The Legacy Tree Genealogists Blog

Hand-picked, tested and trained, our professional genealogist team knows how to find your story. We search the world for answers. Find the un-findable. And we’re experts at everything from tracking down rare international records to analyzing DNA test results. Based near the world’s largest family history library in downtown Salt Lake City, we also work with researchers and archives around the globe. Contact us today if you would like help discovering your ancestors!

“Does My Family Have a Coat of Arms?” Eight Tips for Your Heraldic Research

July 2, 2020 by Kate - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 1 Comment

"Does my family have a coat of arms?" We share eight tips for heraldic research to help you find out!Coats of arms and other heraldic devices are beautiful and filled with symbolism: blue signifying truth and loyalty, lions indicating bravery, and the phoenix symbolizing resurrection. They conjure up images of knights jousting and rooms filled with nobleman and ladies and suggest a possible relationship to a famous king or queen. Unfortunately, many people misunderstand heraldry and the rules surrounding coats of arms. Here are eight tips to help you determine if you are armigerous—have the right to use a heraldic achievement—and where to go for more information. Coats of arms belong to an individual, not to a surname.Simply because you are related to a person who had a coat of arms does not entitle you to that device. Coats of arms descend through the legitimate male line, specifically the eldest son (primogeniture). This means you are likely to already know that …

Legacy Tree Onsite: New England Historic Genealogical Society

June 26, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our researchers to share the ins and outs of visiting the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston.Planning Your Trip to the New England Historic Genealogical SocietyLocated on Boston’s famous Newbury Street, the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is close to anything and everything. Newbury Street is a shopper’s paradise, and all kinds of hotels are within a 15-minute walk, from the five-star Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental and the exquisitely beautiful Fairmont Copley Plaza to a Sheraton, Hilton, Westin, and Marriott, plus several boutique hotels. The New England Historic Genealogical Society does not accommodate parking. The closest parking garage costs $40 to park over 90 minutes. NEHGS is between two “T” or subway stops for economical visitors. The Arlington “T” stop is at Boston Public Garden, two blocks east, …

The Genealogy Research Process: 5 Steps to Maximize Your Research

June 19, 2020 by Robert - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments

We outline the 5 steps in the genealogy research process that will help you maximize your research efforts.When researching your family history, have you ever asked yourself: “Where do I even start?!” Or, in the thick of researching have you ever thought: “What do I do next?” or “How do I know what I’ve found is correct?”These are questions we’ve all asked ourselves in one form or another at some point. Genealogy can be overwhelming and sometimes that feeling of being overwhelmed turns into discouragement. In some cases, there is so much information out there, it is like trying to drink from a fire hose. In other instances, you may become discouraged because there is so little information about your family. As with most things, planning and organization can help. The genealogy research process brings the desperately needed structure that will carry us through all of our research problems. If we stick to these five simple steps, we can have peace of mind that we are doing the …

Make Hay While the Sun Shines: Farm Names in Your Family History

June 12, 2020 by Marissa - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments

Today we’re going to discuss another important surname anomaly that commonly appeared in areas using patronymics and sporadically elsewhere: Farm Names. But first, it’s important to understand how surnames have evolved, and the nuances that can create brick walls in our genealogy research if we aren’t aware of them. Let’s dive in!Lesson in History: The Birth of Modern SurnamesBefore different religious factions broke off from the Roman Catholic Church, our ancestors who were not nobility or royalty had little reason to be recorded by name in any official registers. However, beginning in the early 1500s, as religious groups sought to keep track of their members, church records of baptisms, marriages, and burials began cropping up in parishes, eventually being replaced with government civil registration as the primary source for birth, marriage, and death information for our ancestors. Thus, record-keeping for the common people of Europe began.The Use of IdentifiersWhile local …