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januar 30, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 26 Comments

Dutch surnames and family history

Windmills, Tulips, and Wooden Shoes: A Guide to Dutch Surnames

Exploring your Dutch ancestry and family history is made easier with an understanding of Dutch surnames and their origins. 

Dutch surnames and family historyThe Netherlands: a small country with enormous cultural and historical impact. Located in the heart of northern Europe, the Netherlands produced some of the most renowned contributors to science, philosophy, and the arts during the Renaissance, and was known as a haven of relative tolerance during historical periods of persecution. A founding member of the EU, today it is known for its hundreds of historic windmills, its sprawling fields of tulips, and its bicycle-friendly cities. It has been ranked among the best countries in the world for raising children.

If you have any ancestral surnames linking your family to this region, you may be wondering what those surnames mean, how they developed, and what they might be able to tell you about your ancestors. In this article, we’ll explore the common origins and meanings of Dutch surnames and the historical and cultural context in which they developed.

Patronymics

A patronymic name was the practice of calling a person “son of” or “daughter of” their father. An example of this would be Jan Dirksen, meaning Jan, son of Dirk. The -sen suffix could also be shortened to sz, z, se, and x (e.g., Dirks, Dirkse, Dirkx, etc.). Likewise, a woman would be called Dirksdochter, meaning daughter of Dirk, but could also use the abbreviated suffixes d, dr, s, se, sen, sens, and x (e.g., Dirks, Dirkse, Dirksdr, etc.). The practice of using patronymic names as a person’s unique identifier is common throughout recorded history. It was effective for identifying which father a person belonged to within a community, but it meant that a family’s “surname” changed each generation depending on the name of the father.

Patronymics were in common usage in the Netherlands until the Napoleonic Wars at the turn of the 19th Century. During that time the French invaded (1795) and ultimately annexed the Netherlands in 1811. At that time civil authorities began the mandatory practice of recording births, marriages, and deaths and each family was forced to adopt a distinct surname.

The instituting of fixed surnames makes it much less difficult to organize families and prove generational connections today. It was also fortuitous that women’s maiden names were nearly always included in records from the Netherlands after Napoleon’s time. Napoleon never knew what a blessing his recordkeeping expertise would be for future generations of Dutch-descended genealogists.

Dutch Surnames

While Napoleon’s edict was certainly meant to simplify and standardize the naming practices in Europe, it got off to a rocky start. Because each person was at liberty to choose his own surname, even within a single family, each brother might have taken a different surname. Ultimately, a surname could be taken from anywhere. Typical sources included unique and sometimes unflattering nicknames, a person’s patronymic, their father’s patronymic, a place of origin, an occupation, or a position within the community or within their own family.

Name adoption registers (naamsaanneming registers) were created by each municipality and can be helpful in researching families during the transition period between patronymics and fixed surnames. However, not all registers have survived. Other than this time period, surname changes in the Netherlands were extremely rare.

Dutch Surname Prefixes

Dutch surnames based on locations usually include prefixes like de (the), van (from), van de, van der, van den (from the), or te, ter, ten (on). It was often the case that when a Dutch immigrant came to the United States, or other non-Dutch speaking countries, these prefixes would become lumped into the surname. As an example, Van der Hof would become Vanderhof in an English-speaking country. Because these prefixes would not be considered as part of the actual surname to a native Dutch speaker, genealogical databases often ignore prefixes. Thus, it would be important to search a database from the United States for all versions of Vanderhof (including phonetically similar spelling variations), but a database from the Netherlands would only reference this surname as Hof, leaving off the prefixes. A single surname can often be found under many different spellings in different documents.

Location-Specific Surnames

Surnames in the southern part of North Holland province were similar to those found in South Holland and Utrecht. Because Amsterdam was a large city, people from other areas migrated there, particularly with the Industrial Revolution bringing factory work to the cities. Many surnames in this city originated in other areas, including Flanders, Friesland, and Germany. Place names and geographic features were commonly taken as surnames in Utrecht (e.g., van Doorn, van Schaik, van Vliet, and van den Brink). Flemish and Huguenot surnames were common in Zeeland. And lastly, many surnames common in the larger cities of South Holland were the Dutch versions of French and German surnames.

Many of the Dutch provinces were home to surname prefixes or suffixes common only to that area. This can make it easier to locate your ancestor’s province or area of origin. The following table includes these region-specific names.

ProvinceSurname PrefixesSurname Suffixes
Groningensema, tjer, huis, ker
Frieslanda, ma, sma, stra, inga
Drentheing(h)e, in(e)k
Overijsselten, tering(h)(e), in(c)k, huis
GelderlandKlein, Grootin(c)k, ing
North Hollandsz, x
South Hollandvan, van de(n), van der, ver, de, den
Zeelandde, d’, versons, aert, g(h)e, se
Utrechtlaar, laer, horst, schot(en)
North Brabantmans, ers, ens
Limburgmans, ingen

Some examples of surnames using these prefixes include: ten Bokkel, ten Broek, ter Horst, Klein Rooseboom, Groot Rooseboom, de Groot, van der Meer, and van der Kolk.

Examples of surnames using these suffixes include: Veenhuis, de Bakker, Decker, Rodemaker, Boomsma, Aardsma, Brink, Abbink, van Cruijningen, Jansz, Danielsz, Abelsons, Gerritsen, Gouswaert, ter Horst, Kortschot, and Veneklasen.

Dutch Surname Databases

Several years ago, the Meertens Institute in Amsterdam created a database of about 320,000 Dutch surnames, including information about their meanings and origins. Today this database is maintained (and is still being expanded) by the Central Bureau of Genealogy in The Hague. The database is searchable in Dutch or English. Just type your Dutch surname into the search bar to learn the meaning of your surname.

If you’re ready to dive into exploring your Dutch heritage, there’s no better time than the present. With a solid understanding of Dutch surname origins and naming patterns, you’ll be ready to start pouring through records to find your family story. For more information on researching your Dutch ancestors, check out our previous article, 4 Pro Tips for Finding Dutch Family History Resources. Happy searching!

Our experts have the knowledge and experience you need to help navigate your Dutch ancestry. Our global network of researchers extends deeply into The Netherlands and the Low Countries as a whole, meaning we can access records necessary to extend your family history as far as possible. Contact us today for a free quote!

[1] “Funny Dutch Names and the Story Behind Them,” Expatica, https://www.expatica.com/nl/about/culture-history/funny-dutch-names-and-the-story-behind-them-102043/, accessed December 2019

Exploring your Dutch ancestry and family history is made easier with a basic understanding of Dutch surnames. Check out our guide to Dutch surnames to help get your started! #Dutch #Dutchsurnames #surnameorigins #genealogy #familyhistory #Dutchancestry #Dutchgenealogy #genealogyresearch #Netherlands #Holland

Filed Under: Europe Tagged With: Dutch, Dutch ancestry, Dutch surnames, family history, genealogy, heritage, Holland, Netherlands, patronymic, surnames

januar 23, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 5 Comments

top resources for French-Canadian ancestry

Top 3 Online Resources for Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestry

Legacy Tree works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers, located in Québec, Canada to share his top online resources for researching your French-Canadian ancestry in Québec.

Québec has a vibrant cultural heritage that reflects on its family history records. Thanks to records preservation and the efforts of many individuals and organizations, a large number of documents are available and well organized. With technological advances, many repositories, both public and private, have been placing documents online, especially the parish registers which are the foundation for researching Québécois ancestors. This post will guide you through the most relevant online resources for researching your French-Canadian ancestors in Québec.

resources for researching your Québécois ancestry
Québec City. Source: www.wikipedia.org

1. Genealogy Québec

Genealogy Québec is a genealogical research website that hosts more than forty-five million files, documents, and images on Québec family history. It is the largest and most comprehensive Québécois database online, and it belongs to the Drouin Genealogical Institute. Created in 1899 by Joseph Drouin, a lawyer specialized in genealogy, from 1899 to 1937 it sold more than 1,500 family genealogies. The institute work was kept by Drouin’s children and grandchildren after his death and kept expanding its collection until it reached the current size. It is a paid resource and offers different, and affordable, options of subscription.

  • Roman Catholic parish records (LAFRANCE collection), 1621-1918

Roman Catholic parish records, reunited under the LAFRANCE collection, are an essential database available at Genealogy Québec and can be searched by the names of individuals, couples, or parish. A user guide provides excellent instruction on how to use it.

researching Québécois ancestry
Map of Quebec's catholic parishes up to 1918. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com

Québec was colonized initially by France (where the Roman Catholic faith was the established church until 1789) and did not have separate civil records until 1994. Hence, the best way to obtain genealogical data from Québec families is through Roman Catholic church records—they start in 1621 and cover baptisms (Baptêmes), marriages (Marriages) and deaths (Décès). Québec also received an influx from French and non-French Protestants, especially after 1760, when the British rule started, but this must be addressed in a different post as many specificities apply.

One thing to note is that the Roman Catholic territorial parish system was not so organized as the Church of England or the Church of Scotland. That was especially true for rural towns. It means one’s ancestors could have lived their whole lives at the same address but had their baptism recorded in one parish, their marriage in another, and their death in yet another. The most common reasons are that the priest of one given church was responsible for the sacraments in the whole region and that the parish borders changed through time. In practical terms, you will need to start your search where your ancestors lived and, if their records are not there, expand the research to the neighbouring parishes and towns.

best resources for researching your Québécois ancestry
An original document in the LAFRANCE collection. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com 
  • Marriages and Deaths, 1926-1997

Marriages and Deaths is a detailed index of marriage and death forms recorded in Québec between 1926 and 1997. The collection includes all religious denominations, with more than five million forms. The original document can be viewed for the marriages, and a detailed user guide is available.

  • Obituaries, 1860-2019

This section contains a majority of the obituaries, memorial cards and headstones available on the website, divided into four sub-sections:

  • Internet obituaries, which includes obituaries published online from 1999 to today;
  • Newspaper obituaries, with obituaries from newspapers published between 1860 and today;
  • Tombstones, which contains pictures of headstones from hundreds of cemeteries in Québec and Ontario; and
  • Memorial cards, which includes tens of thousands of memorial cards published between 1860 and today.

All of these subsections are indexed and can be browsed using a search engine, and a comprehensive user guide is available.

sample obituary
Example of a newspaper obituary that can be found in the Obituaries collection. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com

2. Canada Census

The first step in most genealogical research is to study the existing census reports. Designed as a means to count the population for a variety of years, the census of Canada is taken every ten years, with the earliest records available in 1851. Due to privacy laws, the most recent census available is from 1921. The census can give a snapshot of the family at the time. It can also provide valuable information such as the birthplace of the individuals recorded, occupation, birth year, and familial relationships. One can often discover elderly parents or widowed mothers, aunts, or sisters living with younger members of the family.

sample French-Canadian census record
An example of an image from the 1921 Canada Census from MyHeritage

Detailed transcripts of Canadian census records are available for free on FamilySearch, and the images can be found for a fee at MyHeritage or Ancestry.

3. Land Petitions of Lower Canada, 1764-1841

In the province of Quebec, the seigneurial system established in 1627 and used until 1854 was the primary form of land distribution. The King granted Seigneuries to members of the bourgeoisie, members of prominent families, and former military officers. As a proprietor of a seigneurie, the seigneur had privileges and obligations towards the King or his representative. The seigneur granted parcels (concessions) of his land to tenants called censitaires or more commonly, habitants. From 1763 on, Québec also granted land based on the township system, while the British North America Act of 1867 established Crown lands as a provincial responsibility. The Government of Canada retained land petitions for Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Québec).

sample land record
An example of a land petition. Source: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca
Do you have French-Canadian ancestry? We share our top 3 online resources for researching your French-Canadian family history in Quebec!

Each petition includes the original submission by the petitioner and the various administrative documents added by the different offices of the government reviewing the petition. Some small maps, particularly those set within documents, remain with the petitions. The search screen allows you to search by surname and given name(s). The entries reflect the spelling of names as they appear on the documents, some of which are barely legible. A thorough user guide is available.

With genealogists specializing in all different types of research and onsite agents worldwide, we can help you track down those elusive records that might provide the clue(s) needed to extend your family line. Contact us today to discuss which of our projects would work best for you.

Filed Under: Canada, Genealogy Records and Resources, Onsite, Onsite Tagged With: ancestry, Canada, family history, French-Canadian, French-Canadian ancestry, French-Canadian genealogy, genealogy, heritage, Quebec

januar 9, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 1 Comment

2021 genealogy conferences

Legacy Tree Genealogists 2021 Genealogy Conferences and Events

Following is a list of 2021 genealogy conferences and events that Legacy Tree Genealogists will be presenting at in the coming year. Check back frequently for additional conference dates and details.

  • 15 January @ 2 p.m. EST – Martin County Genealogical Society – “Using DNA as Your Compass: Case Studies – How and Where DNA Matches Can Guide Us” (Adrienne Abiodun)
  • 19 January, 2021 @8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Academy for Professionals – “Land Your Dream Job: Preparing to Apply for Professional Genealogy Positions” (Elly Catmull & Christy Fillerup)
  • 21 January @8:30 a.m. MST and 1:30 p.m. MST – Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Academy for Professionals – “Get Your Life Back: Organizational Tools for the Professional Genealogist” (Jessica Taylor)
  • 14 February @ 3:30 p.m. MST – BYU Family History Library – “DNA Testing – What, Why, How, and Who” (Sarah Stoddard)
  • 17 February @ 1 p.m. EST – The Capital Group (Genealogy Research DNI) – The State of African American Genealogy and a New Reconstruction Era (Adrienne Abiodun)
  • 21 February, 2021 @ 3:30 p.m. MST – BYU Family History Library – “DNA Testing – What, Why, How, and Who” (Sarah Stoddard)
  • 24 – 27 February –  RootsTech Connect (virtual) – the Expo Hall goes live at 5 p.m. MST on the 24th. Stop by our virtual booth for conference specials!

genealogy conferences RootsTech

  • 7 March @ 3:30 p.m. MST – BYU Family History Library – «DNA Testing – MtDNA and Y-DNA» (Sarah Stoddard)
  • 12 March Time TBD – Family Tree University – “German-Language Newspapers from Around the Globe” (James Beidler)
  • 18 March @ 7 p.m. EST – Elgin IL Genealogical Society – “Digging Pennsylvania Roots From Your Desktop” (James Beidler)
  • 21 March @ 3:30 p.m. MST – BYU Family History Library – “DNA Testing – Features, Tools, and More”  (Sarah Stoddard)
  • 23 March @ 8 p.m. EST – Forensic Research panel  discussion – virtual (Jessica Howe)
  • 1 April – 31 March – Virtual New England Regional Genealogical Conference
  • 16 April @ 2:45 p.m. EST – virtual Ohio Genealogical Society Conference – “All about Compgen.de” (James Beidler)
  • 17 April @ 8:15 a.m. EST – virtual Ohio Genealogical Society Conference – ‘An “Average Ancestor” Seen Through Newspapers'
      • @ 4 p.m. EST “Courthouse Research in PA” (James Beidler)

  • 21 April @ 2 p.m. EST – New York State Bar Association – Probate Research webinar (Jacqueline Tritsch)
  • 24 April @ 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST – Indiana Chapter, Palatines to America – “Spring Meeting: Pennsylvania, Germans, and Newspapers” (James Beidler)
  • 27 April @ 1 p.m. EST – Louisville Genealogical Society – “Exploring Pennsylvania’s State Archives and State Library” (James Beidler)
  • 15 May @ 10 a.m. MST – Castle Rock Co Genealogical Society – “German Research Online” (James Beidler)
  • 28 May – prerecorded – Legacy Family Tree Webinars – “What to Call That German Place?” (James Beidler)
  • 19 June @ 1 p.m. PST – North San Diego County Genealogical Society – “Covering Your Bases: Introduction to Autosomal DNA Coverage” (Paul Woodbury)
  • 07 July @ 2 p.m. EST – Legacy Family Tree Webinars – “Grandpa’s Eyes and Grandma’s Hair: Tracing the Origin of Physical Traits with Genetic Genealogy” (Paul Woodbury)
  • 16 September @ 8 p.m. EST – Florida State Genealogical Society – “Organizational Strategies for DNA Analysis” (Paul Woodbury)
  • 29 September @ 2 p.m. EST – Legacy Family Tree Webinars – “ Beginning Ukrainian Genealogy” (Michelle Chubenko)
  • 16 October @ TBD – Pima County Genealogy Society – “TBD”  (James Beidler)
  • 23 October @ 1 p.m. EST – Suncoast Genealogy Society – “TBD” (James Beidler)

Legacy Tree Genealogists is the world's highest client-rated genealogy research firm. We help clients worldwide discover their roots and personal history through records, narratives, and DNA. What can we help you discover? Contact us today to discuss your family history research goals.

Legacy Tree Genealogists has announced their list of upcoming genealogy conferences and events for the upcoming year. #genealogy #genealogyresearch #genealogyconferences #genealogywebinars #genealogyevents #2020 #DNA #familyhistory #familytree

Filed Under: Conferences & Education, Legacy Tree Genealogists Tagged With: 2021, conferences, events, family history, genealogy

desember 27, 2019 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

most popular family history blogs

Legacy Tree Top 10: Most Popular Family History Blog Articles from 2019

A countdown of our most popular family history blog articles from 2019

Another year has come and gone! Before we usher 2019 out the door, we want to share our countdown of the most popular family history blog articles from the past year. Did your favorite make the list?

10. Genealogy Sleuthing: How to Date Old Family Photos – Part I

9. Using AncestryDNA's ThruLines to Further Your Genealogy Research

8. «Why Don't I Share Any DNA with My Known Relative?»

7.  Third Cousins Twice Removed and Consanguinity: Figuring Out How You're Related to Your Relatives

6. There’s a Degree in That?? Genealogical Education Opportunities

5. «Who Is This?» 6 Steps to Determine Genetic Relationships of Your DNA Matches

4. Understanding Your AncestryDNA Matches

3. 6 Things You Need to Know About the AncestryDNA Ethnicity Update

2. Researching Cherokee Ancestry

And our most popular family history blog article of 2019 is *drumroll please*…

1. 3 Essential Websites for German Family History Research

What topics would you like to see our experts cover in 2020? Leave your requests in the comments below!

Are you ready to make 2020 the year you break through your genealogy “brick wall”? The experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help you connect with your ancestors and preserve your legacy for generations to come. Get started today by requesting your free quote.

most popular family history blog

Filed Under: Legacy Tree Genealogists Tagged With: ancestry, family history, family history blogs, genealogy, heritage, top 10

desember 16, 2019 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

quarter session records

Using England Quarter Session Records for Genealogy

Genealogical research in England often relies only on census records, parish register entries, and civil registration. But there is so much more information to be found! We’ve previously discussed records of the parish chest  and apprenticeship records, but genealogists should also look to lesser-known English records such as court records. The English court system was complicated, but the quarter session records are generally the most useful for most genealogists.

What are the Quarter Sessions?

The Quarter Sessions met four times a year – Easter (April-May), Trinity (June-July), Michaelmas (October-December), and Epiphany (January-April). Topics covered include both non-crown criminal offenses and local administration such as taxes, vagrancy, roads and bridges, markets and ale houses, settlement orders, bastardy examinations, and records of local jails (goals).

Quarter Session courts began in 1277 with Keepers of the Peace, who were made into Justices in 1361. These courts began to meet quarterly by 1363, though the oldest surviving records only go back as far as 1532 (Norfolk). Over time the Quarter Sessions courts absorbed other county courts and offices. In 1461 they absorbed the Sherriff’s court (but crown offenses such as treason were still heard at the court of assizes). In 1531 the administration of the Poor Law was added to its jurisdiction. Beginning in 1835, power was gradually removed from the Quarter Sessions. First town administration in 1835, additional administration in 1888, and they were finally replaced in 1972.

Quarter Session Record Types

A voluminous amount of records was created by these courts, and they can be challenging to work with without direction.

  • Order Books—edict and decision books of the court made for official purposes. Sometimes these are indexed but are the least detailed. These are a good place to start. Once an order is found, more detailed, but more difficult to access records can be sought.
  • Session Files/Rolls—the original documents generated at the court session that don’t fit into one of the following categories. These may include statements by defendants, prosecutors, witnesses, and officials; registers of potential jurors; oaths of allegiance; indictments; petitions; and more. Often the most difficult to use, but also often the most genealogically useful.
  • Indictment/Process Books—a very brief outline of the business of the court; may include the defendant, the accusation, the verdict, and the sentence.
  • Minute/Session Books—clerk’s summary notes. These don’t always exist, but when they do, they are a roughly chronological outline of the days the court met.
  • Bills of Indictment—much like a pre-trial hearing, each indictment was reviewed on the first day of the session to determine if bail could be set, the indictment could be dismissed, or if the accused would be imprisoned awaiting trial. Note that bondsman are often listed and related.

Jurors—If your ancestor was listed as serving on a jury, there are actually several pieces of useful information that can be gleaned. In addition, beginning in 1696, lists of all eligible jurors were made, not just those who served. Meaning that after 1696, conclusions can be draw about men listed there.

  • 1285—1664: jurymen had to own property
  • 1664: men who also were life lease-holders with rent of at least ten pounds, a freehold, or a copyhold were added.
  • 1730: long-term lease-holders with a rent of at least twenty pounds were added.
  • 1825: Age restrictions were added so that only those between 21 and 60 could serve. Property restrictions from this point were freehold property with a rent of at least ten pounds, leasehold property with a rent of at least twenty pounds, or householders with a rent of at least 30 pounds.

Using Quarter Session Records for Genealogy: Oldham Case Study

In 1823, John Oldham was born illegitimately to Elizabeth Oldham in Pleasley, Derbyshire, England. Four years earlier, Elizabeth had another child, Charlotte Oldham. Neither baptismal record named a father, and bastardy bonds for Pleasley are no longer extant. It is tempting to think this is the end of the road for John’s paternal line, but in fact it isn’t.

Searching Order Books

Order books are generally the most accessible Quarter Session records, and an excellent place to start. To find the correct records, however, you must know your jurisdiction. Pleasley parish fell in the Hundred of Scarsdale, and while it is possible that Elizabeth was brought into court in a different jurisdiction, it is always prudent to begin in the parish of residence.

The Order Books for Scarsdale are held by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and are available on digital microfilm. Note that these are hand-indexed by year, but they are not digitally indexed. Researchers must access the hand-done indexes by finding the appropriate digital film and scrolling through until the needed year and hundred is found.

A search of Scarsdale Hundred for 1822 and 1823 did not return any Oldham entries. Because these are only indexed by the name of the person being indicted, and in most cases the man is the one being brought into court, a page-by-page search was conducted. Still no results were found, and it appears that Elizabeth was not brought into court in Scarsdale Quarter Sessions for her pregnancy with John.

Moving to her older child, a similar search was made for Elizabeth Oldham in 1818 and 1819 – the years of Charlotte Oldham’s conception and birth. No Oldham entries were indexed, but by viewing each entry indexed by Pleasley as the location, an applicable entry was found! The inhabitants of Pleasley brought a charge against William Hopkinson Junior in the Easter Session of 1819 for “begetting Elizabeth Oldham, Singlewoman, with child…”

Quarter Session Records

After the child was born, he was brought into court again, and this time the record records that William was of Morton while his father, William Hopkinson Sr., was of Pilsley.

quarter session records

Additional research is still needed to say definitively whether William Hopkinson was John Oldham’s father, but it is apparent that he was Charlotte’s. The next steps would be to obtain the original case file using our onsite researcher at the Derbyshire archives and pursue targeted genetic testing to determine if any Hopkinson matches, or matches descending from Hopkinsons, exist.

Legacy Tree Genealogists' team of experts leave no stone unturned in pursuit of your elusive ancestors. Whether scouring quarter session records page by page, or utilizing our network of onsite agents to access records in an archive or repository, we have the knowledge and experience to extend your family history as far back as records will allow. Contact us to discuss which of our project options would best fit your needs.

Quarter Session records can prove invaluable to genealogists researching their family history in England. We'll show you where to find these records, and how to incorporate them into your family history research. #familyhistory #genealogy #England #QuarterSession #genealogyrecords #genealogyresearch

Filed Under: British Isles, Court Records

desember 6, 2019 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

a genealogists letter to santa

A Genealogist’s Letter to Santa

A genealogist's letter to Santa–what we really want this year!

Dear Santa,

I have been a good genealogist all year. My research always conforms to the Genealogical Proof Standard: my research is reasonably exhaustive, my citations are complete and accurate, my analysis is thorough, I correlate records and data fully, I resolve conflicting evidence or offer some valid explanations for the conflicts, and my conclusions are soundly written.

In addition, I use outside-the-box thinking to solve the many brick wall projects that cross my desk. Narrative research reports are filled with documented historical and geographical details. And Legacy Tree Genealogists was honored as one of Utah’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies for the fifth year in a row. All-in-all, it has been a good year.

Santa, diligently working on his genealogy.

My holiday wish-list isn’t filled with the usual requests you may get from genealogists. The loss of the 1890 U.S. Census is a pain, but there are often other sources (such as the 1890 Veteran’s Schedule, or state census reports) which help overcome that loss. As an Irish researcher, I will always wish Eamon de Valera had not decided to take a stand at Four Courts in Dublin, ultimately bringing about the destruction of thousands of Irish records. But again, there are potential sources of information elsewhere, and I love the challenge of finding the records we need in some other place, as outlined in my previous article, Five Steps for Finding that Hard-to-Find Irish Ancestor.

My requests are pretty simple this year:

1. The records destroyed in any wars or disasters (natural or manmade) to be restored to their former state, and for archives (particularly central and eastern European ones) to organize their material better so they actually know what they have. For help in these difficult archives, we wrote this article. 4 Eastern European Archives Growing Through Citizen Archivists. 

2. When a message is sent to a DNA match, would you please give that match a little nudge to reply, Santa? We aren’t asking for personal information. Normally, we want to know who their grandparents were, or we want to see their family tree so we can determine how our client is related to them. We wrote this article, 13 Secrets to Getting Replies from DNA Cousin Matches–but a little extra Christmas magic can't hurt! When we write and get no reply it can really bog down the research while we wait and wonder.

3. Similarly, would you please encourage everyone to attach some sort of family tree to their DNA test results so we can all see if the relation is on the family line we are researching? The names and other data of living individuals are redacted, so there are no security risks.

4. Finally, on a more personal note, would you please persuade one of my three living male cousins on my father’s line to take a Y-DNA test? They are my only hope for tracing that line back “across the pond” and it sure would be nice to have their help. If there are any questions, this article does a great job explaining DNA Testing for Genealogical Research.

That’s my list, Santa. They would be a big help to all genealogists everywhere and would go a long way to helping make our research go more smoothly – except for that last one. That’s totally for me.

And if you, or any of the elves, or your other friends need some assistance with their genealogical research, remember, you can always contact Legacy Tree Genealogists. As professional genealogists, we are skilled at thinking “outside-the-box” and utilizing every resource possible to discover your family’s story.

He's making his list and checking it twice...and we've been good all year! This is what the genealogist on your list REALLY wants for Christmas. A genealogists letter to Santa. #genealogy #genealogists #familyhistory #Christmas2019

Filed Under: Legacy Tree Genealogists Tagged With: Christmas, family history, genealogist, genealogy, gifts

november 26, 2019 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Voter Registration: Another Useful Tool for Your Genealogy Toolbox

An often overlooked resource in genealogy are voter registration records. We'll show you where to find and use these helpful records in your family history.

Genealogists have many resources available to them to aid in their research. Census records, church records, city directories, land records, and probate records are just a few of the more commonly used resources. Many of them are available online, thanks to web sites such as MyHeritage, FamilySearch, and Ancestry, making research possible from the comfort of one’s home. However, so many records are available online that it can be difficult to decide what records to search when researching one’s ancestors. An often overlooked resource in genealogy is that of voter registration records.

Voter registration records, like city directories, list an ancestor’s place of residence and the exact years he or she resided there. Naturalization information and the estimated year of immigration can sometimes also be found on an ancestor’s voter registration, along with name, birth date and place, address, years at that address, and Social Security number. Information such as political party and occupation may also be listed, giving one a glimpse into an ancestor’s life. Voter registration records can be helpful in tracking an ancestor between censuses, proving citizenship, identifying other family members, and in leading to research in other records by providing previously unknown details.

I thought I knew a lot about my great-great-grandmother because of the extensive research I had done in all the usual genealogy records, so when I looked at her voter registration records in California, I didn’t really expect to see anything new. I learned she was a Democrat and a housewife while married to my great-great-grandfather. That wasn’t terribly surprising. It was during the Great Depression and the family had just moved to California. However, the year after my great-great-grandfather died, she was listed as a Republican and a dressmaker. I never knew she was a dressmaker, and I thought it interesting that she changed political affiliation after her husband died. She remained a Republican for the rest of her life. If I hadn’t looked at her voter registration records, I would never have known she worked as a dressmaker and gotten this glimpse into her life.

Index to Voter Registration
Index to Voter Registration for Precinct 2, Glendale Photo Courtesy of Ancestry.com

Like other genealogical records, voter registration records are only as good as their availability.  While some voter registration records, like the California Great Registers, are online, most are not. A good place to start is to look for information about voter registration records that are available is the FamilySearch Wiki. The wiki has links to a number of state-specific articles about voter registration. Cyndi’s List is another great source for voter registration availability. Searching the catalogs at online genealogical sites such as MyHeritage, FamilySearch, and Ancestry would also be a good way to determine the availability of voting registration records. And since voter registrations are kept at the county level, be sure to check with the county your ancestor lived in. City, county, and state archives along with local historical and genealogical societies may also have voter information. It’s important to remember that while today every citizen of the United States can register to vote, that wasn’t always the case. In the early days of our country, only white male landowners over the age of 21 could vote. The Fifteenth Amendment, in 1870, allowed all male citizens regardless of race or color the right to vote, and it wasn’t until 1920 and the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment that women could vote. These are important bits of history to know when searching for possible voter registrations. Read our article about the importance of Using Historical Context to Learn About an Ancestor.

Finally, don’t forget to look for the original record.  Many of the available records online are indexes or compiled records that list voters alphabetically. The original records list the voters in the order they registered. Since family members often registered to vote together, the original records would be the place to find family members with different surnames.

Voter Registration List
Alabama 1867 Voter Registration List. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com

Voter registration may not be the first tool out of a genealogist’s toolbox, but it is one that shouldn’t be overlooked. There is so much information available that can help supplement previous research and give direction to additional research. We can also learn a little bit more about our ancestors and who they were.

Our worldwide team is skilled at utilizing a plethora of genealogical tools to help our clients get the fullest possible insight into the lives of their ancestors. Contact us today for a free quote and to let us know what our experts can do for you.

Voter registration records are an often overlooked genealogy resource. We'll show you where to find these records, and how to incorporate the information they contain into your genealogy research strategy.
#genealogy #familyhistory #ancestry #genealogyrecords #voterregistration #genealogytips

Filed Under: Genealogy Records and Resources Tagged With: family history research, genealogy, record collections, tips, voter registration

november 8, 2019 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 22 Comments

Afro-Caribbean genealogy

3 Resources for Afro-Caribbean Genealogy: Researching Enslaved Roots

While Afro-Caribbean genealogy research can be difficult, knowing where to look for records can make progress possible. We share 3 resources that can help as you research your Afro-Caribbean family history.

Many persons of Caribbean descent have African roots and the majority of those were enslaved. Genealogical research into Afro-Caribbean enslaved ancestors is possible, although the methodology is different than for their U.S. counterparts. While research can appear to be confusing due to the many countries that have been historically involved in Caribbean island land ownership, it does not have to be so.

Understanding Historical Context of the Caribbean

Today, there are more than 7,000 individual islands in the Caribbean covering an approximate 1 million square mile region. Of those 7,000, there are 13 sovereign nations and 12 dependent territories. Historically, the majority of those islands were divided amongst territories owned by the British, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Danish, all utilizing slave labor to harvest products such as sugar. Depending on which island or group of islands an ancestor derived from, it becomes essential to create a timeline of that island’s history and determine in what language those records were created and where they are housed today. Moreover, depending on that island’s history, records that were once created might no longer exist, or exist in an archival facility on the island, or exist in a collection within the former or current dependency such as the Archives Nationales d’Outre Mer (National Overseas Archives), located in Aix-en-Provence, France for records associated with former and current French colonies and dependencies.

Afro-Caribbean genealogy
Johnson’s map of the West Indies, 1864. Courtesy Wikimedia.

Afro-Caribbean Genealogy: Enslaved Persons

As in the United States, enslaved persons in the Caribbean had no rights. They were considered property and were subject to the country’s individual laws regarding ownership. Different regions practiced different types of law, therefore created different types of records. In the early 19th century, British owned dependencies, such as Jamaica and Barbados, began creating an every name slave register once every three years. In the late 17th century, the Danish, who were diligent record keepers, began keeping Emancipation records, registers of free persons of color, slave auction records, and plantation records.

Moreover, each region emancipated those who were enslaved at different points in history. Haiti was the first in 1793. The British West Indies officially ended slavery on 1 August 1834, although most enslaved over the age of 6 were required to serve a forced apprenticeship for four years, thus, making the official date of emancipation in British-owned islands, 1 August 1838. In French-owned territories, slavery was abolished in 1848. The Dutch abolished slavery on 1 July 1863. Puerto Rico, under Spanish control, did not end slavery until 22 March 1873, while Cuba was the last Caribbean nation to end slavery on 7 October 1886.

It was also typical for islands in the Caribbean to have been contested and under different ownerships throughout their history. The island of Dominica, part of the Leeward Islands, was first established as a failed Spanish colony, then was a French colony, then British. Other islands are divided geographically. For example, St. Martin, a French collectivity, and St. Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is Dutch, but share the same geographic area. Some islands are independent, such as Barbados, while some are under a dependency, such as Aruba, which can make locating records confusing. The basics of Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean research begin with understanding the laws of the time, place, and history of the island before commencing. Many records documenting those formerly enslaved in the Caribbean are held in respective archival facilities, but some records can be located online. Below are three online databases which are useful to get started in Afro-Caribbean genealogy research:

Slave Registers: British Colonial Dependencies

Online and at the National Archives UK, Kew, microfilm publication T71

In 1807, England passed the Abolition of Slave Trade Act, making the trade in slaves from Africa to British colonies illegal. Thus, many of the British Colonies in the Caribbean began keeping registers of those enslaved. The online record collection, entitled Former British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers, 1813-1834 can be found on Ancestry.com and houses slave registers for various years in multiple countries. Additional records that have never been microfilmed are only available at the National Archives United Kingdom, located in Kew, Surrey, England. Examples of represented countries in the registers include Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, and Antigua. Slave registers will typically record the owner, their male and female enslaved, the enslaved diminutive name, then in parentheses with their baptismal name, the person’s color (negro or mulatto, or dark or light skinned), their age, if the person derived from Africa or were Creole (born on the island), and remarks, which are most often the name of their mother.

The image below shows a return of male slaves for the Parish of Manchester, Jamaica, 28 June 1829, in the possession of a John Daly acting as a trustee for John White. Note that mothers were named for persons of Creole descent, but not for persons of African descent. Also, many of the baptismal names had a different surname than their owner, disputing the myth that enslaved persons did not have surnames. Many of the formerly enslaved went by their baptismal name after Emancipation, therefore the names in parentheses are important to note when tracing a family forward or backwards in time.

Afro-Caribbean genealogy - slave registers
British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers, 1813-1834, Ancestry.com.

Increases, or persons born on the plantation that year, were also recorded. The last entry on the page above was for James Forbes, a mulatto Creole child, age 1, with the remark, Kitty Wright, most likely his mother. Cross referencing the next page of the return, a slave register of the females, identified Litty, baptismal name Kitty Wright, as a 17-year-old Creole. Thus, James Forbes’ mother was most likely located along with her age.

British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers
British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers, 1813-1834, Ancestry.com.

Danish West Indies Slave Records

Online and at the National Archives, Washington D.C., microfilm publication M1883, Record Group 55.2

Danish West Indies, otherwise known as the Danish Antilles, consist of the islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix. They were occupied by the British from 1801-1802, again from 1807-1815, then sold to the United States in 1917. In most of their history, the islands were under Danish control, with records created in Danish. Because the United States acquired the Virgin Islands from Denmark, it also acquired many of its archival records and are housed at the National Archives in Washington D.C.

Original records regarding slavery in the Danish Antilles are held in the National Archives in Washington D.C. under microfilm publication M1883, Record Group 55.2, Records of the Government of the Danish West Indies 1672-1917. The record set can also be located on Ancestry.com in a database entitled U.S. Virgin Islands, Danish West Index Slave Records, 1672-1917 or for free on FamilySearch.org at Selected Records of the Danish West Indies, 1672-1917: essential records concerning slavery and emancipation by searching for Virgin Islands (U.S.)  > Slavery and Bondage. These records are not indexed but contain information such as registers of free persons of color, slave censuses, and slave auctions. Researching these records require a solid grasp of the Danish language and dependent on the record, Gothic script.

Afro-Caribbean genealogy resources - Slave Auction
Slave Auction, 3 February 1827, Frederiksted, Saint Croix, Oberst von Krause; U.S. Virgin Islands, Danish West Indies Slave Records, 1672-1917, Ancestry.com.

Puerto Rico, Slave Census 1872

Online and at the National Archives, Washington D.C microfilm publication T-1121 , Record Group 186.2

Estimates of the total volume of enslaved Africans who landed in the Spanish Americas were between 200,000 and 300,000, some of whom arrived on islands such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico emancipated their enslaved on 22 March 1873, while Cuba did not free their enslaved until 1886. In 1872, the Spanish Government ordered that a special slave census be administered in Puerto Rico so that owners could be compensated for each freed slave. The schedule contains a wealth of information, such as name, slave owner, names of parents, names of children, and a physical description. The census is available at the National Archives in Washington D.C, microfilm publication T-1121, Record Group 186.2 under Records of the Spanish Governments of Puerto Rico, 1767-1880 or online for free at FamilySearch.org under the collection Registro central de esclavos, 1872 (slave schedule of Puerto Rico, 1872) by searching under Puerto Rico > Slavery and Bondage.

1872 Puerto Rico slave schedule, recording Yldefonso, slave of Antonio Martinell, including names of parents, names of children, occupation, age, marital status, and physical description. FamilySearch.org.

While the above examples can be located online, the majority of records for Afro-Caribbean genealogy are not. When beginning research into the enslaved era of the Caribbean, it is important to determine where each island’s documents are housed (whether locally or abroad), what is extant, and if those records are available to the public. Many times, that means contacting the representant archival facility though a phone call or email or sending a local researcher to examine record collections.

Legacy Tree Genealogists has a worldwide network of onsite researchers who can assist in gathering documentation and analyzing its contents to help extend your family history. Contact us today to request a free quote.

While #AfroCaribbean #genealogy research can be difficult, particularly for #enslaved #ancestors, knowing where to look for records can make progress possible. In this article, we share 3 resources for records pertaining to enslaved Afro-Caribbean ancestors.

Filed Under: British West Indies

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