Search Results for: blog how my ancestors came to america

Halloween Costumes That Reflect American Heritage

Genealogists might be able to rattle off a list of the countries that their ancestors came from before they immigrated to America. An interesting Halloween costume could come from the traditional outfits that are from those parts of your heritage. What if you don’t know where your ancestors came from? In that case, you could choose a Halloween costume that reflects your American heritage. One American Halloween costume idea that immediately comes to mind is Uncle Sam. Most people don’t realize that the iconic Uncle Sam, (who wants YOU to join the United States Army), was inspired by an actual … Continue reading →

Halloween Costumes Inspired by Your Ancestors

What are you going to be for Halloween this year? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you might want to look to your ancestors for inspiration. Genealogists who know their heritage can turn to their family tree in order to decide on a meaningful costume to wear this Halloween. It is going to take some planning in order to create a costume that reflects your heritage, or that resembles one of your ancestors. You may want to start now on creating your costume, so that you can get all the details just right. If you don’t want … Continue reading →

Demystifying the Social Security Death Index

The Social Security Death Index (also known as the SSDI, Social Security Master Death List, or other similar names) is perhaps the most misunderstood index that is commonly used by genealogical researchers. Why is there so much confusion about the SSDI? I am not sure exactly why, but perhaps its name suggests that its contents are more inclusive than they actually are. In today’s society, nearly every American has a Social Security number. In the 1930’s, when the Social Security program came into existence, that was not the case. Many people did not get Social Security numbers because the program … Continue reading →

Don’t Fall For A Genealogy Myth

There are many genealogy myths out there. Many have been passed around for so long that they almost seem like truth. I don’t think these myths got started due to an intent to confuse people, or to mess up other people’s genealogy research. Instead, I think these myths exist due to a misunderstanding of a family story, or out of a desire to make your ancestors seem as though they were incredibly important people. The assumption being, of course, that if your ancestors were amazing, then you must be amazing as well. No matter what reason these myths exist, you … Continue reading →

How My Ancestors Came to America

The other day, as I was taking a walk with my dad and my son, we talked a little bit about family history. I forget exactly how we arrived at the topic, but as we were talking, I found out a little bit about his parents and his grandparents. As a novice genealogy researcher, I realized that although I was interested in obtaining information about my ancestors from my dad, I was not interested in totally grilling him about everything under the sun regarding our heritage. With this in mind, I only talked about it for a little while before … Continue reading →

Mystery Solved!

My great grandfather was born to a single mother in 1898. She never disclosed who the father was, or if she did, it was kept secret by anyone who knew. She married a man within a few years of my great grandfather’s birth, and my great grandfather assumed his stepfather’s last name. It is unknown if he was ever officially adopted. I first became aware of my great grandfather’s illegitimate birth when I first began diving into my genealogy. There were a few theories as to who the biological father was: a traveling businessman, a married man, or even a … Continue reading →

Nevada Genealogy Resources

Nevada has three different state nicknames. One of them is “The Silver State”. In some families, the silverware has been passed down from one generation to the next as an heirloom. Are you searching for more information about ancestors who came from “The Silver State”? Try some of these Nevada genealogy resources! Ancestry.com has a page that is filled with links to all of their Nevada collections. To access these records, you will need to have an Ancestry.com membership. Sometimes, there will be a collection or two that is offered for free. Return to their page often. Ancestry.com makes it … Continue reading →

Genealogy Podcast Roundup – Week of May 28, 2012

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Once a week, the Genealogy Podcast Roundup brings you brand new episodes of podcasts that focus on a wide variety of genealogy related topics. This is where to go to see if your favorite genealogy podcast has released a brand new episode. It also is where to find genealogy podcasts that are new to you. Genealogy Guys released episode number 237 on May 27, 2012. In this episode, hosts Drew and George go over some genealogy news. This includes: an announcement that they will be at the Southern California Genealogical Society’s Jamboree, new webinars from RootsMagic, updates from FamilySearch, additions … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving and the Occupy Movement

Whether you support the Occupy Movement, are against it, or are somehow unaware of its existence, one thing remains true. This is a historic event. Generations from now, genealogists will wonder if any of their ancestors were part of the 99%. This year, Thanksgiving was celebrated in a different way. Holidays, and the way we celebrate them, are important. Thanksgiving is usually a day that people spend with their families, in a warm and comfortable home, surrounded by plenty of good food. It is a day to give thanks for everything that we have. Genealogists can learn a lot about … Continue reading →

How Many Children Are In Your Family?

The average number of children in an American family has changed over the years. This is due to many different factors. Right now, the average number is .94 (in other words, less than one child per family). Some families, like the Duggars, don’t match the current average. The average number of children in an American family is something that has changed over time. This is due to many different factors. In 1960, contraception became available for the first time. This allowed women to have some control over when they would start a family, and it also allowed them to space … Continue reading →