One of the great things about Legacy Tree is that we have onsite researchers all over the globe. We have had many clients with Spanish ancestors, and to research these projects we have gone onsite in Spain. Let me share with you some of the wonderful things about Spanish records and archives that may help you as you research your Spanish genealogy and family history. Organization of Spanish Records As is the case with most genealogical records, Spanish records are organized by geographical … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: The Latvian State Historical Archives
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers in Latvia to share his experiences researching at the Latvian State Historical Archives. The Latvian State Historical Archive (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīva, Slokas iela 16, Zemgales priekšpilsēta, Rīga, Latvia) is the largest archive in the Baltic States. In the 7,500 fonds (record groups), more than 6 million documents are stored, covering the … [Read more...]
“How Do I Trace South American Ancestry?” Tips for Success
South American genealogy research can be tricky, and we frequently have clients who don’t know where to begin, or run into a brick wall. We asked Gerardo, one of our onsite researchers in Chile, to share some insights into tracing South American ancestry. Two of the main things to pay attention to when conducting genealogy research in South America are keeping track of the surnames one is searching for (so you don’t get derailed onto an unrelated line), and the history behind the scribes of … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Genealogy Research in Brazil
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Walter, onsite in Brazil, to share his experiences with genealogy research in Brazil. Genealogical research in Brazil can be an exciting undertaking. It generally involves traditional research of records, books, and other historical sources for general information, but then -- due to the scarcity of sources or inexistence of documents due to loss over time or lack of them ever … [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: The Inside Scoop on Civil Archives in Peru
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Carly, onsite in Peru, to share her experiences with Peruvian genealogy research at the civil archives of Peru. Peru is a country with a rich history. Ruins, documents, and modern cultural diversity testify of thousands of years of changes. To help those with Peruvian ancestral lines we want to share a little bit about current archival digitization and research in Peru. Behind … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Spotlight on the Hawai’i State Library
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Ami, onsite in Hawai'i, to share her experiences with the Hawaii State Library. Check it out! Genealogy research in Hawai'i is often complicated and complex, which is a reflection of the history of this place. Hawaii spent time as a kingdom, a republic, a territory, and a state, and being aware of this history allows us to understand how records were organized, who organized them, … [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...]
How to Prepare for a Family History Trip
After identifying and documenting your ancestry (including the crucial step of determining your family’s foreign hometown), a natural next goal might be to visit the sites, scenes, and places where your ancestors lived and died. Genealogy and research tours can be exciting and enlightening, but require ample preparation. Paul Woodbury, Legacy Tree’s Outreach Manager and genetic genealogist, has made several such trips of his own. Below, he shares some tips both from his personal experience and … [Read more...]
Onsite Research Around the World: What to Expect
It’s an exciting time to research your genealogy. These days records and information from around the world can often be quickly accessed online with a few strokes of a keyboard. Major subscription databases like MyHeritage, which has well over 6 billion historical records so far, are actively growing their online records collections. FamilySearch continues to put more and more Family History Library microfilms online and recently released a new collection of 4.2 million images of civil … [Read more...]