| Genealogy Articles - Research Tips and How-Tos | |
25 FREE Ways to Research Your Family
Tree Online
Web sites around the world contain free information of use to family
tree researchers including birth, marriage, death, military and census
records, ships passenger lists, surnames, wills, photos and much more!
Here are twenty-five of the best.
Beginner's
Guide to Researching Your French Ancestry
Genealogy research in France is easier than most people believe
due to their excellent record keeping. Learn about the major sources for
genealogical information in France, including the information contained
by the various records, and how to obtain copies.
Civil
Registration in England and Wales
A guide to birth, death, and marriage records in England and Wales
including how to locate the records, how to obtain certificates from
both the UK and abroad, what information is included on the
certificates, and what to do if you can't locate a record for your
ancestor.
Documenting
Your Sources
A brief explanation of what source documentation is, and
examples and links for citing a wide variety of sources in your own
family genealogy research. By Ralph Bishop.
Finding Your Ancestors on the Internet
Essential Web searching strategies and techniques for finding
surnames and family Web pages on the Internet.
GEDCOM
101
What exactly is a GEDCOM and how do you read one? Learn everything
you need in this introduction to GEDCOM files and get started on the
road to sharing family tree information with others!
Genealogy
Research in the Cemetery - Step By Step
Everything you need to know to find your ancestors in cemeteries,
including what you can learn from cemeteries and cemetery records, how
to locate cemeteries, and what you should bring and do to make your
visit a success.
How
To Do a Tombstone Rubbing
Tombstone
rubbings are commonly used by family history researchers as a method for
preserving a stone's inscription. Learn how to do a tombstone rubbing safely,
and when to use an alternative method of documentation.
How
to Find Your Ancestor's Maiden Name
Discovering
the maiden name of a female ancestor is often difficult, but can lead to a whole
new branch of your family tree! Try some of these ideas to help you with your
search.
How
to Find Your U.S. Immigrant Ancestor (1538-1819)
Prior to 1820, the United States government made no effort to make lists
of immigrants arriving in this country, but don't give up! There are many other
sources for colonial immigration records available to you.
How
to Request French Genealogy Records by Mail or Post
If you can't get in a visit to France to research your French ancestry,
some archivists might be willing to look up a record for you. They are under no
obligation to do so, but these tips will help increase your chance of success!
How
to Share Your Genealogy Files
Sharing information is second nature to most genealogists, but trading
database files is not always as easy as it sounds. Here's how to do it
correctly.
How
to Use Soundex Codes
Soundex is a phonetic coding system used to group together surnames that
sound alike (SMITH/SMYTH). This helps to find a surname in census documents and
surname databases, even though it may have been recorded under various spellings.
Invisible
Women Ancestors
Try these special strategies for uncovering hard to find
information about the female ancestors in your family tree including the
best resources for finding maiden names.
Making
Sense of the U.S. Census
What exactly is the U.S. Census and what can you discover about your
ancestors from these records? Learn how to do research in the U.S.
Census including how to locate the records, what information is
available for each year and tips for dealing with discrepancies.
Researching
Your U.S. Civil War Ancestor
Tips on
researching your Civil War ancestor including how to find if they served,
learning about their experiences, and preserving the information. By Ralph
Bishop.
Top
Ten Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid
Ten key mistakes that you will want to avoid in your genealogy
research including hints, tips and strategies for a successful search.
