One of the difficulties researchers with Welsh ancestry face is pinpointing the location of ancestors possessing surnames. Authorities John and Sheila Rowlands have taken some of the difficulty out of this process in the updated version of their book, The Surnames of Wales, by showing the greatest areas of concentration where such surnames do and[…]Read more
Category: Genealogy Tips
Val Greenwood on the Importance of Wills
From time to time we have printed excerpts from the 4th Edition of The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, by Val Greenwood, to illustrate the wisdom and value of the guidance it provides researchers. Here are some recommendations Mr. Greenwood conveys about the importance of wills and probate records in genealogical research, with references to[…]Read more
Don’t Go Barking Up the Wrong Family Tree
One of the best things about the fourth edition of The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy is that it not only tells you about the records and where to find them, but it also cautions you about the blind alleys and dead ends you may encounter along the way. Here are a few cautionary tips[…]Read more
Credentials for Putting Out Your Genealogy Shingle
Are you wondering what to do once you finish tracing your personal family tree? Are you helping someone else (maybe an elderly friend) research his or hers? Have you found your bliss in genealogical detective work, and now you want to take it to the professional level? Maybe even make a career out of it? […]Read more
SOURCES OF THE IRISH DIASPORA from JOHN GRENHAM
When Americans recall the Irish Potato Famine, they immediately think of the hundreds of thousands who emigrated to the U.S. between 1846 and 1851. But during that famine and at other times, Irish emigrants ventured to many other parts of the world, notably the British Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, elsewhere in Europe, and Latin[…]Read more
“Reasoning from Evidence,” by Thomas W. Jones, PH.D., CG, CGL, FASG
“Genealogy Pointers” continues with its practice of excerpting sections from Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (Progen PPS), edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. Today we have lifted the beginning pages of Chapter 12, “Reasoning from Evidence,” which was prepared by Dr. Thomas W. Jones. We are sure you will agree that even in these scant[…]Read more
TIPS FROM GARY BOYD ROBERTS ON HOW TO SEARCH ROYAL DESCENTS OF 900 IMMIGRANTS
You may be a satisfied owner of The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or the United States (RD 900), or you may be considering acquiring a set of these marvelous books. Either way, you may appreciate the following suggestions from author and expert genealogist Gary Boyd Roberts on how[…]Read more
New Church Record Book Specifies Records of Major Denominations
Another great feature of How to find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist’s Guide, by Sunny Jane Morton and Harold A. Henderson, is the chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the kinds of records that were kept by the 12 major denominations in the United States as of 1900. For each denomination covered, the authors[…]Read more
Genealogy at a Glance: Kentucky Genealogy Research – Michael A. Ports
Designed to cover the basic elements of Kentucky genealogical research in just four pages, this addition to our Genealogy at a Glance series gives you as much useful information in the space allotted as you’ll ever need. Specially laminated for heavy use, it provides an overview of the facts required to begin and proceed successfully[…]Read more
Linda MacLachlan’s Connecticut Vital Record Book Identifies Sources Not Indexed in Barbour Collection
Writing in the Introduction to her recent volume, Finding Early Connecticut Vital Records: The Barbour Index and Beyond, author Linda MacLachlan explains the scope of her ten-year study thusly: “This book goes beyond the Barbour Index by adding six more towns to create a bibliography for all 149 Connecticut towns incorporated by 1850. It also[…]Read more
“Bogus Stories of Military Ancestors Can Confound Family Historians,” by Richard Hite
(The following article was excerpted from Chapter 7 of Sustainable Genealogy, entitled “Military Service of Ancestors.”) “When I hear of some of the wildly exaggerated claims of the military exploits of my own ancestors and anyone else’s, I am reminded of “The Battle of Mayberry” episode of the Andy Griffith Show. In one episode, Opie’s[…]Read more
Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary, by Martha McCartney
Unprecedented Biographical Dictionary of Early Virginians puts flesh on bare bones of Founders. “On May 13, 1607, Virginia’s first colonists came ashore on what became known as Jamestown Island. The next day, they commenced establishing an outpost they called James Cittie or Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the United States. The 104 colonists[…]Read more