digital genealogy needs to be organized just as much as your physical genealogical documents and photos do. In fact, it is much easier to have a messy, almost unsearchable collection of digital...
Organizing Your Physical Genealogy Documents
If you are looking for a way to keep your physical genealogy documents organized as well as safe, here are a few useful hints to push you in that direction. These tried and true tips will help you...
How to Update Your Genealogy Research for the New Year
With the dawn of a new year and new decade, you should now take the opportunity to update your genealogy. It is easy to let the things that are currently going on in your family take a back seat to...
How to Use the Dawes Rolls in Your Genealogy Research
Are you looking into your Native American ancestry? Many Americans believe they have this ancestry, but only a few do. If you do, and you know it with certainty, the Dawes Rolls can help you find...
How to Use Membership Records in Your Genealogy Research
Membership records can be an important part of genealogical research. Yet, they are not used by many genealogists, despite the wealth of information they can provide. Here is why genealogists usually...
How to Begin Researching Your Mayflower Ancestors
Are you a Mayflower descendant, or do you want to prove that you are one? Here are some tips on finding and proving your Mayflower ancestry. After all, there are more than thirty-five million...
6 Tips to Make Your Genealogy Research Easier
Whether you are a beginning genealogist or a seasoned pro, you can always use some tips on how to make your genealogy research easier and more productive for you. Here are six top tips that can help...
Top Five Reasons to Cite Your Sources in Your Genealogy
Are you citing your sources in your genealogy research? If you are not, you should be. Citing sources may seem like a chore, but there are some very important reasons to make sure you always do it...
Valuable Genealogical Artifacts You Might Not Have Considered
Have you ever considered looking into more than just vital records and other standard genealogical resources to find out more about your ancestors? Genealogical artifacts can provide information you...
What is Autosomal DNA?
Have you considered doing an autosomal DNA test to add to and improve the accuracy of your family tree? Have you even heard of autosomal DNA? It is the most common type of publicly available DNA test...
Y-DNA and mtDNA, and How They Can Help You Trace Your Ancestors
Using Y-DNA and mtDNA are two important ways you can add to your family tree and improve its accuracy. Both can be used to find missing relatives and to confirm biological relationships. Here is what...
Cousin Relationships the Easy Way
Do you know how to determine cousin relationships? It’s easier than you may imagine. All you have to do is remember to count generations from the most recent set of cousins in your family tree that...
How to Find Distant Relatives
If you are at a genealogical brick wall, consider looking for distant relatives to help you break through it. Who are distant relatives, and what information might they have to benefit your research...
Why are Family Bibles Such Genealogical Treasures?
Family Bibles are some of the most unique and valuable genealogical resources available. If your immediate family doesn’t have one, you might not understand just how important they can be to your...
Getting Your Older Relatives to Open Up about Family History
Interviewing older family members is a basic part of beginning genealogy research. If you have access to these relatives, interviewing them for their unique take on the past and the ancestors who...
Finding the True Identities of Your Female Ancestors
Are your female ancestors a mystery? It’s not uncommon. While you may know the first name of a female ancestor, finding their maiden name and birth family can sometimes be a challenge. Here are some...