Are you just beginning your genealogy journey? Here are nine questions you should ask yourself before you begin.
Category - Getting Started
8 Fresh Genealogy Tips for Building Your Family Tree
Do you need some new ideas for discovering information on your ancestors? Try these eight fresh tips.
5 Things Every Genealogists Should Know How to Do
There are certain skills every genealogist should know. Here are five of the most important ones.
The Difference Between II and Jr.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Jr and II after someone’s name? It seems like it would mean the same thing, but these suffixes are actually quite different. Here is what you...
How to Stay Motivated With Your Genealogy Research
It is not uncommon to get Genealogy burn out every now and then when you are doing a lot of research. Fortunately, staying motivated, or getting re-motivated, is easy. Here are some common sense tips...
Improving Your Family Tree by Understanding Genealogical Relationship Terms
Are you familiar with the most common genealogy terms regarding family relationships? Some are used in everyday life, while others are only used in genealogy research. Knowing the meaning of these...
How to Be the Best Family Archivist in Five Easy Steps
Are you the keeper of your family heirlooms? This makes you an archivist, whether you became one by choice or by default. You naturally want to keep those artifacts in excellent condition to be...
MisIndexing — A Common Brick Wall and How to Get Around It
Have you ever searched a record collection or book, looking for a family or ancestor you know should be there, and come up emptyhanded? It could be because of misindexing. Here is how misindexing...
The Top Things that Make Genealogy a Fun, Fascinating Hobby
There are plenty of reasons for getting involved in doing genealogy. However, did you also know that it is a fun, fascinating hobby in and of itself? Here are some of the best reasons for getting...
What Makes Genealogy So Important?
What are your reasons for doing genealogy? If you are a beginner or haven’t started yet, your personal reason(s) will be your motivation. Here are the most common reasons for doing genealogy, but...
6 Things to Know Before Visiting the Genealogy Library
Are you planning a trip to a genealogy library soon? Here are six things you need to know before you go there.
13 Best Genealogy Projects for a Long Weekend
Do you have some extra free time coming up? Why not fill it by filling in some information on your family tree? Here are 13 best genealogy projects that I've used during my long weekends.
3 Online Genealogy Classes You Can Take to Improve Your Skills
Are you looking to improve your genealogy research skills? Consider these three top online genealogy courses.
How to Use Book Databases to Further Your Family History
There are several book databases online that can help you further your family history research by hooking you up with rare books with mentions of your family in them. Here's how to find and use them.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Genealogy Research
Whether you are new to genealogy or a veteran, your work can only benefit from a refresher in these basic genealogy do’s and don’ts. Here are the things you need to know to make your work shine.
Tips to Find Your Ancestor’s Origin
Are you curious about what nation your family originated in, before they came to the United States? Most genealogists are, as it helps them know more about their ancestors, as well as their own...
The Cousin Connection: Explaining the Various Levels of Cousins
Have you ever wondered what a 2nd cousin three times removed is? What does "removed" even mean in genealogy? Here's how to figure out your cousin relationships.
Double Dating in Genealogy
Did you know that there was a change in our calendar in 1752? There was, and it changed the way things were dated. Quaker records make identifying the right dates more confusing. Here’s how to figure...
Why Citing Sources is Crucial in Genealogy and How to Do it Right
As a beginning genealogist, you may not give much thought to citing your sources in your research. However, it is a vitally important part of any serious type of genealogical pursuit. Citing sources...
Explore Your Ancestry, Enrich Your Life
From immigration records to marriage records, historical documents offer a view into the past. With more and more databases becoming publicly available, the search into your family’s history can be...
Get With the Plan: Breaking Bad Genealogy Habits
Researching family history and exploring ancestry is a hobby for a growing number of people. Many dip in and out, take sketchy notes, and randomly research birth records, death records, marriage...
Charts and Forms for Genealogy, and How to Use Them
Do you use charts and forms in your genealogy research? They are an important part of joining lineage societies, and storing your work as a physical copy.
How to Research the Birthplaces of Your Ancestors
Locating the birthplaces of your ancestors is an important part of genealogy. It can open up whole new lines of research to you. Here's how to find them.
Genealogy Notes: Why You Need Them and How to Take Them the Right Way
Why should you take notes in genealogy? How should they be taken to ensure accuracy in your research? Discover it all here & improve your research skills.
Confessions from a Family Historian (What I Should Have Done Right from the Beginning)
Are you a beginning genealogist? Don't make the same mistakes at the start that I did. Here's advice to help you make your research solid from the start.
Things You Should Know Before Using Someone Else’s Research
Are you using other people's online research on your family tree? Here are some things you need to consider before putting that info on your family tree.
Why I Love Genealogy (And You Should, Too!)
Why I Love Genealogy (And You Should, Too!) Here are all of the many, wonderful reasons why.
How to Conduct a Neighborhood Study, and Why You Should
Do you have a mysterious ancestor? Doing a neighborhood study may provide you with the answers you need. This is how to do one and why you should.
3 Overlooked Clues in Genealogical Documents
Are you looking at a genealogy brick wall? Here are three hidden clues you can often find in genealogical documents that will let you break through it.
10 Tools for Your Genealogy Research That You Never Thought You’d Need
Genealogy is full of surprises. One of those surprises is often the tools you need to do it. Here are ten tools you may be surprised to realize you need to do your genealogy research.