Brick Walls. We all have them somewhere in our family tree–places in our pedigree where we cannot find the names and dates we need to continue tracing the ancestral line. Sometimes all it takes is time and patience sorting through unindexed records or tracing each of several same-named persons until we find the right one. Many of us have spent years—decades even—doing just that, but without success. This can be frustrating for genealogists of all levels, and stepping away from the struggle and experiencing success for a while may just be the solution. Here are some tips and tricks for taking a break from your discouraging research roadblock.
- Collateral research on spouses and siblings. Many aspiring genealogists are so intent on extending their direct lines as far back as possible that they neglect spouses and siblings. Every spouse has ancestors and many siblings have descendants that are “ripe for the picking” genealogically speaking. Furthermore, studying these collateral lines often leads to breakthroughs on your direct lines, especially if they lived in the same area at the same time. Your own direct ancestor may not have named their parents, but their siblings or cousins may have done just that. You’ll have the satisfaction of gathering their records plus possibly the joy of discovering more about your direct line.
- Fill in the details on known ancestors. We all know genealogy is never “done.” You may think you’ve gathered all there is to be found on an ancestor, but new records are constantly being digitized and put online that were inaccessible and unknown only a few years ago. Newspapers and photos are a great example of this modern phenomenon. MyHeritage has hundreds of millions of newspaper pages from many countries and is adding to them all the time. They have also made finding photos incredibly easy with Photo Discoveries™ which uses Instant Discoveries™ search technology to find photos of our ancestors that have been shared by distant cousins. Take some refreshing time to find newly-available newspaper articles and photos and “flesh out” those names and dates on your pedigree.
- Volunteer with genealogy problem solving groups. There are plenty to choose from, but one interesting option is the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) Unclaimed Persons Database (https://www.claimus.org/). “The UnClaimed Persons database (UCP) contains information about deceased persons who have been identified by name, but for whom no next of kin or family member has been identified or located to claim the body for burial or other disposition. Only medical examiners and coroners may enter cases in the UCP database. However, the database is searchable by the public using a missing person’s name and year of birth.” What a meaningful way for genealogists to use their skills to serve others. Perhaps you’ll end up claiming one of your own distant cousins.
- Help a beginner pick the “low-lying fruit” of abundantly available records and build a basic pedigree. There’s nothing more invigorating to a genealogist than having plenty of informative documents available for the picking. All it takes is some very rewarding time pulling them together and organizing accurate, complete family groups. Seeing your friend feel that natural high of meeting their ancestors for the first time is priceless.
- Explore your DNA matches. If you’ve never used this increasingly valuable genealogical tool, DNA testing could help you discover a gold mine of matches (cousins) who claim descent from ancestors who turn out to be siblings of your own brick-wall ancestor. Just as we mentioned with collateral research, your own progenitor may not have left a record of their parents, but one of their siblings might have. There might not be documents proving those siblings were related, but a preponderance of DNA matches can bridge the records gap and give genealogists the proof needed to tap into several more generations of a known family. Even if you’ve already tried DNA and found your match list unhelpful, come back to it regularly. New matches are being added all the time as testing becomes more popular, and new, user-friendly analytical tools are being rapidly developed.
- Hire a fresh pair of eyes. Legacy Tree Genealogists offers a team approach to tackling genealogy problems. Perhaps you’ve been staring at your brick wall so long that you’ve overlooked some valuable clues. Having the fresh perspective of another long-time genealogist with a unique set of skills could provide the breakthrough you’ve been dreaming of. Keep in mind that professional genealogists are not privy to a mythical, exclusive database with “all the answers”–nor can we make nonexistent records magically appear–but we do offer the advantage of having multiple experienced genealogists and DNA specialists review your case. We also have a worldwide network of onsite genealogy researchers who can access archives which have not yet digitized their collections, the largest of which is the Family History Library, just down the street from our main office in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
It is amazing the effect that taking a break can have for a genealogist when it comes to tackling brick walls. You’ll have a renewed focus and better perspective when you come back to it, and hopefully your new skills or newly-available records and tools will make all the difference.
If you have a brick wall you need helping breaking down, we would love to help! Whether it’s just reviewing what you’ve done and offering suggestions for you to continue yourself, or picking up where you left off and continuing the research for you, our expert genealogists are ready to assist you. Contact us today to discuss which of our project options works best for your case!
Carolyn is a professional genealogist and writer with a Bachelor's Degree in Family History and 30 years of genealogy experience. As our lead project manager, she excels in helping clients from all over the world to determine clear project goals, gather and organize their background information, stay informed about research progress, and understand their results. Her personal research strengths focus on house histories and finding elusive early Southern U.S. ancestors through a combination of documentary and DNA evidence.
Carolyn specializes in managing projects in the following areas:
DNA and Genetic Genealogy
Lineage Societies
United States
British Isles
Germany and Eastern Europe
Greece
Latest posts by Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager (see all)
- Breaking Down Brick Walls with Limited DNA Evidence - January 18, 2022
- Setting the Record Straight: 6 Common Myths About Hiring a Professional Genealogist - June 17, 2021
- Tying the Knot: Ancestral Marriage Records and Where You Might Find Them - February 7, 2020
I absolutely agree with your suggestions to be patient for a while! When I was twelve years old, I discovered my second great-grandparents’ marriage record. For years I searched for more records for Hannah as the only clue I could find was written on the record, “of Potteries” for her.
More than 30 years later, I found birth, christening, 2 census records, death & burial records even though I had regularly been looking for her the whole time! I don’t know what started the flood of information, but it all came within about 3 weeks!