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Use Your Genealogy Research to Help Others

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The genealogy research that you do is important! You might be creating the only record of your family tree that has ever existed. In addition to learning more about your own family, you can use your genealogy related skills to help out others. Here are a few suggestions about how to do that. There used to be a website called Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, (or RAOGK). It was run by a woman named Bridgett Schneider. The website started in 1999 and ended in 2011 when Bridgett, who was 64 years old, passed away. The original website for RAOGK is … Continue reading →

So You Think Someone Already Did Your Family Tree?

With all of the wonderful options for building and sharing family trees online, you may wonder whether you will have to do any digging through record books in order to trace your own family history. While it is possible that others have already done some of the research that you need to fill in the branches of your family tree, it is very likely that you will still have to do some research of your own. It is also possible that you may have to quite a bit of research on your own if the information that you find has … Continue reading →

How to Trace Your Ancestors

There is a page on Facebook that is called “How to Trace Your Ancestors”. It seems to be designed to help new genealogists learn how to do some basic aspects of genealogy, how to get started, and what to do. A closer look at the links on the Facebook info page raise some questions about how good this really is for brand new genealogists. Genealogy is a hobby that is growing in popularity. As such, there seem to be new genealogy websites popping up all over the place. It isn’t unusual for these types of websites to try and attract … Continue reading →

Organizing Your Genealogy Information

Genealogy research sure does create a lot of “stuff”. Whether you are just starting out on your family history research or you have been researching for a while, you have more than likely notice that you have a lot of piles of paper and other things that are accumulating as you progress in your quest for information about your ancestors. The question of what to do to organize all of your genealogy “stuff” can be overwhelming, depending upon how much “stuff” you have. It is not impossible though, and the sooner you get everything organized and stored in a way … Continue reading →

Finding Your Ancestors With Google

Today it is not uncommon for you to Google someone’s name when you want to know more about them. From that nice woman you met at the park who has kids the same age as yours to the young man that your teenage daughter wants to go out with this Friday night, you can find details about just about anyone by doing a Google search for their name. In fact, some people Google their own names regularly to see what information about them is “out there” for all to see – reputation management, if you will. With all of this … Continue reading →

Celebrate Your Irish Heritage This Week

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March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, a day that is a big deal if you have Irish heritage. If you are like me, then you grew up very aware that some of your ancestors came to America from Ireland. Perhaps your genealogy research was how you first discovered your Irish roots. Either way, this week is a good time to explore more about the Irish side of your family tree. St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th every year. This week is the perfect time to check out some bagpipe and drum bands in a parade, or in an Irish … Continue reading →

Celebrate Your Middle Name Today

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Celebrate Your Name Week is nearly over for this year. Have you been following along? If not, it’s ok to backtrack and catch up on what you have missed. Genealogists can use the ideas and concepts presented as part of CYNW as motivation to continue their genealogy research in new directions. Everyone can have fun learning more about their name, and the names of their friends and family. Celebrate Your Name Week(CYNW) takes place between Sunday, March 6, 2011, and Saturday March 12, 2011. Each day is dedicated to a particular way to celebrate your name. Today is “Middle Name … Continue reading →

Gifts for Your Irish Relatives

Are you Irish? I am one-quarter Irish, which means that quite a few of my relatives have Irish heritage, too. Every Christmas, we search for gifts to give each other that reflect, and celebrate, our Irish roots. Sometimes, we even start our Christmas shopping in March, around St. Patrick’s Day, when it’s easy to find a lot of Irish stuff. If you happen to be searching for gifts to give to your Irish relatives this year, I have some excellent suggestions. If you are searching for something fancy, you cannot possibly go wrong with a gift of Waterford crystal. Their … Continue reading →

Misconceptions About Genealogy Research

There are some common misconceptions that surround genealogy research. Many people who are new to genealogy come to it with certain beliefs about how to determine who their ancestors are. If you aren’t careful, you might accidentally be adding people to your family tree whom you are not related to. Or, you could be frustrated because your research is not going the way you thought it would. First of all, it is important to use reliable resources when you do your research. Some good places to start are with the more well known genealogy websites. Try Ancestry.com, or FamilySearch. Using … Continue reading →

Make Your Family Tree Into a Work of Art

Genealogy is a hobby that involves spending lots of time and energy doing research, and gathering up pages and pages of information. Once you have compiled enough data, you can start putting together your family tree. But, then what do you do with it? Many genealogists end up with a lot of papers, with lists of names and dates. Most people will not feel that these pages of information are aesthetically pleasing enough on their own to hang up on your wall, and have other people view. So, how can you share your genealogy work with other people? One great … Continue reading →