Some folks yearn for the “good old days,” when times were simpler. But just because your ancestors lacked the hectic, technology-driven lifestyles we lead today doesn’t mean they had it easy. Luckily, some of the more complicated, strenuous, and dangerous tasks they endured are now obsolete.
Hoping to get your research organized and achieve more in 2019, but are unsure just what to focus on? We’ve got some suggestions that just might help you take your family history to the next level. Consider picking one or more of these important tasks and adding them to your to-do list this year.
Having a difficult time uncovering an ancestor’s occupation? You’re not alone. This detail is a welcome addition to a family tree but if it doesn’t show up in an obvious place – like a census record – it can easily go undiscovered since many of us are unsure where else to look for this information.
Of the many techniques we have at our disposal for researching our ancestors, timelines can be among the most eye-opening and, yet, they are often forgotten – buried in an endless genealogy to-do list or put off for some future rainy day when we have more time.
DNA testing for ancestry is more popular than ever. More than 12 million Americans alone have now been tested. And with this many DNA results online in the various databases, chances are very, very good that you’re going to find hundreds of distant cousins when your results are processed.
For the family history researcher, finding a stash of old family photographs can be a true genealogy jackpot! And while our first inclination might be to hang them right up on the wall for everyone to see – this may not be the best idea. Here’s how you should handle them.
Hindsight is always 20/20, don’t you think? It’s pretty easy to take a long look back and see the error of our ways. If we had that extraordinary vision, we might save ourselves countless hours of aimless research. Having worked on my own family tree or maybe “tangle of roots,” for over thirty years now, I have come to realize that my missteps may indeed be beneficial to others. In other words, “do as I say, not as I do.”
As search engines go, Google is the undisputed king. But, while there’s much to be said about the benefits of turning to Google for genealogical research, family historians can also get great results from trying other search engines, like Bing. Here’s how to make the most of your efforts.
If your ancestors lived in the United States before 1890, you are sure to run into a frustrating gap in United States census records. Sadly, there is practically no 1890 U.S. Census left. But, luckily, there are substitute records that can help you overcome this hurdle.
If you’re one of the millions of people who received a DNA test kit for the holidays this year, you’re probably pretty excited to send in your sample and receive your results. It’s pretty thrilling, after all, to finally discover how much Irish you really are, or if Grandma Jane was right when she said you had a distant Native American ancestor. But, if you’re not familiar with how these tests work you might also be feeling some confusion and trepidation.