Finding Information on Your Family Ancestors Online
There’s only so much you can do to find information about your ancestors from using old family records, newspapers, and such. Sometimes you have to search elsewhere, particularly if you’ve run into a road block. Finding information on your family ancestors online is one way to get past those road blocks and get back on track.
Obviously you’ll need to have a starting place when you’re searching for your family online. You may have a list of names, birth and death dates, and places of birth or death. These are a great place to begin, no matter how you go about finding your ancestors.
Obituaries are printed for everyone who passes away. If your loved one passed away after 1962, you can search the Social Security Death Index to determine exact date of death. The index will provide the person’s birth date, death date, and the place they last resided. You may also want to try Genealogy Bank which has obituaries from over 1100 newspapers dating as far back at 1977.
If you already have some information about family members from the past, you may want to search for them on other online websites. Some genealogy websites are free to access and those might be the best place to start looking if you’re new to genealogy. After you’ve learned more about your family you may want to sign up for a subscription on the membership-based genealogy sites.
Free genealogy websites you may want to check out when finding information on your family ancestors include:
* Rootsweb.com
* MyHeritage.com
* FamilySearch.org
* EllisIsland.org
* CyndisList.com
* USGenWeb.com
Each of these websites will provide you with search functions as well as give you information on the best methods to search for your family online. Many genealogy websites also have forums where people can ask for information from people around the world.
The better-known genealogy websites require paid membership. These include Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com, WorldVitalRecords.com, and OneGreatFamily.com. These paid websites can be as little as $3.33 per month or as much as $24.95 per month depending upon if you choose to access to files in the United States or worldwide. Normally you will be billed annually for your membership.
If you’re not sure a paid membership site is right for you, most of them have trial memberships between one and two weeks. That will give you ample time to do some searching, find information that will be helpful in locating your family members, and let you know if there is a need to sign up.
As with any attempt at finding information on your family ancestors online, be sure to spell their name correctly. If you’re having problems finding them, you may want to consider that the surname (last name) may have changed over time. Try variations of spellings to ensure you find the people you’re looking for.
How to Plan a Genealogy Research Vacation
Many people think genealogy is nothing more than staring at microfilm or microfiche, pouring over old dusty books in courthouses, or searching the internet to find lost family members. The truth is, genealogical research can be more than that. In fact, you can learn how to plan a genealogy research vacation which can make your family’s history come alive.
Look through your genealogy records. Check to see if there are particular locations common to your ancestors. Then choose that location and plan your vacation around it. Be sure to take paper, pen, and camera with you when you go so you can document your findings.
Try to locate long-lost cousins or other family members at the place you go. You may find someone who can add to the information you already know. They may even be able to provide you with information, names, or dates you didn’t know. And what’s better than filling in your pedigree chart and finding family you didn’t know before?
You may also want to visit the courthouse, library, or historical societies in the area. There you may be able to find a wealth of information which can lead you further down your family’s history. Or, you may be able to get copies of certificates (birth, marriage, death) for family members, which will verify what you know.
Plan a trip to local cemeteries while you’re there. Look for the headstones to the graves of family members and take photographs of each one. Gravestones usually provide birth and death dates. Another thing to consider when visiting cemeteries is that in the past families were often buried together. This may mean you can find people who are related to your ancestors that you never knew about.
Take careful notes or use an audio or video recorder or camera to help you remember things. If you’re looking through books or films, be sure to write down the call number of the microfilm, page number of any book you use, and the library you got the information from. Make photocopies of anything you can to take the information home with you.
Be prepared by knowing who it is you’re looking for, bringing the information you already have with you, and know when any buildings (courthouse, library, historical society, etc.) will be open while you’re there. Do as much research as you can before you leave so you know where you want to go, when you have to be there, and know exactly what you’re looking for when you arrive.
If you have children, don’t forget to do something fun while you’re on the hunt for long-lost family members. They may be bored, so bring something they can do to keep them occupied or see if you can get them to help you look. One goal is to learn what you can about your family but not to alienate your family that is with you in the process. Besides, after spending so much time looking for dead members of your family, you’ll be glad to spend time with the ones that are still living.
Remember to plan ahead as much as possible. This would include hotel stays if you don’t have living family at a location. When you learn how to plan a genealogy research vacation and take time for fun along the way, you may find your children also become interested enough in their family history to help you in your search.
Genealogy and Family History
Searching for one’s Genealogy and Family History and constructing the family tree is not as hard as it used to be. In the past, the tedious process began by interviewing as many people as you could find who might know something, some of which may have drawn on what can often be unreliable memories.
With the advent of the Internet, one can now use a number of tools and databases to research your facts and dates. Most people make it a point to make the Internet their first stop in mining for information about their ancestors.
However, things are not that simple. There is no single database yet where you can find all the information about your ancestors and download them.
You need therefore to learn how to use the many tools and databases available. More importantly, you must often also explore other places aside from the Internet to be able to piece together your family history.
I have just completed an update of Genealogy and Family History which sees some important additions
What To Do When You Have A Common Last Name
For all of the Smith’s and Joneses out there, it is possible to conduct genealogy research without pulling out your hair. Yes, you will have to be more diligent, patient, and thorough than the Heimerdingers of the world however; it is possible to find where your family comes from, who you’re related to and your family’s role in history. Here’s what to do when you have a common last name.
Tip #1 Organization is key. If you’re collecting information on every single Smith in the world then you’re going to have quite a mess on your hands. As you weed through information, record it by date, type of information, family, family branch and so on.
Tip #2 When searching for a common surname when ever possible include a location for the name whether it’s a city, state or country and a time period. This will help narrow your results.
Tip #3 Add common genealogical terms to your search to eliminate non-genealogy results. This is particularly important when searching online or using reference materials. Genealogy terms include words like: family, genealogy, cemetery, wedding announcements and so on. Be specific.
Tip #4 Use any unique identifies to assist your search. For example, if your great great grandmother’s maiden name was Heimerdinger, staying consistent with the name used earlier, then you’re likely to find more specific results.
Tip #5 Does the common last name come from anywhere in particular? For example, the last name Smith may be an abbreviated name when a family immigrated from another country. It could also simply be the name assigned to them when they immigrated. Immigration officials are known for doing this if they couldn’t understand or spell a person’s last name. Additionally, some last names come from occupations, for example Blacksmith. If you know the origin of the last name, you may be able to narrow your results.
Tip #6 Pay attention to family names passed from generation to generation. Many cultures have the tradition of passing along family names. So John Smith’s son will also be John Smith or Robert John Smith if they have the tradition of making the child’s middle name the father’s first name. In some cultures families share the middle name and pass it down. Knowing this information can also help you narrow your search results.
The truth is, if you have a common last name, your genealogy research is going to be a bit more challenging. Consider using a professional to help you get started or if you run into a roadblock and need help. Steer clear of the online services which promise to create a family tree for you as they’re typically full of errors and incomplete. Whether your last name is Smith, Miller, Jones or other common surname or it’s Papadapolis, building a family tree is an interesting and rewarding process. Don’t let an obstacle like a common last name stop you from receiving the benefits.
Legacy 3-packs and 5-packs
I thought that our readers would be interested to know that for the very first time Legacy are offering special deals on packs of products. They have added a new ‘Bundles/Gift Packs’ category (upper left of their online store).
Here customers who want to purchase multiple copies of Legacy products for their friends and family will get huge discounts. For example, purchasing a Legacy 7.0 Deluxe Bundle 5-pack saves you $119.55! All just in time for Christmas too at the Legacy Genealogy Software Store!
Legacy Products are $10 off
Now is the time to purchase Legacy for friends and family. The following products have a $10 discount this month:
Legacy 7.0 Deluxe Bundle
Legacy 7.0 Deluxe (with User’s Guide and CD)
Legacy 7.0 Deluxe Download Bundle
Legacy 7.0 Deluxe (Download Only)
To obtain the $10 discount simply go to Legacy Software
Latest Legacy Discount Coupon
I have just been informed of the latest and an exclusive Legacy Discount which I know readers will be interested in.
So whether it’s Legacy Software, genealogy books or Legacy Guides that you are looking for make sure to take advantage of it:
Legacy Family Tree Software Store and use the coupon NOVEMBER at the checkout.
Is Genealogy and Family Tree Making Important?
Let’s consider the question Why is Genealogy Important?
Many genealogists or family historians will tell you that genealogy is important and you may have dabbled a little with tracing your family tree. Have you thought about what the benefits of genealogy might be to you and to future generations?
Genealogy, as we know is the study of your family’s ancestors. As people become more and more involved with researching their family tree there is often a point at which they suddenly realise that it is much more than just filling out the blanks in a tree!
Genealogy plays an important role in how we view ourselves, our history, and the connections we have around the world. Both children and adults can benefit from knowing where they come from and from studying their genealogy.
Read more about Why Is Genealogy Important?
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