New and Interesting this Week - 19 Oct 08

It's so easy, since I live in America, to write about U.S. resources. With a worldwide audience and worldwide interests, however, I'd like to make a concerted effort to include more blogs, Web sites and databases related to genealogy in many countries. Please feel free to email me with any suggestions for new and interesting options that you discover!

Immigrant Baggage at Ellis Island - Tim Agazio wonders what his Italian grandparents may have brought with them, and sets out to find out.

Understanding Russian Names - A great piece on the Russian names and naming patterns by Melissa Hahn. Hat tip to Schelly Talalay Dardashti.

Civil War Widows' Pension Records - Approved pension applications of widows and dependents of Union Civil War veterans who served between 1861 and 1910 just started going online at Footnote.com. Only 1% (5,000+ pages) of the total collection is available to date.

DNA Research - Which Y-DNA Test? Why? - Randy Seaver, like so many of us, is trying to decide which DNA testing company to use to maximize his return.

Halloween Hauntings...Fact or Fiction? - In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, the 58th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy highlights spooky, eerie, and haunting stories involving our ancestors. It's up to you to guess if each of these stories is fact or fiction!

A User's Guide to the General Register Office in Dublin - Eileen Ó Dúill shares her insider perspective on the family history research options available in the Dublin GRO. While on this site, also check out Lou Szucs excellent tips for Finding Immigrant Origins in the Old Country.

...'til next week.