Do you have Icelandic-Canadian ancestry? We hope this article gets you started on an exciting journey to discover the lives of your ancestors who immigrated to Canada from Iceland. Canada is home to over 100,000 Icelandic-Canadians, the largest ethnic Icelandic population outside of Iceland. Icelandic emigration to Canada began after the eruption of the Askja volcano in 1875. By 1914, more than 14,000 Icelanders—about 20% of Iceland’s population—had settled in Canada and the United … [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...]
Stories Worth Telling: The Saibara Story in Texas
What untold immigration stories are waiting to be discovered in your family history? We share the story of Japanese immigrant, Seito Saibara. The history of America is an interlacing web of immigration stories from all over the world, many still untold. Every pioneer, either celebrated in life or silent to the grave, has a story worth telling—you just need to know how to go about telling it! Such is the case with Japanese immigrant, Seito Saibara, a name largely unknown outside of the … [Read more...]
Passenger Lists: A Gateway to Foreign Lands and a Former Life
How do you trace your immigrant ancestors from one country to another? Their travels were likely documented on passenger lists. Learn more! In the United States, I’ve heard it said that “unless your family is Native American your ancestors immigrated from somewhere.” How do you trace them if your family immigrated from one country to another, particularly crossing an ocean or two in the process? Their travels were likely documented, specifically on a passenger manifest for the ship they sailed … [Read more...]
Social Security and Your Immigrant Ancestors
If your immigrant ancestor had a Social Security number, does that mean they were a United States citizen? Find out! Q: My immigrant ancestor had a Social Security number. That proves he became a citizen of the United States, doesn’t it? A: In the 21st century, we tend to view our Social Security numbers as evidence that we are U.S. citizens and assume that only other citizens can file an application for a Social Security number. In fact, many government and other entities use the card the … [Read more...]
German Immigrants in American Church Records
If your family tree has German immigrants, include American church records in your genealogy research efforts. Do you have German ancestors who lived in the Midwest? Were they Protestants? If you answered yes to those questions, then you need to know about the German Immigrants in American Church Records (GIACR) series. Compiled by Dr. Roger P. Minert of Brigham Young University, the first volume of the series was published in 2005 and has since expanded to include 18 volumes, the most … [Read more...]
Who Was Your Journey Taker?
Family historian Leslie Albrecht Huber wrote a book called The Journey Takers, a story about her search for information about her German, Swedish and English ancestors who left their homes behind and sailed for a new life in a new land. After reading her work, I developed a great need to know who the journey takers were in my family tree. The actions of one such individual can affect hundreds or even thousands of his or her progeny, as a journey taker determines where future generations will … [Read more...]
6 Valuable Resources for Tracing French Ancestors
These are the resources you've been searching for to trace your French ancestry! Use the tools professional genealogists use to break through century-old brick walls. One of the greatest challenges in tracing immigrant ancestors is determining their town of origin in the home country. Some records may provide clues of their nationality or ethnicity, but narrowing the search further can be difficult. Though this article deals specifically with tracing French immigrants, these principles … [Read more...]