When you are new to family history research, it’s easy to imagine that every ancestor will fit neatly into a perfect family group: married father and mother – and their children. It doesn’t take long to discover, however, that our ancestors’ lives were as complicated as ours are today.
No matter how many years you’ve spent building your family tree on Ancestry, there’s always something new to learn. Whether it’s a brand new feature that’s just been introduced or a hidden gem you’ve never noticed, there are plenty of ways to improve your searches. Here are 7 tactics the experts use to get the most out of Ancestry.com.
In this guide we’re going to learn how to harness one of the most underused genealogical resources of the late 18th and early 19th centuries: the U.S. Censuses of 1790 to 1830. These gems can be a bit daunting with their tick marks and handwritten surnames, but they can contain some very helpful information when used correctly.
Old photos are a treasure indeed and, if you have one (or more), you want to be sure you keep your collection in the best possible condition for future generations to enjoy. We’ve gathered our ten best tips of what NOT to do with your old photographs so they survive to be treasured by your family’s next designated historian.
If you’re lucky enough to have an original letter written by one of your ancestors, it’s most likely one of your most treasured belongings. But there’s more to discover than just letters when it comes to postal records. See if you can find your ancestors in these unique collections.
MyHeritage has created two advanced photo enhancing tools that will help you get to know your ancestors in a whole new way. MyHeritage in Color, coupled with the site’s Photo Enhancer technology, can transform your old family photos into sharp and vibrant images that reveal previously hidden details.
The Genealogical Proof Standard helps genealogists sort out, verify, and document facts through simple, straightforward guidance. Does your tree hold up?
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.
If you’re among the 49% of Americans who have never listened to a podcast, there’s never been a better time to start – especially if you love learning about family history research. In this article we’ve gathered together a list of eight incredible genealogy podcasts we love.
The Hints feature has long been a cornerstone of Ancestry’s website and subscription service. If you’ve used their family tree for any length of time you are probably quite familiar with them. But, as powerful as this feature can be, it can also mislead the unwary researcher – causing confusion, incorrect assumptions and inaccurate trees.