In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Legacy Tree Genealogists’ Kate Eakman discusses her interest in this area of research and some of the challenges in tracing Indigenous and native cultures in the United States and around the world. Q: Would you tell us about yourself and your view of genealogy? A: I'm Kate Eakman, Legacy Tree Genealogists' British research team manager and a former history professor. I look at genealogy as a branch of history. It's a very personal history, but it's … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Belarus Archives and Records Collections
Legacy Tree Genealogists’ Dennis Baranov has conducted research in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine for more than 15 years. His wife Mariya is his research helper and translator. In this article, they provide detailed information about Belarus archives and records to research family histories, especially in an area where many documents have been destroyed. Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, surrounded by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Minsk is the capital and … [Read more...]
How to Get More from Today’s Genealogy Events & Meetings
Legacy Tree Genealogists' James (Jim) Beidler discusses the changing landscape of genealogy events and meetings and offers tips on how to get the most out of these modern, largely online, learning opportunities. Genealogy events have certainly changed over the years. In the past, local meetings often had speakers who were knowledgeable but sometimes had less than scintillating presentations. Full-day seminars, often with a single speaker, dotted seasonal calendars. Large events often had … [Read more...]
Tips and Resources for Researching Ashkenazic Jewish Names
One of our genealogists provides tips on researching Ashkenazic Jewish names. Ashkenazic refers to a group of Jewish Europeans who migrated to Eastern Europe around the 12th century. Discover valuable resources and techniques to help you better understand your family's heritage. Jewish genealogy can present some unique challenges, particularly when figuring out our ancestors' names. The following tips and resources can help you navigate the search process more confidently and help you break … [Read more...]
5 Roles We Can Play to Help Preserve Our Family History
Genealogy is not only about researching family history, it's about pulling the family closer together with a common interest. Legacy Tree Genealogists' Ryan Rockwood explains how family tree research is often a family affair in which family members assume their unique and valuable roles. A few weeks ago, my wife tragically lost her grandpa Tom after sustaining brain injuries due to a fall. It was shocking and heartbreaking, especially since he was in relatively normal health … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Your Ancestors in Scotland – An Introduction to the Main Records and Archives
Let's say you trace your family tree and discover your ancestors were born in Scotland. Where do you go from there? One of our onsite researchers provides some tips and explains that the amount of information you can find depends on when your ancestors left Scotland. Birth, Marriage, Death and Census Records The primary sources for research in Scotland are certificates of birth, certificates of marriage, certificates of death, and census records. The 1841 census was the first census … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Exploring the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers around the world to access records for our clients. We recently asked one of our onsite researchers to share valuable information on the resources available for family history research at various archives in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the country had many names over the years, in 1995, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe) officially changed its name to Bosnia and Herzegovina. One … [Read more...]
The Window Tax: A Window into Your Ancestry
Legacy Tree Genealogist, James (Jim) Beidler explains how a short-lived tax created in 1798 can be a valuable source of information for genealogy researchers. Discover which states retained this information and how to find it. Taxes. They're a subject from which many people wish to stay away - almost as much as they want to avoid paying them. There are many types of taxes, historically speaking, and records of them can vary greatly. In some cases, they are not even public records. Those … [Read more...]