Latin American ancestry can be challenging to research due to the lack of comprehensive and easily accessible records. Available and surviving records can be challenging to access due to their location or language or because they have not been digitized and made available online. Because of these challenges surrounding the availability of records, many people in Latin America and of Latin American descent turn to genetic genealogy and DNA testing to learn more about their ancestry and … [Read more...]
Genealogy Tips & Best Practices
As the world's highest rated genealogy research firm, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists have compiled a collection of genealogy tips and best practices to help you find YOUR ancestors! From methodology and education, to writing a family biography, we explain the who, what, where and why of family history research!
An Expert’s Secrets For German Genealogy Research
We sat down with German genealogy research expert, Katie Schober, founder of Germanology Unlocked–courses, German-English translation services, and books for those who need some professional help with their German ancestry research. In this article you'll learn about: • The foundations of Germanology Unlocked • Understanding German Genealogy Research Language • How to navigate German dialects • Whether or not you need to know German in order to do your family history research • … [Read more...]
Cuban Genealogy Research: Useful Tips and Tricks
Cuban genealogy relies primarily on government civil registration and Roman Catholic church records. Unfortunately, very few of these records are available online. And knowing your ancestor's exact location of where they lived in Cuba is also a requirement, making Cuban research seem next to impossible. Though limited by access problems, researching your Cuban family is possible and can be highly successful given the right tools. Tracking down the town of origin and identifying available … [Read more...]
Using AI Effectively for Genealogy Research
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) for genealogy research is still in its infancy but gaining momentum as each new tool is released, including ChatGPT and Google Translate. These tools do not replace the need for a professional genealogist to analyze the data but can speed up the research process by finding information more rapidly. We asked our research team how genealogists can apply AI to their genealogy research projects. Here are some of their key learnings and cautions. First, How … [Read more...]
5 Priceless Resources for Australian Genealogy Research
Unlike British research, where national census and civil registration records are readily available after the 1830s, these record types are less accessible in Australian genealogy research. But a little digging into other resources can more than compensate. Invaluable Birth, Death, and Marriage Records for Australian Genealogy Research Collected by the states, locating birth, death, and marriage (BDM) records requires more effort and expense but often pays excellent dividends. The State … [Read more...]
Digging for Deaths Part 2: Census Mortality Schedules
As discussed in the first installment of this series, Census mortality schedules can be used without official vital records to document the deaths of individuals who passed within a year of the official census date. However, a deeper understanding of the structure of each year’s schedule and an eye for detail may lead to additional discoveries. Asking the Important Questions: Differences Between Census Years The numbers and types of questions asked differed across census years. For example, in … [Read more...]
RootsTech 2023 Recap: Uniting and Learning In Genealogy Family Research
It was surreal and wonderful to see everyone at RootsTech 2023 Genealogy Family Research in person again after a couple of years away during the pandemic. Legacy Tree Genealogists were happy to see old friends and make new ones as we all came together through our passion for genealogy research. The theme of RootsTech 2023 was “Uniting.” Genealogy research helps us unite our families past, present, and future. Through all the ups and downs of the never ending genealogy journey, it’s reassuring … [Read more...]
5 Keys to Finding Scottish Ancestors with Genealogist Jamie Kay
We sat down to learn more about finding Scottish ancestors with one of our professional genealogists, Jamie Kay. Here's what we learned about Jamie and how to research your own Scottish heritage. The Challenges of Finding Scottish Ancestors I grew up around the corner from Aunt Dorothy, our family genealogist, and loved to hear our stories and see the photographs she had collected. My great-grandparents came to the United States from Scotland in the 1870s, so a quarter of my heritage is … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Genealogists RootsTech 2023 Schedule
Check out the RootsTech Legacy Tree Genealogists schedule of events below, and be sure to stop by our booth (#1203) and say hello! It’s been a few years since we’ve been able to attend RootsTech in person, and we are excited to be there and see all of you who will be attending in person and virtually. RootsTech is the world’s largest family history conference. With hundreds of classes to choose from and keynote speakers like Lisa Louise Cooke and David Allen Lambert, it will be a … [Read more...]
Struggling to Find Your Italian Ancestors? How to Navigate Italian Archives.
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...]