Discovering your Family History: |
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Perhaps you have already embarked on that journey, to acquaint your children and grandchildren with past generations, and preserve your own life story for them. These are priceless legacies that future generations will treasure!
Or maybe you are a student researching your family tree for a school assignment.
Perhaps you were adopted, and are searching for your birth family. Or maybe, as an African American, you are trying to discover who your ancestors were, and where they were from.
You might be looking for ways to expand on your family tree research, or to try to get past some “roadblocks” or “brick walls” that are preventing you from getting farther back in your search for ancestors.
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Whatever your reason for doing family tree research, it is an amazing pastime, which can, at different times, be frustrating, challenging, and exhilarating. It has many rewards - not the least of which is that you become familiar with your ancestors, and the problems that they faced in the course of living out their daily lives.
My goal is to help you get beyond just names and dates on a page; to get to know more about your ancestors, so that you know their life stories.
As you learn more about their lives, you soon begin to realize that they left a legacy, in terms of work ethic, morality, attitudes, and general outlook on life, which may have been passed down, in one form or another, to the present day.
In my 15+ years of researching my family tree and, more recently, assisting others with breaking down their “brick walls”, I have learned a great deal about genealogy research, which I am happy to share with you.
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The pages on this site will focus mainly on researching family history in the United Kingdom, the U.S., and Canada, as my research has taken me mostly to those areas.
I will talk about the various types of documents, records, and other memorabilia available, and where you can locate free genealogy websites and resources (or relatively inexpensive ones), to uncover the past, in the course of doing family tree research in those countries.
However, the general concepts discussed, and the methods used, are applicable to genealogy research in many other places in the world, although the specific details of where to find particular types of family history documents or evidence may vary from location to location.
I would also invite you to share your experiences and knowledge. Given the large number of internet sites dealing with family history on the internet, it is not possible to be familiar with them all.
If you know of a great free genealogy site with resources for one of the topics I have written about, or if you can add to the information I have posted by sharing your experience, or perhaps your triumphs or frustrations in the course of tracing your family tree, please post your comments and stories! It will help others, and others can help you! Many of the pages have invitations at the bottom, which allow you to present your story and add photographs.
In short, together, we can bring your family history, and that of others, to life!
Table of Contents
| Site Search Search for specific words within the familyhistoryalive.com site. Search results will appear on this page. |
| Family History Alive! Blog The Family History Alive! Blog will keep you up to date on any new developments on the familyhistoryalive.com site. Subscribe here. |
| Flip-Pal mobile scanner Now Available in Canada FamilyHistoryAlive is now a reseller in the Canadian marketplace for the Flip-Pal mobile scanner! Avoid cross-border fees and foreign exchange transaction fees! Buy your Flip-Pal from a Canadian! |
| Canadian Military Records: An Introduction Canadian military records date back to the 1600s, but were created and maintained first by France and then by Britain. Although Canada had its own military forces from 1871, it was World War I before |
| UK Military Records The main sources for UK military records are the National Archives and the UK Ministry of Defence. Many of these records are online and searchable. Other sites have records back to the 1300s which |
| Family Tree Research: Getting Started Where and how do you start family tree research? Can you trace your tree free, or inexpensively? These are common questions when considering tracing the family tree. |
| Family History Tips Provides family history tips regarding how to get started doing family history research |
| When is my Family Tree Complete? Is my family tree complete with only direct ancestors? Should it include collateral lines? Family history always involves interaction with siblings, and staying too narrow may give an incomplete pict |
| Family Tree Software and Templates There are number of different family tree software programs available today, many of them free. There also are family tree templates, should you choose to record everything by hand. |
| Origin of Surnames Have you ever wondered about the origin of surnames? In the British Isles, they had a number of sources: from sons of fathers, to nicknames, places where they lived, and occupations or offices. |
| UK Naming Conventions This webpage examines the naming conventions that most UK families followed in naming their children. Sometimes the pattern would vary if a sibling died, with the next child named after the deceased. |
| Surname Variations and Name Changes Surname variations are frequent in genealogy, as names often were recorded phonetically. They also can change due to illegitimacy followed by the mother's (re)marriage, anglicization, or identity cha |
| Evidence Standards in Genealogy In genealogy research, we all find conflicting documents. Evidence standards help to determine which documents are more reliable. Categories include primary or secondary, & direct or indirect evide |
| Family Movies, Slides, Photos and Videos We all have priceless family history documents, such as family movies, slides, photos, and videos that are not accessible due to old technology. Preserve them by converting them to digital format |
| The Family Bible: Records of Family Births and Deaths The family Bible, with its pages for recording parents and children, births and deaths, can confirm relationships between siblings, as well as birth order and death dates. A good genealogy source! |
| Family History Research done by Other Family Members Other family members may already have done some family history research regarding your family. If you use it, find supporting documentation for every entry before adding it to your family tree. |
| Scrapbooks: Great Family History Resources Old scrapbooks can be excellent sources of family history information. They usually contain newspaper clippings of friends and relatives, as well as obituaries, marriage and birth announcements. |
| Diaries, Trip Journals, and Circular Letters Diaries, trip journals, and circular letters all are important sources of information regarding the day-to-day lives of our ancestors. In addition to events, they reveal the writer's personality. |
| Canadian Census: An Introduction The Canadian census is a great source of information about family units and relationships, and provides details about migration patterns and the movement of families as new areas opened for settlement |
| UK Census: An Introduction Discusses the history of the UK census, and talks about those available for family history research. |
| US Census The US census documents from 1850 and on (1870 and on for African Americans) are a real goldmine to the genealogist. They provide information on where an ancestor was at a specific place and time. |
| Canadian Vital Records: Births, Marriages, and Deaths An introduction to Canadian vital records, including where to look for births, marriages, and deaths, since there is no central depository for these records |
| Canadian Divorce Records Canadian divorce records are divided between the federal and provincial archives and courts. As there was no federal Divorce Act until 1968, provinces either passed their own legislation or followed |
| Vital Records in the UK The recording of UK vital records has varied over time, as have the ways of commemorating births, marriages, and deaths. Free genealogy websites are providing more and more parish and civil records, |
| Tombstones and Cemeteries This page illustrates the types of family history information that can be found on tombstones in cemeteries. |
| Parish Chest Records: Scotland Parish chest records |
| Parish Chest Records: England, Ireland, and Wales Parish chest records included many more records than births, marriages and deaths. A few examples: vestry minutes, parish constables' accounts, and churchwarden's accounts, all naming parishioners. |
| Poor Laws: Parish Chest Records Under the poor laws, UK parishes were required to look after their poor. Parish chest records resulting from these laws included bastardy bonds, apprenticeship records, and removal orders. |
| Tithe and Glebe Terrier Accounts Tithe income and rent from glebe lands supported Anglican clergymen in the UK from the 1500s to the 1800s. Tithing maps (1837-1851) reveal owners/occupiers of land, and tithes payable in cash. |
| Canadian Wills and Estates Wills and estates in Canada are based on the British common law, except for Quebec. Wills most commonly are found in provincial archives, in local courts, or in a Land Titles file, when the property |
| Probate Records - Wills and Estates - England and Wales Probate records (wills and administered estates) are fairly easy to find after 1858 in England and Wales. Prior to that year, however, there was a hierarchy of ecclesiastical courts that handled prob |
| Canadian Land Grants and Homesteading The British and French governments enticed immigrants to settle in Canada by offering free Canadian land grants. Rigorous improvements to the land had to be made before full title was granted. |
| Canadian Criminal Records Canadian criminal records exist at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. To find records of an ancestor's imprisonment, you need to know when and where he was convicted, and of what crime. |
| UK Criminal Records and Your Family Tree UK criminal records can contain details about your ancestors that simply are not available elsewhere, such as physical description, next of kin, address and occupation at time of arrest, and many othe |
| Naturalization in Canada Prior to 1947, immigrants to Canada who were not from the United Kingdom could petition for naturalization. These records may contain clues to ancestral origins that were not otherwise recorded. |
| Ship Manifests: Tracking Immigration to Canada Ship manifests, or passenger lists, are the main way to track immigration to Canada. They can provide the names of relatives in both countries, as well as destination, occupation, and family members |
| Archived Newspapers: Excellent Genealogy Resources Archived newspapers are excellent sources of family history information. They can provide details of addresses, family relationships, occupations, etc, that are difficult to find elsewhere. |
| Family History Tours: Visiting the Village of your Forefathers Family history tours of the ancestral villages where your forebears lived: an unexpectedly eerie and emotional journey back in time! Read about my journey back to my roots in England. |
| Family History Tours: Arranging your Own Family history tours are becoming more and more popular, as family historians express a desire to see the ancestral villages and discover more about their forebears. Plan your own trip now! |
| Low-Cost Airfares, Accommodations, and Rental Cars This page provides links to companies which provide low-cost airfares, accommodation, and rental cars, for family history tours, and any other kind of vacation. |
| Genetic Genealogy: DNA Testing applied to family history The use of DNA for family history purposes is a relatively new science. Genetic genealogy combines science and ancestry research to assist in verifying suspected relationships between individuals or |
| Y-Chromosome DNA Testing: Genetic Genealogy and Male Ancestors Genetic genealogy has the potential to reveal secrets our ancestors thought they had taken to the grave. The Y-chromosome DNA test can identify a man's male ancestors and find male genetic cousins. |
| mtDNA Testing: Genetic Genealogy and Maternal Ancestors Both males and females can find common female ancestors using mtDNA testing. A mother passes her mtDNA to all her children, and her daughters pass it on down the female line. |
| DNA Surname Projects:Genetic Genealogy and Shared Surnames DNA surname projects involve a group of males sharing a surname all taking a Y-chromosome test, to find out whether they are related, and if so, approximately how far back a common ancestor lived. |
| DNA Testing: Tracing Family Trees <with Family Finder and Relative Finder Tests The Family Finder and Relative Finder Tests, available since early 2010, rely on recombined DNA testing. Matches mean a common ancestor. Find genetic cousins; add to your family tree! |
| Brick Walls in Family History Research Brick walls: every family history researcher has them. A fresh pair of eyes can help, but painstaking, slow detective work usually is needed to break down those walls. |
| Using DNA to Break Down Brick Walls DNA testing often is used, in combination with family tree information, to attempt to break through brick walls. This page chronicles my first attempt at using DNA results in this way. |
| Intermarriage in the Extended Family: Family Trees withTangled Branches Family tree research can get complicated, and genealogies confusing, with the intermarriage of extended family members from two or more branches of the tree! The embedded song sums it all up nicely. |
| Bad Apples, Nobility, and Famous People in the Family Tree In tracing your family tree, sooner or later, you will find a few "bad apples" - perhaps even a convict; a link to some members of the nobility or royalty, or perhaps a famous person. |
| Genealogy Webinars 2012 Increase your knowledge of genealogy, including how to store data, how to back up your data, how to interpret DNA results, what to do about old photos, and many more, with these genealogy webinars. |
| Product Reviews This page provides links to product reviews of electronic items I have mentioned or linked to on my web pages. Learn more about them, and competitive products, before buying! |
| Links to Complementary Sites List of links and description of the site they lead to. |
| About Me Tells a bit about me, the site owner... |
| Contact Me This page is dedicated to a form enabling site visitors to contact me, comment, ask questions, and so on. |
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