St. Patrick’s Day has a way of turning people’s thoughts toward Ireland. Even those who do not spend much time looking into family history often start wondering where their people came from, what...
Latest Articles
How to Trace Your Family Tree in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales (Book Giveaway – ENDED)
This giveaway has concluded. Stay tuned for our next giveaway.
Immigrants to the New World, 1600s – 1800s
First-Time User? Click here This immigration index covers early arrivals to the American colonies from the 1600s through the early 1800s. These include: New World Immigrants (Volumes 1 and 2)...
What is the History of Daylight Saving Time, and Why Do We Have It?
Daylight Savings Time is an idea that has been around for more than 100 years, and was implemented nationwide in Germany a little over a century ago. Here is its history, and how (and why) it is used...
10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for March
Did you know spring is the perfect time to begin some new genealogy projects? Here are the top ten you should be doing this month, as the snow melts again.
Congratulations, Your Genealogy Skills Are Growing
Most family historians spend a lot of time thinking about what they still have left to find. There is always another record to track down, another county to search, another family story to check, and...
U.S. Census Records 1850 And Beyond, When The Federal Count Became Person By Person
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States had reached a point where a simple decade-by-decade household tally no longer satisfied federal goals. The country was larger, more complex...
U.S. Census Records 1790 to 1840, Why The Government Counted And What Changed
The first six U.S. federal censuses, from 1790 through 1840, were created primarily for government purposes. They were designed to measure population for representation, to support national...
The Sideways Search Method That Breaks Brick Walls
If your genealogy research feels stuck, the problem may not be missing records. It may be that you are asking the right questions in the wrong direction. Some of the most revealing information about...
Counting People Before America, Why Governments Counted, And Where The Records Hide
If you use United States census records often, you notice that the questions change when the country changes. The format changes when technology changes. The people being counted change when laws and...