From Jersey Shore to Postiglione: Finding Italian Ancestors You never know when and where your Italian ancestors will show up. How one genealogist found her Italian ancestors on a most unusual family vacation. It was the summer of 2016. As was my extended family's tradition, we rented a house at the Jersey Shore for a week in the summer. As is the goal of all family vacations, the hope is to create new memories and forge stronger connections between members. That is why my family … [Read more...]
Irish Family History: Online Resources to Help Find Your Irish Ancestors
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 … [Read more...]
Top 5 DNA and Genetic Genealogy Blog Posts in 2022
The use of DNA and genetic genealogy have become widely used strategies for solving challenging genealogy research projects since DNA testing became available to the public in the early 2000s. With our team of expert genetic genealogists at Legacy Tree, we can break through brick walls, discover unknown parentage, and make family tree connections that were impossible just a few short decades ago. In case you missed them, below are the top five DNA and genetic genealogy blog posts of 2022 … [Read more...]
15 Steps to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors
Immigration ancestor research can be very rewarding as you discover the story behind your ancestor's journey across the pond. In this guide, we share 15 steps to discovering your ancestor's story of their journey to the United States and help you retrace their steps to find the records and data to verify your heritage. If you live in the United States and your ancestors aren’t Native American, then your ancestors crossed the pond at some point. Depending on the time period and proximity to a … [Read more...]
How Genealogy Research Provides Comfort After a DNA Surprise
A DNA Surprise is an event in a person's life where they find out their parentage is not what they had always believed. In this article we talk with Right to Know founder Kara Rubinstein Deyerin about her own DNA Surprise and how genealogy research and other tools can provide comfort during this challenging experience. Tell us how you felt when you had a DNA surprise. I felt like a unicorn. Who grows up thinking they are half Black and learns they're not? I felt very much alone when I … [Read more...]
5 Keys to Researching Your Irish Ancestors
Are you researching your Irish ancestors? Or were your ancestors part of the Irish diaspora worldwide? Five key things to know before you begin your research. 1. North and South Since 1921, the island of Ireland has been separated into two countries – the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, in the north. It’s essential to know the distinction between the two before you begin. Northern Irish records are held in the Public Records Office of … [Read more...]
3 Tips and Tricks to Kickstart your Portuguese Genealogy Project
Want to know more about your family history in Portugal but need to know how to get started? Our experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists pulled together a simple research guide to help you discover your Portuguese ancestors and begin your Portuguese Genealogy project now. 1. Finding Your Ancestral Hometown Because Portuguese records are kept at the local level, it is imperative to know the ancestral hometown beforehand. [1] If you already know your ancestral hometown in Portugal, jumping into … [Read more...]
Connect to Your Roots: Plan Your 2023 Heritage Tour Now
Our ancestors’ stories are an integral part of who we are. Many are drawn to their ancestral homeland with the quest of discovering the details of the lives of those who came before them. If you are thinking about traveling out of the country, consider planning a heritage travel tour. What is a Heritage Travel Tour? A heritage, or ancestral, tour involves traveling to different locations to understand the history and culture associated with them. But they don’t just involve … [Read more...]