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!

Irish Family History: Online Resources to Help Find Your Irish Ancestors

January 26, 2023 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Until recently, Irish family history research was considered problematic. But in recent years, individuals can do the bulk of their research online with many digitized records available from private and public entities. Getting Started with Irish Family History Online The first step to Irish research is to document all the information you know about your ancestors and check with older family members who are still living to get as much detail as possible from them. Finding the maiden names of the females in your family will save you hours of research. Next, do as much Irish family history research online as you can. If you decide to visit Ireland, bring a copy of your research with you to aid in requesting certificates or documents. 1st Wave of Irish Emigration- 1708 There were two large waves of emigration from Ireland to North America. The first group was mainly Presbyterians being persecuted by the Anglican Church. James McGregor, the founding father of …

Where to Start With Your English Ancestor Research: Interview with Researcher Kimberly Gilboy

January 19, 2023 by Kim Gilboy Leave a Comment

English ancestor research can be simplified when you understand the importance of historical dates and which records will hold the information you seek. In this conversation with Legacy Tree Genealogists Kimberly Gilboy, she shares tips and tricks she has learned over her years in English ancestor research. How did you get your start in genealogy research, and why is England of particular interest to you? Kim: I have English ancestors on both my father's and my mother's sides. I grew up in a town with my mother's family nearby, and three of my four great-grandparents lived well into their nineties. I remember particularly my great-grandmother, Grandma Forwood, who was from Kent. She grew up there and eventually emigrated to Canada. The grandparents from Kent were Mariners and Gardeners and emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s. My other grandparents were from Cornwall, and they were tin miners. They emigrated from Cornwall to Michigan and Montana, where mining was also …

Digging for Deaths: Understanding the Census Mortality Schedule

January 13, 2023 by Katharine - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments

This is the first article in a series meant to introduce mortality schedules and the information contained within them. The follow-up article will include examples of interesting tidbits and intriguing stories that these records have helped to uncover. Across most of the United States, consistent, statewide registration of vital events, such as births, deaths, and marriages, did not begin until the twentieth century. For genealogists, this creates a gap that is sometimes difficult to fill. Mortality schedules, although limited in scope, can, on occasion, help address the shortfall and build crucial contextual understanding. How were mortality schedules developed? Vital registration began in England and Wales on 1 July 1837. Parishioners reported births, marriages, and deaths to a network of local registrars based on the parishes created under the Poor Law Act of 1834. Previously, the Church of England was required to keep similar records dating back as far as 1538. …

6 Signs of Misattributed Parentage in Your Genetic Family Tree

January 4, 2023 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 4 Comments

While DNA testing and genetic evidence are certainly useful for breaking down challenging historic brick walls, the implications of DNA testing can also hit closer to home in the modern era when it comes to research on misattributed parentage.  In cases of adoption, unknown parentage or misattributed parentage, genetic genealogy methodologies enable identification of close biological ancestors whose identities might otherwise remain unknown, and which represent immediate brick walls for any genealogist dealing with such a scenario in their immediate family tree. In this series of blog posts, we explore tips for successful genetic genealogy searches dealing with adoption research, unknown parentage, or misattributed parentage. (Portions of this article are reprinted with permission from the April-June 2022 issue of NGS Magazine ) Genetic genealogy can (and often does) reveal surprise cases of misattributed parentage in test takers’ family trees. Misattributed parentage …