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!

When Life Gives You Lemons: Genealogy Activities for Coronavirus Quarantine

March 19, 2020 by Rachel - Legacy Tree Genealogists Editor 1 Comment

Social distancing got you down? We've compiled a list of genealogy-focused Coronavirus quarantine activities.With social distancing and self-isolation policies implemented around the globe, now is a great time to focus on researching the ancestors that have come before us. Learning about their lives and the struggles they endured can provide perspective, hope, and appreciation for the journey-takers that helped write the pages of our own story.Not sure where to begin? We've created a fun printable Genealogy Bingo game to help get you started. Carpe diem and use this time period of cleared social calendars and fewer obligations to make some serious progress on your personal family history.Find grandparents in census records. Maybe you “know” they were living in a specific location, but can’t find them. Now’s the time to explore deep search techniques if you haven’t already, such as searching with wildcards, searching only by surname or first name, searching by combinations …

Tips for Using City Directories for Genealogy Research

March 13, 2020 by Brenda - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager Leave a Comment

The R.L. Polk company, though not the earliest company to do so, published their first city directory in the 1870s, as a way to centralize community information. They employed sales associates and census enumerators to go door to door to collect information, sell advertising and make sales for their new directories. These handy guides were the quitessential Google search of their day--the go-to resource for finding information. These same directories can be an important resource for genealogy research today, providing details such as name (and spouse), address, occupation and more.Where Can I Find City Directories?Libraries have long been loyal customers who have yearly subscriptions for the city directories in their town and surrounding area. These directories, often dating back decades, can be found in their reference or genealogy departments. If the local public library does not have them, the local college and university libraries likely will. Local historical societies or …

Charles Booth’s London Poverty Maps: A Glimpse Into the Lives of Your Ancestors

March 5, 2020 by Maggie - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager 4 Comments

If your ancestors lived in London at the end of the 1800s, the digitized Booth poverty maps provide fascinating insight into neighborhoods and standards of living in the city. The maps form part of Charles Booth’s, Inquiry into the Life and Labour of the People in London, a study conducted between 1886 and 1903. Booth was a Victorian philanthropist and a successful businessman.I have several ancestors who lived in London during that time, so I decided to see what could be gleaned about their living situation from the collection. Much of the information collected is available online thanks to the library at the London School of Economics.By cross-referencing a known address from both the 1891 and 1901 England censuses, I was able to read descriptions of the exact streets that some of my ancestors lived in, and uncover details about their lives and living conditions.First I looked for the neighborhood of George Samuel Earley, a coachman, who was recorded living in Kensington …

RootsTech 2020 Recap: Celebrating 10 Years of Connection

March 2, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

A recap of all the happenings of RootsTech 2020.There was a lot to celebrate this year at RootsTech 2020, and Legacy Tree Genealogists was there for it all. We discovered great stories, connected with friends new and old, shared our genealogy knowledge, and helped commemorate the conference’s 10th anniversary.The theme of RootsTech 2020 was “Discover the Story of YOU.” The story of each of us is made up of an intricate mix of not only our own experiences, but the trials, traditions, and adventures of the ancestors that came before us. This year’s theme resonated with us, since helping people discover their own stories and celebrate their family history is what we do best.Legacy Tree Genealogists team members could be found throughout the conference, fielding questions, giving out prizes, and of course greeting attendees at our booth in the Expo Hall. It was great to see all those who stopped by to say hello!With more than 300 classes to choose from, RootsTech 2020 …