Show off your family pride with these DIY family tree ideas.
People belonging to a narcissistic family tree end up having hugely dysfunctional and traumatic childhoods, which haunts them even when they become adults.
Are you looking for a beautiful family tree template for a craft or school project, to display in your home or share with family? A blank, printable family tree can be used for all of these purposes and more. The trick is finding one that's styled just right for your needs.
Great as gifts, these personalized pieces will last forever as heirlooms
UPDATE: WE'VE Changed our options and added more products. Check out our new website! http://familytree-branches.com/
These unique family tree designs–some hundreds of years old–are creative and artistically stunning. Some are about actual families: others re-create the family tree of an entire culture or empire. Which ones inspire you?
How to deal with illegitimate ancestors. A check list of tips to try and help you identify the father of an illegitimate ancestor
Visit the Ancestry blog to learn more about The Fine Art of Family History
One of the most common research mistakes that family historians make when building their tree (especially for the first time) is also one of the most limiting and potentially detrimental. We like to call it the Direct-Line Mistake, and its affect on your research is pretty huge.
Family Tree Magazine is offering a free eBook on How to Search Obituaries to Find Ancestors and Trace Your Family Tree by Thomas Jay Kemp, which will show you secrets to mining GenealogyBank.com for obituaries of your relatives and ancestors. The Free eBook can be obtained at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/genealogybank-offer. You have to enter your name, email address and state in order to receive the link to download the free eBook. As a result of your entry, you will start receiving emails from Family Tree Magazine about their offers (which you can unsubscribe from if you wish). The free eBook is 16 pages with examples of obituaries that you might find on GenealogyBank: One of the examples in this book is for an obituary for a person in my database, Sarah (Pray) Wade (1795-1822). It was from the Providence [R.I.] Patriot newspaper. I didn't know, or recall, that GenealogyBank had that newspaper in the early 19th century. Cool! Who else died in that area in the early 19th century? The first person I thought of was Humphrey White (1758-1814) of Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island. Is there an article in the Providence newspaper for him? There was! It's only an Administrators Notice, but if I did not have a probate record for him (I do), this would lead me to look in Glocester R.I. town and probate records. The notice above was in Volume 12, Issue 33, Page 4, in the issue dated 27 August 1814. I plugged in several more Rhode Island names, and then tried some southern Massachusetts names. In a search for Alpheus Smith (1802-1840) of Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, I found two articles in the Norfolk [Dedham, Mass.] Democrat newspaper: The one above is another Administrator's notice (Volume II, Issue 4, page 2, issue dated 29 February 1840). The one below is a Commissioner's Notice that persons have been appointed to receive and examine the claims of the creditors to the estate (Volume III, Issue 19, page 4, issue dated 11 June 1841): Again, both of these notices would be leads for a researcher that there is probably a probate record for Alpheus B. Smith in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, probate records (I already have the probate records). I have many more ancestral persons to try in these two newspapers! I look forward to some genealogy fun in the next few days. Tom Kemp's eBook provides excellent examples of what can be found in newspaper obituaries - names of relatives, mentions of birthplaces, immigration dates, interment locations, social activities, offices held, employment or business information, and much more. All of those items found in an obituary may lead a researcher to several other records, including vital records, cemetery, military, immigration, citizenship, to name a few. To be sure, not all newspapers are available in digital format on websites like GenealogyBank, NewspaperARCHIVE, Newspapers.com, Chronicling America, Old Fulton Postcards, California digital Newspaper Collection, and more. Some of them are commercial sites, and some are free sites. But many historical newspapers are available in paper, microfilm or digital format - you just have to find them in a library, historical society or a website. A researcher needs to include newspaper searches in a reasonably exhaustive search to find information about their ancestors. The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/11/free-genealogybank-ebook-on-how-to.html Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver Disclosure: I have a complimentary annual subscription to GenealogyBank, which I appreciate very much, but does not affect my opinion about the website. I have not been remunerated in any way for this blog post.
What will happen to your genealogy research when you're gone? Here are 5 simple and effective steps you can take to make sure your family history research will last for generations.
The maternal lines of your ancestry may be difficult to research, but there are ways to uncover these branches of your family tree! This article covers ways to overcome "brick walls" in your family tree due to maiden names not being recorded.
Why you need to understand your ancestors locations. Having a good understanding of where your ancestors lived can help your genealogy
If you have European ancestry, one of the greatest challenges can be locating quality genealogy databases that are affordable. Here are 30 free options.
In these library collections, family history speaks volumes. Check out the top public libraries for genealogists.
Cousin baiting is exactly like deer baiting in its purpose which is why the term is used. Not from a long line of hunters? Confused? Wonde...
A fun holiday-themed relay for physical education class.
How to find Irish Parish registers looks at the complicated business of finding church records in Ireland. It describes the main sources of online records as well as the main physical archive in the North. Essential reading for anyone tracing their roots in Ireland.
Have an elusive ancestor that can't be found? We'll show you how using DNA to solve genealogy brick walls might be the answer!
This post is being updated and has been split into two posts, use the links below to get to the information you're looking for: ...
I was lucky enough to be in the audience when Dan Lynch talked about the 6 most important search commands needed to "Google Your Family Tree." Having seen Dan speak a number of years ago, and having read his book cover to cover (it's now out of print), it was very educational to hear him update this important topic. One of the Google "operators" (commands for searching) was new to me, not even mentioned in his book. (BTW, a command he used to advocate using, the tilde, is no longer a Google operator, so he suggested we not bother using it.) Dan showed how to filter the millions of search results to focus on the most relevant genealogy results by using these key search commands, alone or in combination: AND OR "" (quotation marks) - (minus sign) * (wild card) AROUND(insert number here). Here's what was new to me: AROUND(#) instructs Google to search for a word or phrase in proximity to another word or phrase by defining the number of words between them. To try this kind of search yourself, first do a search for "Google" and go to the Google search home page of your choice. I usually use the US home page, but if you want to search in another country or language, start on that home page (such as Google Canada). The point is to go fishing in the Google ocean closest to where you would like Google results. Of course, Google often presents results from many countries and in many languages. But by starting on the home page of the nation you particularly want to search, it's more likely that results from that nation will be closer to the top of the list. Next, choose two phrases (such as names or a name and a place) and choose how many words should separate those names or phrases. Above, my search executed on the Google Canada home page. I'm looking for hubby's great uncle, Captain John Daniel Slatter, who was the long-serving bandmaster of the 48th Highlanders regiment of Toronto. This search is very restrictive because I'm telling Google to look for highly specific results--only results that have the exact phrase "John D. Slatter" within 4 words (no more than that) of the exact phrase "48th Highlanders." If the words or phrases are 5 words apart, they won't appear in my results. If the words or phrases are 3 or 2 words apart, they will be in my results. Doing this search, Google tells me I have "around 2,150 results" which sounds more reasonable to check out than, say, 150,000 results or 1,500,000 results. Of course, I already know enough about Capt. Slatter to know he was part of the 48th Highlanders. In this search, I'm trying to locate new material about his role in that regiment. In reality, Google filtered my actual results even further, omitting results that were very similar to the ones presented on the two pages of results I actually saw. This is typical, and I'm sure you often see that as well. We always have the option to click and repeat with duplicate or similar entries included in the results. Dan hammered home the point that we should always, always click beyond the first page of results. You just never know when an important nugget will be at the bottom of page 2 or even page 5. In my example, the entire first page of results consisted of entries in my own blog, plus two "we found John Slatter" entries trying to get me to click for his phone number, etc. However, the second page of results had an entry I'd never seen! It was for the Toronto Conservatory of Music year book of 1914-15, posted for free on the Internet Archive (https://archive.org). I clicked and then, to save time scrolling and scrolling for the highlighted text, I searched within the book. Capt. Slatter appeared twice. The first appearance was in a listing of lessons being offered to students. Here it is, in the wording and typeface as it appeared in the year book: TUBA— John D. Slatter, Bandmaster 48th Highlanders 15.00 This is how AROUND(#) works. It found me something I hadn't found in the past. I'm going to experiment with different versions of Capt. Slatter's name and different number of words for proximity with his regiment, his wife's name, and other family members. Have you tried searching the Internet for your ancestors using the AROUND(#) operator? If not, go ahead and give it a try! PS: Don't forget to look at image results. Maybe you'll get really lucky and find an ancestor's photo. PPS: This post is the most popular of all-time on my genealogy blog, as of 2019!
Reap the rewards of expanding your online family history research to these 23 not-just-for-genealogy websites.
Where to find British and Irish burial records. This post looks at some great genealogy reseach resources for finding your ancestors.
Learn the importance of family stories and living memory - and how to preserve them - with these insights from Curt Witcher of the Allen County Public Library.
Identifying old family photographs does not have to be impossible! Tips to identify your ancestors and discover your family history in old family photos.
This little story about quadrilaterals helps students remember the family tree and the properties of quadrilaterals in high school geometry. I like to tell this story as part of the lesson when I'm teaching classifying quadrilaterals. After the notes, I play a game or do an activity.
One of the most exciting things about doing family history research is moving beyond names and dates to begin exploring the stories of our ancestors' lives. There are many ways to do this. Records like pension applications, wills and obituaries can provide details that allow us a special glimpse into the important events and personal relationships of our forebearers. But there is one type of genealogy resource that often stands above the rest when it comes to providing unique insights. And this same resource also happens to be a wonderful place to locate names and dates, land ownership information, occupations and much more.
Looking to find out more about your family history? Here are 10 top places to start your genealogy research.
Using free Irish Catholic Parish records. How to use this great National Library of Ireland resource for your Irish genealogy research.
MyHeritage DNA has built one of the best systems for combining your genetic results with your genealogy research. Find out how it works in our review.
Family tree facts you need for every ancestor. The genealogy research records that you need to find for all of your direct ancestors.
Using free Irish Catholic Parish records. How to use this great National Library of Ireland resource for your Irish genealogy research.
Track your immigrant ancestors who became US citizens. This guide shows how to find naturalization records online and offline—and what details they hold.
How to use a family gathering or reunion to share information about your family history and gather new information.
Nobody’s perfect. We all find genealogy errors in our trees from time to time. Learn how to prevent the most common.
It’s genealogy standard practice to start with death records. In this article, you’ll learn key tips for finding and using different types of death records.
My mother-in-law wanted me to compile the information she gathered on her family into an album to put in a museum in the community she lives. At first, I found this to be very difficult. I did not know how to put TONS of information into a book and make it look nice and contain the information a family history album should. I learned a lot through this process and the purpose of this post is to hopefully help someone who felt like I did. "WHERE DO I BEGIN?" - That was the biggest road block for me. Once I started, it all seemed to fall into place. I did a lot of research on different styles and this is what I came up with.... I made a title page explaining the purpose of the book and sort of a disclaimer to calm family nerves if there happened to be any mistakes. I made the background with an assortment of brightened pictures that are in the book. Each person in the family had a two page spread. For the first page I picked my favorite picture of the individual, I typed the name with bold letters, I added the year of birth and death ( year of birth if person is still living), and a brief personal history. With the first person in this album (whom I will call the patriarch of the family in the time period of this album), I added the surname. The rest of the family members have the first name only. The opposite page had some other pictures of interest and brief explanations of the pictures. You need to decide what type of album you want. To me, an album is more about the pictures than anything. Other paper information and pictures can be placed in an envelope with the album for people to look at if they so desire. For me, the more brief and to the point write ups are - the better. If you like more history then certainly put it in there. Here is a picture of a two page spread. This two page spread and the one below contain information of the mother and father of the family this album is about. I made a title page to start the next pages that contain information of the children in the family. I did not include names on this title page as the pages following have all that information. The next pages follow the same layout. Where I put the name depended on the individual picture. It gave a nice variety. If I had the information, I made sure I had marriage dates and children names. A few pages with other information is good. The page below has a picture of the family homestead and a map of where it is located. I concluded the book in the same style I started with. I don't have any special programs on my computer (that I know how to use anyway). I have a Mac and I do most of my work on, believe it or not, the slideshow program called Keynote. I sent all the files to a printer. I printed a big copy for the museum and smaller copies for family members. I got a lot of the clip art and background paper free from the Creative Memories Project page. Check it out to see all the amazing digital files you can use. Click on "Freebies". When you start to make an album it may seem extremely daunting. There are usually more pictures and information than what you can fit on a page or two. Choose your favorite pictures and the most important information. Make it simple. What I did to organize myself .... I put all the information for each person in separate page protectors in a binder. I started with the oldest member of the family to the youngest. This pouch contained the pictures and information. I arranged the pouches in the order I was going to put them in the book. This made it easier when I tackled each individual subject at a time. When I presented this album to my mother-in-law she cried. Family History albums are a treasure. They are close to our hearts because the information in them are really what we are made of. This was definitely a fulfilling project. Thanks for stopping by! Linking up to... Whipperberry
Obituaries are genealogy gold dust. You can learn key details about their life. Here’s how to find obituaries and how to use the clues in them.
Free British Industrial History for genealogy research looks at the amazing free resource that is Grace's Guide. The post shows you how to find free information on thousands of companies and individuals from the early industrial revolution to the 20th century.
How to find Northern Ireland Genealogy Records Online looks at the main records available online for those researching their Northern Irish roots. Both free and pay sites are looked at. Even after the destruction of many records in 1922, there are many surviving records which can help the genealogist
Ancestry's hints - those shaky leaves - have some limitations for genealogy research. Here are the limits and how to work around them.
It is wonderful to uncover the facts of an ancestor's life, but putting a face to a name is the most amazing discovery of all. Find out where to look for ancestor photos.
Rare surnames can make the job of being a family history researcher easier. Here is a list of 100 of the rarest last names in the U.S. and help for finding out how unusual your family names actually are.
How to find Irish Parish registers looks at the complicated business of finding church records in Ireland. It describes the main sources of online records as well as the main physical archive in the North. Essential reading for anyone tracing their roots in Ireland.
Every old house has a story to tell. Find out when your home was built, who lived there, and how they changed it.
Genealogical clues to your female ancestors are hiding in the pre-1850 census records. Include early census records in your genealogy research!
