Jenn M. One of the best parts of genealogy research in uncovering mysteries about your family. And sometimes you’ll even uncover new information about yourself. For example, you might learn you’re entitled to dual-citizenship and a second passport. This happened to me when I was in my late 20s. I knew my grandfather was a German immigrant … Read more
Whether you aren’t sure where to start researching your family tree or you’ve hit a dead-end, there’s one reliable option you can always turn to: your local library. For this week’s genealogy prompt, take some time to explore what family history resources your local library provides. They’re generally all free, and they can come with … Read more
Whether you’re looking to explore your own family history for the first time or you want to help the youth of your family gain an appreciation for their history, there are many genealogy activities for kids that can help. From the youngest members of your family to teens with an interest in where they came … Read more
Sometimes visiting your ancestors’ hometowns isn’t enough to satisfy your curiosity. If you’re looking for more information than what you’ve uncovered on your own, consider taking an organized ancestry tour. What are these? Let’s explore ancestry tours and some of the options available to you. What is an Ancestry Tour? An ancestry tour is any … Read more
Previously we talked about taking family history day trips, and how they can be good family-friendly events. But what if you’re still looking for ideas? Here’s a simple one you can do no matter where you live: visit a cemetery. Why visit a cemetery? Here are two good reasons, whether or not your ancestors are … Read more
So much of family history research happens while sitting behind a desk. But you can learn a lot from getting out and exploring too. For this week’s genealogy prompt, I’m going to suggest you take some time to enjoy a family history day trip. Why Take a Family History Day Trip? First, a family history … Read more
Have you ever taken a DNA test for genetic genealogy, such as to learn more about where your ancestors came from? If so, the service you used likely has a raw DNA data file you can download. For this week’s genealogy prompt, let’s take a quick look at what raw DNA data is in relation … Read more
You’ve no doubt seen DNA tests marketed to amateur genealogists and the more generally-curious. Perhaps you’ve taken one. Or even more than one. If so, you’ve used what’s known as genetic genealogy in your research. In this week’s genealogy prompt we’ll take a look at genetic genealogy, what it can teach you, and some of … Read more
Browsing public family trees online can be exciting. You might suddenly come across a treasure trove of information about one of your ancestors — their parents’ names, other children, or even further generations back. But that doesn’t mean making your own working tree public is a good idea. In fact, it’s much wiser to keep … Read more
Over time, even the most casual family history research can lead to more records and facts than you can recall. That means you risk forgetting about some of your favorite anecdotes. But there’s an easy solution, and it’s this week’s genealogy prompt: start a family history journal. What is a Family History Journal? There’s no … Read more