Every year more and more records are made available from archives worldwide and family history industry partners continue to deliver technologies to make the research process more effective. These technologies range from using artificial intelligence to enable full-text search of handwritten records, to improved tools for analyzing DNA results to identify an unknown parent or break through a brick wall. Notwithstanding all these developments, genealogy research often still requires painstaking … [Read more...]
Latin American History Month: Intro to Latin American Genealogy Research
Do you have Latin American heritage and want to know more about your ancestors? Latin American history and traditions are rich, complex, and full of life. In this article, we’ll give you an introduction to Latin American genealogy with resources to help you get started with confidence. Here are a few things you’ll want to know to set yourself up for success. Record Sets for Latin American Genealogy Research Whether your ancestors lived along the U.S./Mexican border or the southernmost tip … [Read more...]
Why You Should Create a Family Office and Succession Plan
Many think they have unlimited time to organize a will, structure finances for descendants, and transmit the most important life details to their children and grandchildren. But sometimes, life gets in the way - illness, incapacity, and death come sooner than expected and can leave descendants to unravel the complications left behind. That happened to Josh Kanter, son of tax lawyer and venture capitalist Burton Kanter. "When my father passed away from cancer in 2001, I was in the room, and … [Read more...]
Australian Aboriginal Genealogy
As you begin Aboriginal genealogy research, it's important to realize that the connection that Australian Aboriginal people have to the land is a concept that is sometimes difficult for non-Aboriginal people to understand. The term ‘Country’ is used to describe the area a family or community came from, and once this is established, the connections can be shared, and links to existing relatives can be established. Like many First Nations communities affected by invasion, genocide, and … [Read more...]
How To Achieve Genealogical Proof: DNA Analysis, Annotations, and Citations
The Genealogical Proof Standard outlines five components necessary for achieving genealogical proof: Reasonably exhaustive research Complete and accurate source citations Critical tests of relevant evidence through processes of analysis and correlation Resolution of conflicting evidence Soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusions At 23andMe notes can be added by scrolling to the bottom of a match’s profile. Citation: 23andMe, “Notes,” … [Read more...]
How GEDmatch Can Amplify Your Genealogy Research
How can GEDmatch help you to accurately identify DNA matches? We recently sat down with GEDmatch's Tom Osypian to understand how individuals can best use the GEDmatch tools to organize DNA matches and reach out to their relatives to create the most accurate family tree possible. How has GEDmatch evolved since its inception? Tom: GEDmatch started around 2010 as a Gedcom comparison site. As DNA testing took off, we started developing algorithms to compare DNA test results, and it's … [Read more...]
What It Was Really Like To Find My Biological Father: love and persistence find a way
The following is a personal account of one of our clients who shares her experience of finding her biological father. You can read her story below, and you can also watch her tell her story here on our YouTube channel. My name is Tiffany. This is the story of my journey to finding my father. I am 49, and I've never known my biological father or his family. My mom was 17 when she got pregnant, and they only dated or hung out for a couple of weeks; she went back to visit family in New … [Read more...]
Hire a Genealogist: Why, When, and How
Why would you hire a genealogist? Many people who are interested in finding out more about their family and ancestors find great joy in doing their own genealogical research. While the family history research journey can be quite thrilling, it can also be very frustrating and sometimes devastating. Why devastating?. For those who are determined to find their family members, living or passed on, hiring a professional genealogist can bring back a sense of joy and peace of mind as you work with a … [Read more...]