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Deciphering Old Terminology

Terminology has changed significantly since the days of our ancestors, and you are likely to run into words and phrases you don’t understand while performing your genealogical research. In time, as you read through various documents, you may begin to make some sense out of this antique jargon. Sometimes you can locate old terms in a regular dictionary, such as The Oxford English Dictionary. Genealogical dictionaries, such as Abbreviations & Acronyms: A Guide for Family Historians or What Did They Mean By That? A Dictionary of Historical and Genealogical Terms, can also be a great help for making sense of … Continue reading →

What On Earth Does That Mean?

Genealogy research involves looking at very old records, documents, and letters. Some of these important pieces of paper will include words or phrases that you have never heard of before. What on earth could that possibly mean? Deciphering it can reveal pieces of information that you will need in order to continue your genealogy research. Fortunately, there are several genealogy related dictionaries that can help you discover what those confusing terms and perplexing words actually mean. It is not unusual for your genealogy research to bring you some unexpected mysteries to solve. You may be looking forward to filling in … Continue reading →

Keeping Track of Your Cousins

When you hear people speaking about their cousins, you may hear some interesting things such as “Betty is my third cousin, twice removed”. When you hear these things, you may wonder who removed Betty or what she was removed from and why. Let’s take a look at who your cousins are, and how they get removed. You probably know who your first cousins are, the people that have two of the same grandparents that you do. To say it a different way, they are the children of your aunts and uncles. Second cousins have the same great grandparents that you … Continue reading →

Glossary of Genealogy Abbreviations

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I sometimes look back at my previous posts for inspiration for new posts, or sometimes to see which topics may need a bit more elaboration. Today I want to create an extension from my genealogy glossary post from a few weeks ago. However, rather than providing you, my readers, with more genealogy terms, I want to help you understand the many genealogy abbreviations that are often used. General Genealogy Abbreviations abt. – about (sometimes also abbreviated as a. or ab.) ad. – adopted (sometimes adCL for adopted child, adD for adopted daughter, or adS for adopted son are also used) … Continue reading →

Genealogy Glossary

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There are many words and phrases used in genealogy that we sometimes do not see or use in every day life. To succeed in genealogy, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with them. Listed here are just some of the many words and phrases you may come across during your genealogical research. There is also a list of sites that offer more comprehensive genealogy glossaries. Ahnentafal: A table of someone’s ancestors in which a numbering system is used. This word derives from the the German Ahnen meaning ancestor, and Tafel meaning table. Ancestor: Any person that someone is … Continue reading →

Dates in Genealogy

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Dates are an important piece of doing genealogy. You will be coming across dates for all types of historical events, from births and deaths, to immigrations and naturalizations, to land purchases and sales. Each date you will come across in genealogy will have its own importance to your research, and so you will want to ensure you record them accurately. There are many ways to write a date, depending on where you reside in the world, or your personal preference. In genealogy, there is a standard rule of thumb for writing dates. You should always format your dates by day, … Continue reading →

Breaking Down Genenalogical Walls With Cluster Research

Many genealogists are only interested in researching their direct descendancy, which stands to reason. We often begin genealogy with the hopes of locating our ancestors, and not all the other relatives involved. I also recommend researching this way in the beginning to avoid overwhelming yourself with too many names, dates, and places. However, eventually you will hit a brick wall in your research. To me, this is where genealogy gets really interesting. I love a good mystery! One way to break through these walls is by performing cluster research. This form of research involves looking at the siblings, aunts, uncles, … Continue reading →

Visiting Cemeteries

One of my favorite things to do on a sunny spring afternoon is walk through local cemeteries in search of ancestors who are buried there. No, I have not gone insane, nor do I have an infatuation with the dead or morbidity. Cemeteries are actually a very peaceful place to take a walk, and there is information on tombstones that can come in useful for genealogical research. Information that can be found on tombstones includes birth and death information, a woman’s maiden name, parent’s names, town of origin, and military service. You may also discover the nearby grave of an … Continue reading →

Top 5 Mistakes Made by New Genealogists

Like many new genealogists, I made a lot of mistakes when I first began researching my genealogy. To help you avoid doing the same, I have come up with a list of the top 5 mistakes that new genealogists make. 5. Not Setting a Goal Before you begin researching your family tree, it is important that you set a goal and stick with it. Choose one line of ancestors to research, and get all the information that you can about that particular family. When you hit a brick wall (and cannot locate any more information), move on to a new … Continue reading →

Documenting Your Ancestor’s Home

If you have been researching your genealogy for any amount of time, you have likely acquired a nice collection of pedigree charts, old letters, birth & death certificates, marriage licenses, baptism records, draft cards, and any other document that provides important genealogical information. You may also possess old photos of your ancestors and their families. However, you may not have considered documenting the home of your ancestors, and I am here to tell you that you should. Homes of our ancestors often hold deep sentimental value and memories for the people who once lived there. It could be that there … Continue reading →