Yes, free genealogy sites do exist. Here's how to avoid spending money on ancestry research without limiting your tree.
When researching an ancestor, it's easy to remember to search the census and look for birth/marriage/death certificates. Sometimes, searching the big-name database companies will produce a few hits from smaller record sources, such as draft registrations and the like. But there are MANY genealogy sources that aren't online and can be easily overlooked.
We've known about the value of libraries since we were kids. It's time to tap into their wealth to help your genealogy research journey.
A genealogy research plan is crucial to finding your ancestors. Learn how to create a successful plan to grow your family tree.
You had your DNA tested, but now what’s next? Solve genealogy mysteries with these indispensable, free online tools to analyze your DNA test results.
Can't find a marriage records for your ancestor? Boost your genealogy research with these places and resources you might have checked yet!
Learning how to do genealogy can be not only easy, but informative and rewarding. Here is how you can learn to do genealogy.
Getting organized and knowing how to address government agencies and organizations can help you get quicker, more effective results. Family Tree Magazine has created these 61 free genealogy forms that can help you access and organize your family history information. They're available in two formats: text and portable document format...
Have you ever heard of foot shape genealogy? It is a concept out of the 19th century that still has some adherents today. It is based on the belief that the shape of your foot can tell you one of five ancient ethnic groups to which your ancestors belonged. Here is what you need to know about it.
If you are anything like me, you have binders and file folders full of records, memorabilia, research, etc. on the many branches of your family tree.
***Please note that this post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you decide to purchase a product/service. This does not cost you extra. Be assured I only recommend products/services that I use and think you would like too. Read my disclosure policy and privacy policy. [Note: This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on the 1890 census.] The 1890 census is referred to as the “black hole” of genealogy research. How many of you have “lost” track of your ancestors because the 1890 census did not survive the Commerce Department fire of 1921? I’m waving my hand wildly over here! A bit of genealogical trivia first….. The 1890 census did not burn. It received significant water damage during the fighting of the fire. The records then sat and sat and sat….. Well, water, paper and time are not a good combination. The 1890 census was ruined. Back to our research…. The loss of the 1890 population census does not have to stall your genealogy research. Remnants and fragments of the 1890 census did survive. According the the Nation Archives (NARA), fragments of the 6 parts of the census surviving include The first four types of the surviving 1890 census are the most useful to genealogists. The statistic reports will not help you as a genealogist to advance your research, but may be of historical interest. Details of what is included in each section above are found on the NARA website. Where Do You Find These 1890 Census Remnants? The surviving population schedules and the Civil War Veterans schedules can be found on FamilySearch.org (free) and on Ancestry.com ($). Check your local library for free access to the library edition of Ancestry.com. All you will need is your library card. The 1890 population census from Cleveland County, North Carolina. Notice the unique layout of the census record. It has a very different look from other census records. Personally, I think it is easier to read. Overall, the 1890 census asks similar questions to the other census years. If you find your ancestor in the 1890 population schedule, take note of line 8. The individual was asked if he/she had married within the year. This is another source for a marriage date. Line 9 asks females the number of children born and number of children living. This is another source for finding previously unknown children. The Civil War Veterans census of 1890. This is a sample of the Civil War veterans of White County, Tennessee. The schedule also included widows of Civil War veterans. If you find find your ancestor here, be sure to take note of the disease and remarks sections. Interesting information and clues can be found here. From above, veteran James E. Watson lost his left eye. Veteran Charles N. Blake is listed as “gone from the state” in the remarks section, yet, he is listed in the schedule for White County. You now know where Charles was not in 1890 and that he did live in White County, TN at one time. Selected Delaware African Americans This is a sample of African Americans listed living in Delaware in 1890. Names and location are indicated. This can be a significant resource for African American researchers. This 1890 census schedule is found on Ancestry.com and on microfilm from FamilySearch.org. Schedules for the Oklahoma territories This is a sample of the 1890 schedule for Oklahoma County, OK. It is a bit difficult to read, but if your ancestors lived in Oklahoma in the 1890’s, you want to check this resource. If you have trouble deciphering it, PicMonkey is a great resource. [Read more about that here.] I do understand that for many of us, our ancestors will not be found in the surviving 1890 remnants. But….we are genealogists and and owe it to ourselves and our ancestors to be thorough in our search. For those of you who do not find your ancestors in the 1890 census remnants, the next post is for you! We will be talking about how to find our ancestors in the 1890’s even without the census. The 1890 census is not quite the “black hole” of genealogy research we think it is. Research what survived this week, then come back for the next installment. Please note that this post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you decide to purchase a product/service. This does not cost you extra. Be assured I only recommend products/services that I use and think you would like too. Have you searched the 1890 census remnants? Have you found an ancestor in these remnants? Leave a comment below and share your finds. You might also be interested in: Pin for future reference! Spread the love66732 798Shares
Would you like to search only the free kindle books offered by Amazon? You can do so using the tools Google already provides. Here's how.
Vital Records from Pommern, Petersen Researching Preußen, Pommern, Ancestors - Germany The hardest part of researching Pomeranian anc...
Before you’re lured in by the excitement of a new genealogy discovery, follow these measures to analyze your sources and keep errors out of your family tree.
Have you ever considered using Pinterest for your Genealogy and family history research? I started using Pinterest for my family's genealogy and I love it! It's a great way to organize the family photographs and documents found around the internet. Plus, as an added bonus, the link to the document and family photo is provided and you can easily share with family! There's no need to save old family photos to your computer (and forgetting the source). And there is no more taking other people's photographs and posting them as your own. Now, with the assistance of Pinterest, you can simply share them through a "pin." Come join the Genealogy Photo A Day on Instagram! Want to learn more about using Pinterest for your family genealogy and how it can help you with your family tree? I like to think of Pinterest as an online image search engine. It's a lot like Google, Bing, and Yahoo but with a twist. Once you type in your search words your results are displayed as images and pictures. This can be very helpful for those who do family genealogy. Imagine the surprise when your ancestor's picture shows up and it's a photo you've never seen before! Plus, there is a link attached and you can click to see both the photo and the website where that picture is stored. Pinterest provides many benefits for family genealogy. 1. Pinterest gives you a place to organize your information. This information is placed onto what Pinterest calls boards. Boards can be as broad (or as specific) as you prefer. You create them and decide how to organize them. 2. Pinterest allows you to connect with family members you may have never known. Other people can find your boards and pins (images) through the Pinterest search button. 3. Pinterest also allows you to organize and save the pictures and documents you find online. You simply pin them to your boards and the link is saved along with them image. Now available on Amazon! 10 Tips for Using Pinterest for Genealogy by Genealogy Girl Talks Check out our related posts about using Pinterest for Genealogy here! Check out our new 30 Day Genealogy Pinterest Challenge! It starts in November 2014! Be sure to join us for all the fun!
Tired of not being able to find your documents and photos? These genealogy organization research tips can help you find the right artifact every time.
One of the greatest things about Ancestry DNA is getting in touch with your DNA matches - cousins you didn't know you had!
Mark Orwig is the writer of the Genealogy Explained website, and he has created a neat graphic to explain the answer to the question posed in "Do Siblings Have the Same DNA?" I encourage all of my readers to read the entire article because the science is interesting and the "deck of cards" example is familiar to most of us. The graphic is: Pictures are always better than many words, and this graphic shows why siblings (assuming they aren't identical twins) may not have the same ethnicity estimate even though they have the same parents. In the graphic, there are four grandparents who have perceived ethnicities of: * Paternal grandfather: 50% Scottish, 50% Irish * Paternal grandmother: 100% Italian * Maternal grandfather: 100% German * Maternal grandmother: 50% Italian, 50% Irish Based on the percentages, one would expect the ethnicities of the parents to be: * Father: 50% Italian, 25% Scottish, 25% Irish * Mother: 50% German, 25% Italian, 25% Irish Based on those percentages, one would expect the ethnicity of a child to be: * 37.5% Italian, 25% German, 25% Irish, 12.5% Scottish. However, the graphic shows that the two children have significantly different ethnicity estimates (based on a DNA test) than the expected ethnicity based on the expected ethnicity of the parents. This occurs because of the random nature of admixture - how the DNA segments are passed down to the next generation. For me, I have noted that the six different ethnicity estimates I have received are completely different, and do not match my perceived ethnicity based on classical genealogy research. See Comparison of My Autosomal DNA Ethnicity Estimates. I understand better now that I need to test my two brothers and both of my daughters to get a better handle on the ethnicity estimates for my family members. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to test my parents (who died in 1983 and 2002) and grandparents (who died in 1942, 1962, 1976, 1977). Like I said - Read the entire post! Thank you to Mark for permitting me to use the graphic in this blog post. ============================================== The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2018/07/genealogy-explained-do-siblings-have.html Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at [email protected].
Where to find free genealogy books online looks at where you can find free genealogy books and gives some examples of what you can find.
The United Kingdom is truly an amazing place to discover your ancestors. Rich with history, each country’s heritage is unique to the land and its people. Whether your family is from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales you are sure to find heaps of records they left behind with the following resources to guide your way. The United Kingdom is truly an amazing place to discover your ancestors. Rich with history, each country’s heritage is unique to the land and its people. Whether your family is from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales you are sure to find heaps of records they left behind with the following resources to guide your way.
Vital Records from Pommern, Petersen Researching Preußen, Pommern, Ancestors - Germany The hardest part of researching Pomeranian anc...
Military records are wonderful for genealogy. Here are some clues you might be missing that can show your ancestor's military service.
These forms help you keep track of your research progress and organize your genealogy files.
There has always been something mysterious about cemeteries. Perhaps the knowledge that those interred took secrets to their grave has resulted in the enigmatic haze that seems to linger over these…
After nearly 30 years of researching my father-in-law's WWII military service, which began on 7 April 1941 and ended on 18 June 1945, I now know where he was on almost every day of that time. My husband and I have taken many terrific trips visiting those places and learning more about where he served. So it's no surprise I like to write about the war experiences of my ancestors. From skirmishes with Native Americans prior to the Revolutionary War right through the Global War on Terrorism. However, I write most frequently about my Civil War, World War I and World War II veteran ancestors' experiences. Today, I'd like to share with you what I've learned about researching U.S. Army World War II veteran ancestors -- one of the millions of citizen soldiers Tom Brokaw called the "Greatest Generation." A great resource is World War II Research and Writing Center. 1. Order his military service records It's difficult to proceed with your research unless you know in which unit your ancestor served. The first thing I recommend doing is to order his or her military records. You can make your request for those records if you are next of kin of a deceased veteran here. If available, the information you will receive will include his DD 214, or separation papers; personnel records; replacement ribbons or medals; and medical records. The unit listed on this form includes the unit he was with when he was discharged. It may not be all of the units in which he served. Company morning reports housed at the National Personnel Records Center will include the transfers of soldiers to and from different units. Page 1 of my father-in-law's DD 214 form; personal collection Those military records are housed at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. There was a fire at that location in 1973, which destroyed approximately 16 to 18 million records, including: 80 percent loss of Army records for personnel discharged between 1 November 1912 and 1 January 1960 75 percent loss of Air Force records for personnel discharged between 25 September 1947 and 1 January 1964 (names after Hubbard, James E. alphabetically) Even if your veteran ancestor's records were burned, you will likely receive his or her DD 214 form if your are next of kin. This form contains enough information about the specific unit in which your ancestor served, military induction and discharge dates, special qualifications or schools attended, ribbons and medals received, and so on. 2. Learn about the specific unit in which he served Now that you have your veteran ancestors military records, you can begin to research the unit in which he served. Every branch of military service has an organization hierarchy. In the U.S. Army it is: Company >> Battalion >> Regiment >> Division >> Corps >> Army >> Army Group The division is the smallest unit that is capable of fighting completely independently. To understand more about how Army divisions were organized during World War II, I suggest reading a post I wrote on this topic on my Tangled Roots and Trees blog. Another necessary resource is the Order of Battle of the U.S. Army, European Theater, World War II. These resources are invaluable when reading Army histories to better understand if your ancestors were involved. 3. Understand the role he played in his unit Two factors will help you understand the role your ancestor played within his unit -- his rank and his MOS, or Military Operational Specialty. There are two types of soldiers in the Army, officers and enlisted personnel. Each have their own levels of ranks. To learn them and the general responsibilities of each rank, I have found these links extremely helpful: Officers Enlisted personnel Your ancestors military records will include their rank upon discharge and any military operational specialties, or special skills they acquired, on their DD 214 form. This link includes the list of current Army MOSs, but many from World War II still exist though they may have been renamed. I have found it's possible to find a similar MOS and at least get in the neighborhood of what duties my ancestor performed. For example, in Korea my father was a mechanic for wheeled and tracked vehicles. Those MOSs still exist. 4. Record the awards and decorations he earned Your ancestor's DD 214 form will include the awards and decoration he earned during his Army service. If he won an award for meritorious conduct or bravery, you will likely receive a copy of the original citation if you order a replacement medal. Other awards can provide clues to the dates on which he or she served if they are not provided elsewhere. If your ancestors received the American Defense medal, he enlisted or was drafted before Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, as did my father-in-law. If he or she received the Victory medal, they served in the Army sometime between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946. I will be writing about this topic in detail on Tangled Roots and Trees in June. However, you will likely find these sources helpful: Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards Awards and Decorations of the United States Armed Forces, which includes links to explanations about individuals awards and decorations Badges of the United States Army My father-in-law's ribbon "rack;" built using EZ Rack Builder[1] 5. Learn about the campaigns in which he served Your ancestor's DD 214 form will include any campaigns in which your ancestor participated. Campaigns are a series of large-scale, long-term operations or battles which required significant military planning and form part of a larger conflict. For example, during World War II, the U.S. Army fought in 38 campaigns. Knowing in which campaigns your ancestor participated will allow you to read the appropriate sections of the Army "Green" Books. These military histories are now online. When I began my research I had to order them from the General Printing Office. My Army "Green" Books; personal collection They are the very best, detailed history, often to the company level of the U.S. Army in World War II. If you are not a history buff, at least read the relevant campaigns or skim the index for his army, corp. division, and regiment (sometimes part of a combat team with the same numerical designation as the regiment). 6. Use unit societies' websites and books about units Websites for Division Societies such as the Society of the 5th Infantry Division are plentiful on the Internet. These societies will have a wide variety of information, personal photographs, and first-hand accounts from soldiers who served with the unit. Many include pamphlets and other propaganda published by the unit. Simply Google to find them online. Some will have the names of books that can be purchased about the unit. If the book is out of print, I have had great success finding them on Internet Archive, ABEBooks, Google Play, Amazon, or eBay. If none of those sources have the book available, I can usually find it on World Cat and either go to a nearby library or have it loaned to my local library. 7. Don't forget your women ancestors Many women served in various women-only military organization during the war. Don't forget about them in your research. General Douglas McArthur called the Women's Army Corps (WACs) "his best soldiers" and said they worked harder, complained less, and were better disciplined then men. General Dwight Eisenhower said their contributions were immeasurable. I hoped I've sparked your interest in digging deeper into your World War II ancestor's military service. Many in that generation would not talk about their experiences. This is your chance to find out about them. Good luck! _______________ Women's Army Corps (WACs) in World War Two Understanding the U.S. Army World War II Infantry Division Army Campaign Streamers
In this article – part of an “Introduction to Genealogy” series – Gena Philibert-Ortega discusses how to actually begin your family history research.
Dig deeper in your research to find hidden gems at these four free and underused genealogy websites.
Think your ancestors are a lost cause? Not with our search tips for finding your family history online on Google, Ancestry and other websites.
The question, How far back can you trace your family tree?" can make a serious family historian groan. Learn why/
There are many ways of finding out about an ancestor's parents, but one of the main ways is to use vital records such as birth and marriage certificates because marriage certificates normally include the father's name, and birth certificates both parents names unless the child was illegitimate. The first place to look to find an
Finding out about your family’s history can be an exciting endeavor. Keeping track of all the information and placing it all into some kind of organized fashion however, can be quite a task. There are so many Genealogy websites, software programs and ways to store your findings that it can become overwhelming. It is sometimes hard to determine what should be included in your Family Tree and what isn’t necessary...
From tracking down useful information, to organizing your research, to sharing it with your family and friends - Pinterest just might be the genealogy research tool you've been missing.
Finding German hometowns can be challenging. Use these 3 free German genealogy websites to put your ancestors on the map in the former German empire and modern-day Poland.
Totally free genealogy websites so that you can actually afford to conduct genealogy research + lots of ideas how to find your ancestors for free.
An often underutilized source of self-education is the genealogical journal. Genealogical journals are one of the only ways to learn how to ...
About Colleen I’m Colleen Stutz, a professional and Accredited Genealogist.® I’ve been a researcher for over 25 years, and am also a consultant/coach. Feel free to contact me or read more about me. Subscribe Email Please enter a valid email. Send Message failed. Please try again. Thanks for your message! We’ll be in touch soon.…
Discover creative strategies for researching in burned counties to reconstruct your family's history despite record loss.
If you're searching for German ancestors, these 3 websites can be instrumental in your genealogy research.
Have you ever considered using Pinterest for your Genealogy and family history research? I started using Pinterest for my family's genealogy and I love it! It's a great way to organize the family photographs and documents found around the internet. Plus, as an added bonus, the link to the document and family photo is provided and you can easily share with family! There's no need to save old family photos to your computer (and forgetting the source). And there is no more taking other people's photographs and posting them as your own. Now, with the assistance of Pinterest, you can simply share them through a "pin." Want to learn more about using Pinterest for your family genealogy and how it can help you with your family tree? I like to think of Pinterest as an online image search engine. It's a lot like Google, Bing, and Yahoo but with a twist. Once you type in your search words your results are displayed as images and pictures. This can be very helpful for those who do family genealogy. Imagine the surprise when your ancestor's picture shows up and it's a photo you've never seen before! Plus, there is a link attached and you can click to see both the photo and the website where that picture is stored. Pinterest provides many benefits for family genealogy. 1. Pinterest gives you a place to organize your information. This information is placed onto what Pinterest calls boards. Boards can be as broad (or as specific) as you prefer. You create them and decide how to organize them. 2. Pinterest allows you to connect with family members you may have never known. Other people can find your boards and pins (images) through the Pinterest search button. 3. Pinterest also allows you to organize and save the pictures and documents you find online. You simply pin them to your boards and the link is saved along with them image. Check out our related posts about using Pinterest for Genealogy here!
picture from Bowl Full of Lemons website Wouldn't you love to be this organized! I was on Pinterest the other day and I saw this...
