Did your ancestor serve during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45? Learn more about their Soviet military service using this free resource! Many descendants of Eastern European immigrants who landed on North American shores in the first wave of immigration soon found that their relatives who stayed behind were no longer citizens of the historical empires who had ruled over them. With the changing borders through the Interwar period to the beginning of World War II, the citizens of the new … [Read more...]
Meet Rachel, Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists
Meet Rachel, one of Legacy Tree Genealogists talented project managers! Rachel Derenthal comes to Legacy Tree Genealogists with a background in business, accounting, and family history research. She originally obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Middle East Studies and Arabic from Brigham Young University however her post graduate jobs pushed her towards the field of business and accounting. In 2016 she decided to switch career paths and enrolled in the Family History Research program at Brigham … [Read more...]
Pathways to Membership in The Jamestowne Society
Many are under the impression that to become a member of the Jamestowne Society, one must have an ancestor who was a first settler of the Jamestowne colony. Although that is one route to join, the Jamestowne Society provides six pathways to membership! Learn more about them. The Jamestowne Society, founded in 1936 and incorporated in 1958, is a lineage society based in Richmond, Virginia with the mission to discover and record the names of early Virginia settlers and their descendants. They … [Read more...]
Passenger Lists: A Gateway to Foreign Lands and a Former Life
How do you trace your immigrant ancestors from one country to another? Their travels were likely documented on passenger lists. Learn more! In the United States, I’ve heard it said that “unless your family is Native American your ancestors immigrated from somewhere.” How do you trace them if your family immigrated from one country to another, particularly crossing an ocean or two in the process? Their travels were likely documented, specifically on a passenger manifest for the ship they sailed … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite in Istria, Croatia: One Peninsula, Three Identities
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers located in Istria, Croatia, to share some of the nuances of genealogical research in Istria. Istria is a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea belonging to Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. Its name derives from the name of the tribe Histri. When the Roman army invaded their capital in 177 BC, the Histrian king Epulon, his guard and their families committed mass … [Read more...]
“Does My Family Have a Coat of Arms?” Eight Tips for Your Heraldic Research
"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 … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: New England Historic Genealogical Society
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 Society Located 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 … [Read more...]
The Genealogy Research Process: 5 Steps to Maximize Your Research
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 … [Read more...]