Genealogy Research Tips and Tricks

Feeling a Bit Overwhelmed by Your Research? Here’s Why

Family history research is one of the most popular hobbies on earth, and one of the most enjoyable. But it’s also easy to get overwhelmed by everything you’ve collected. Here’s why this might be happening to you, and how to fix it.

10 Things Family Historians Find the Most Annoying

OK, OK, we promise this article is all in good fun. After all, we genealogists are usually fairly easy-going folks, and goodness knows we’re patient — after all, we’ve waited ten whole years for the 1950 census! But, alas, sometimes even the best of us let things get under our skin (even if we know we shouldn’t).

Why Local Libraries and Archives Are Still Vital to Your Research

Ever-growing access to online records means that many family history researchers aren’t taking advantage of physical repositories like they used to. But, as we discuss in this article about the important of offline records, a great deal of what we need to really understand our ancestors still cannot be found digitally.

Use This Search to Access 1960-2010 Census Details

The U.S. Census Age Search for years 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 involves restrictions, guidelines, and even fees – but it all might well be worthwhile if it helps you to fill in more recent blanks in your family tree.

10 Ways to Improve Your Family Tree in 10 Minutes or Less

Unlike most projects, you’re never truly “done” with genealogy. Tracing your family’s history can easily become a lifelong pursuit. Locating relevant records, uncovering family stories and overcoming brick walls can take years, or even decades. Therefore, you may wonder what you can possibly accomplish in a mere ten minutes. In reality, though, this short amount of time can be more than enough to make real improvements to your family tree. 

Finding the Hidden Clues in First Names: A Starter Guide

As original as a child’s first name might seem, it often offers clues into a family’s near and, sometimes, very distant past. Given names link generations of family through repetition and can be a powerful tool to push our research to greater depths. To shed an even brighter light on this research opportunity we must understand the influences behind naming traditions.