One of the most useful record sets for extending your Italian ancestry quickly is the marriage supplements or allegati records. Allegati, also called processetti, is the name for the packet of documents that a bride and groom were required to present to the priest or mayor in preparation for their upcoming marriage. Depending on when the marriage occurred historically determines whether the packet was called processetti or allegati. 1804-1815: allegati 1816-1865: … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Inside the French National Archives
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Sophie, onsite in France, to share her experiences researching at the French National Archives. The French National Archives were created as a result of the French Revolution. Prior to their creation, on September 12th, 1790 by the Constituent Assembly, there was no centralized body for archiving documents produced by the administration. On June 25th, 1794, the National … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Civil Records at the German State Archive in Duisburg
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Sylvia, onsite in Germany, to share her experiences researching at the German State archive in Duisburg. The German State Nordrhein-Westfalen has three State Archives (Landesarchive): in Duisburg, Münster, and Detmold. The repositories of the Landesarchiv Duisburg cover the northern part of the ‘Rheinland’, the three northern districts of the former Prussian ‘Rheinprovinz’: … [Read more...]
ScotlandsPeople: Research Tips from a Scot Descendant
Some of the most distinctively Scottish icons are kilts, bagpipes, the highland cow, and the Loch Ness monster, Nessie. If you have ever eaten Scottish shortbread or enjoyed the Scottish games you know exactly what makes Scotland unique. Like many of you, I am a descendant of Scottish ancestry. If you want to trace your Scottish family history, Scotland’s written historical records date back to 1513. The government of Scotland has made these primary records available in online digital images … [Read more...]
Ukrainian Genealogy Research? Three Must-Have Tools to the Rescue!
Language. This can be the most important skill - and also the biggest hurdle - for genealogists seeking their Ukrainian ancestry. For some, the heritage of ancestral languages crosses generations and is still maintained today. However, for those who are second, third, or fourth generations removed from the immigrant ancestor, the language of your ancestors might be a distant memory. Common sentiments shared by fellow researchers are “Baba spoke, but no one else in the family learned...” or “Didu … [Read more...]
Finding Foundlings: Searching for Abandoned Children in Italy
I learned about foundlings - abandoned newborns - in Italy while tracing my own immigrant ancestor back to the province of Palermo in Sicily. My maiden name is Palumbo, but as I tried to move backwards from my immigrant ancestor, Salvatore Fortunato Palumbo, I discovered that Palumbo was not his original surname. Explaining this discovery in detail is beyond the scope of this blog post, but I have documented evidence that my paternal great-great-grandfather’s name was Salvatore Fortunato … [Read more...]
Finding Your Heritage in Unexpected Places
**Note: The details from this French-Canadian genealogy research project are shared with permission from our client. Project results are always kept private unless permission is granted to share. Recently we were contacted by a client who requested we begin researching her direct paternal ancestor. This ancestor was named John Lucy, of Ontario, Canada, and was allegedly of Irish heritage. Our client explained that her father had recently died and that he would have loved to know the history … [Read more...]
Beginner’s Guide to Swedish Genealogy Research
“Ole Olsson was the son of Ole Nilsson who was the son of Nils Pehrrson. Their names change every generation and it is so hard to trace them! Plus, I don’t really understand all that Swedish.” Foreign language obstacles and patronymic naming patterns are commonly cited reasons for avoiding Swedish genealogy research. However, despite these unique considerations, other elements of Swedish records and research make Swedish genealogy research simple, fun, and frequently successful. Particularly in … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Inside the Polish National Archives in Kraków
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Ireneusz, onsite in Poland, to share his experiences researching at the Polish archives. Using the Polish Archives for Genealogy Research The State Archives in Kraków was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest in Poland, containing nearly 1.5 million items in its collections. Due to its size and overall value to Poland’s heritage, its name was changed in 2012 to the … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Genealogy Research at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Whether you're heading to Washington, D.C. for a vacation or family history research, your trip is not complete without a visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Founded on the premise of being a "permanent living memorial to the victims of the Holocaust" by an act of Congress, the Museum opened to the public in April 1993. Located just a short distance from the National Mall, the austere façade welcomes those seeking to gain knowledge on this tragic chapter in world history. For … [Read more...]
