Ancestral Findings Podcast: AF-023: What Happened to the 1890 Census, and What You Can Use to Fill in Its Blanks

---

What happened to the 1890 census? It may be gone, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on 20 years of your ancestors’ lives. Use these records instead.

---

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript

Finding Unnamed Ancestors on the 1790-1840 Censuses

---

Have you used the 1790-1840 census records in your genealogy research? Many beginning genealogists skip these valuable record sources because they do not believe they will include anything useful for them. After all, these early census records only recorded the names of the heads of households. Everyone else in the household was nameless, though the 1810-1840 census records break down males and females in each household by age group and free or slave status. The 1840 census even lists how many people living in the household are Revolutionary War veterans. This might not seem like much to go on to discover the people who lived with your early ancestors (and discover new ancestors in the process), but it can be done. You just have to know where to look for clues to the identities of those check marks under the gender and age categories on these old census records. Here’s how to do it...

Read More

This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups

---

Maine and New Hampshire Settlers, 1600s-1900s

Discover this sweeping collection of vital records, local histories, pension records, gravestone inscriptions, probate records, and census records. Comprehensive in its coverage of early Maine and New Hampshire, this database references approximately 331,000 individuals.

Early North Carolina Settlers, 1700s-1900s

This unique collection is comprehensive in its coverage of early North Carolina marriage records, death records, land records, historical sketches, and biographies referencing approximately 200,000 individuals. While the books focus on North Carolina genealogy and history, you’ll often find record of South Carolina ancestors.

Early Louisiana Settlers, 1600s-1800s

Comprehensive in its coverage of early Louisiana, this unique collection of census records, family histories, military records, and immigration records references approximately 57,000 individuals.

Massachusetts Genealogical Records, 1600s-1800s

Containing 24 volumes of vital records, family histories, passenger lists, military records, census data, and cemetery records, this collection provides an excellent cross-section of early Massachusetts genealogical data.

What is a Haplogroup and What Can It Tell You About Your Family Tree?

---

If you get your DNA tested, chances are you will come across the term “haplogroup.” What is a haplogroup and how does it pertain to your family history? At its essence, a haplogroup is an ancestral clan. Some clans are the Vikings, Native Americans (all tribes), Celts, Aborignal Australians, and other such groups. Your haplogroup tells you where your ancestors came from deep back in time.

There are also male and female haplogroups, so you can see where your male and female sides of the family originated back in pre-historic times. As with Y-DNA (which traces the male line from father to son) and mtDNA (which traces the female line from mother to daughter), haplogroups also follow straight male and female descendancy lines...

Read More

Joining a Surname Study: Where to Find Them and What You Can Get Out of Them

---

Surname studies are some of the most basic of genealogical study groups. They have been around for at least a century, and maybe more. The purpose of a surname study group is to get people together who have the same surname (or have direct ancestors with the same surname) and allow them to share genealogical information on their families. The aim is for people involved in the study to gain more insights into their own family trees and connect with genetic cousins or long lost relatives through the information that is shared. You can find out a lot about your ancestors of a particular surname through a surname study...

Read More

Genealogy Podcast-022: The Real Truth Behind Coats of Arms and Family Crests

---

AF-022: The Real Truth Behind Coats of Arms and Family Crests

Are you interested in knowing more about your family coat of arms? First, be sure your family actually has one. Here is the truth behind family coats of arms…

---

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript

---

Identifying the Era of a Photo By its Type

---

Identifying your old family photographs is a lot easier if you know the era in which they were taken. Knowing the era gives you a better clue as to who the people in it might be. If you can narrow down the photo’s era and the location where it was taken (even if it’s just a general location), you can usually ID the people in the photos with a high degree of certainty, depending on how familiar you are with the people on your family tree.

Here is a basic tutorial of the early photograph types, when they were used, and how to identify them.

Read More

This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups

Colonial New Jersey Source Records, 1600s-1800s

Comprehensive in its coverage of colonial New Jersey, these books references approximately 330,000 individuals in a unique collection of church, court, land, marriage, military, and probate records.

Early Kentucky Settlers, 1700s-1800s

Comprehensive in its coverage of early Kentucky, these books include a unique collection of court, marriage, military, and probate records. In all, approximately 225,000 individuals are referenced within the pages from twelve books.

Early West Virginia Settlers, 1600s-1900s

This resource is comprised of fourteen books. This unique collection of family and local histories, marriage records, military records, and court records references approximately 200,000 individuals. You’ll find a list of all Revolutionary War soldiers who ever lived in West Virginia and an index to civilians who participated in the War effort.

Maryland Settlers and Soldiers, 1700s-1800s

In records ranging from newspaper abstracts and marriage licenses to military diaries and cemetery transcriptions, this resource identifies approximately 313,000 of Maryland’s settlers and soldiers.

DNA Testing: What the Different Types Can Tell You

DNA testing is a very popular way of doing genealogy these days. It can open doors and solve mysteries that no records exist to solve. DNA does not lie, either. It always tells you the truth about who you are and who your family is. There are three main types of DNA testing that are done in modern genealogical research. Here’s what each type is and what it can tell you. You can use this information to decide which type of DNA testing is best for your own particular research purposes and goals. This way, you will always be sure to get the information you need to crack those genealogical mysteries...

Read More

Life in a nutshell … (Genetoon #28

Life in a nutshell …

(Genetoon #28)

Genetoons is a simple, one-panel, Genealogy cartoon for the whole family to enjoy. Using a Genealogical idea or fact, I want the reader to laugh! I hope you enjoy them.

View More

Genealogical Numbering: What is it and How to Use It

If you've ever looked at online family trees or family trees in professional genealogy books or other publications, you have probably seen numbers by the names of individuals on the trees. While there are a few different methods for numbering your genealogy, all of the numbering systems have one purpose… to help you keep things organized so you can easily find and identify individuals and their relationships to other individuals on your family tree. Most numbering systems display in the order of the descendants of a given person, while the Ahnentafel system numbers people according to their ancestry to a certain individual.

Here are the most common genealogical numbering systems and how to use them.

Read More

Ancestral Findings Podcast: #21

AF-021: What’s the Deal With DNA? Using DNA to Trace Your Family History

Have you considered using DNA to help trace your family tree? If not, you should. DNA can unlock long standing genealogical mysteries. Here’s how it works…

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript

This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups

---

Early Texas Settlers, 1700s-1800s

Ranging from genealogical sketches to passenger lists and a history of the settlement of Texas, the eight books collected here are comprehensive in their coverage of early Texas.

Connecticut, 1600s-1800s Local and Family Histories

This book collection includes both family histories and local histories. Together, they give you the opportunity to learn not only about when and where your ancestors lived but how they lived as well.

Early Georgia Settlers, 1700s-1800s

Approximately 106,000 individuals are referenced within this unique collection of immigration records, biographical sketches, census records, and family histories. This collection of books is especially useful because much of the information was collected from local sources and covers the period of time before Georgia began keeping records of vital events (in 1919).

Early South Carolina Settlers, 1600s-1800s

Among the unique books included, you'll find a comprehensive account of Scotch-Irish immigration to South Carolina as well as a list of passengers who arrived in Charleston between 1820 and 1829. Among the resources is an index to all wills recorded in South Carolina before 1782.

Tracing Your Pennsylvania Ancestors

Do you have Pennsylvania ancestors but don’t know how to get started tracing them? There are plenty of resources available to you. As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania has a long history and a lot of records available for tracing your ancestors who lived there. Some sources are online, some are offline, some are free, and some have a membership fee to access. They are all worthwhile in using in your Pennsylvania research. Here are the best sources for beginning your search...

Read More

How to Select the Right Family Tree Software

When you start researching your family tree, you are going to need an easy and convenient way to keep all of the information organized and accessible in one place. Family tree software makes this possible, allowing you to add information and sources with ease, delete information you later discover is incorrect, and look up people with a simple use of the index (rather than sorting through untold generations on a family tree chart). Let’s face it, you can’t keep track of everything on note cards… family tree software is a must.

But, there are a lot of different types of family tree software programs out there. How do you decide which one is the best one for you? Here are some of the most important things you must consider when choosing the family tree program you will use to organize and keep accurate track of your research...

Read More

Using eBay to Further Your Genealogical Research

Have you ever considered using eBay to research your family history? It can really be a big help in getting you over research bumps and can even help you make new discoveries. You don’t even have to purchase anything to make the good discoveries, though sometimes you may want to, especially if you find something particularly rare and valuable. If you have never considered eBay as a potential source of genealogical research, you are missing out on some potentially terrific discoveries. Here is a comprehensive tutorial on how to get started with eBay for genealogical research and what you might find through this famous online auction site...

Read More

Ancestral Findings Podcast: AF-020: Tax Records: More Information Than You Think

   

---

AF-020: Tax Records: More Information Than You Think

Have you started using tax records to research the lives of your ancestors? If not, you should. Tax records offer a lot of information you never imagined...

---

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript

---

The Troubleshooter’s Guide to Do-It-Yourself Genealogy

Genealogy Book Club

Here’s another genealogy research book I’d recommend. The essential follow-on guide from the author of our classic “Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors,” this book shows advanced do-it-yourselfers how to tackle common research problems!

Leading genealogy author W. Daniel Quillen picks up where he left off in “Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors” in this newly revised second edition. He shows do-it yourself genealogists who have progressed past his beginning steps exactly how to find their ancestors with more advanced methods of researching those hard-to-find ancestors. Quillen tells readers how to overcome those difficult roadblocks that frequently crop up. Investigative techniques, research insights and new websites are highlighted to assit with more advanced genealogical research. Areas covered include in-depth census research; mortality schedules; extensive section on military records; US region-by-region research assistance; global research tips; and when to engage the services of a professional genealogist and what you can expect. Family Chronicle magazine praised Quillen’s work as displaying “passion and a touch of humor.”…

Read More

This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups

Colonial Virginia Source Records, 1600s-1700s

Comprehensive in its coverage of colonial Virginia, these books references approximately 353,000 individuals in a unique collection of family histories, local histories, military records, court records, newspaper abstracts, tax lists, and marriage records.

Early Tennessee Settlers, 1700s-1900s

Here you'll find 14 books comprehensive in their coverage of early Tennessee. The cemetery records, vital records, biographical sketches, family histories, probate records, census returns and pension lists reference approximately 165,000 individuals.

Pennsylvania Colonial Records, 1600s-1800s

Discover this significant collection of books comprehensive in their coverage of colonial Pennsylvania. Approximately 190,000 individuals are referenced within the newspaper abstracts, naturalization records, land records, court records, and family histories.

Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1700s-1900s

More than 135,000 Virginia settlers are mentioned in this collection of deeds, marriages, and wills.

What is an Abstract and Why Do You Need to Use Them in Genealogy Research?

What is a genealogical abstract? It is something you may come across in the research of other people when you are exploring records. Plainly speaking, an abstract in genealogy is an inventory of the most important details of a genealogical document. Abstracts are usually used when people are researching in the field and do not have the means or the permission to make a photocopy or computerized scan of a document. They can use abstracting to quickly get all the important points out of the document, so they can input it into their research on their family tree software later.

The trick to abstracting is to be able to quickly scan a genealogical document and decide what is really important to know and what can be left out. You want to include the important names, dates, and places, such as... Read More

Ancestral Findings Podcast: AF-019: Genealogy Basics: Death Record Research Advice for Beginners

   

---

AF-019: Genealogy Basics: Death Record Research Advice for Beginners

Using death records is a basic part of genealogy research. In fact, for many genealogists, it is the first type of record set they learn to use. This is because death records are readily available to the general public in most cases, and because they usually contain a wealth of important family history information. If you haven’t yet learned how to use death records in your genealogy research and don’t know what they can offer you, here’s what you need to know to get started with them...

---

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript

---

AF-018: Research Basics: A Short Introduction to Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors

---

AF-018: Research Basics: A Short Introduction to Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors

Do you have a Revolutionary War ancestor? Are you not sure, but want to find out? Knowing you have one or more Revolutionary War ancestors on your family tree is not only a source of pride… your family helped make this country free… it can also get you into Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the American Revolution, both of which are very prestigious lineage societies. If you’re looking for a Revolutionary War ancestor in your family tree or know you have one and want to find out more about his life to discover what kind of a person he was, then here is how you do it…

---

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes.
• Click Here to Subscribe via RSS feed.
• Download this Episode
• Read Transcript