Researching enslaved ancestors in the former British Empire is not as hopeless as it may initially seem. With well kept records and archives now available online, researching enslaved ancestors is possible. Here we share some strategies to aid in your research. The Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery has created a wonderful beginning point for researching your enslaved ancestors. Their database has indexed many records, including a majority of the registers and … [Read more...]
3 Tips and Tricks to Kickstart your Portuguese Genealogy Project
Want to know more about your family history in Portugal but need to know how to get started? Our experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists pulled together a simple research guide to help you discover your Portuguese ancestors and begin your Portuguese Genealogy project now. 1. Finding Your Ancestral Hometown Because Portuguese records are kept at the local level, it is imperative to know the ancestral hometown beforehand. [1] If you already know your ancestral hometown in Portugal, jumping into … [Read more...]
America’s Little Known Swedish Colony
When people think of early colonies in North America, most commonly images of Thanksgiving, the Mayflower, and Jamestown come to mind. However, England was not alone in colonizing areas now known as the thirteen original colonies. [1] The New Sweden Company Jamestown, Colony of Virginia, was founded on 13 May 1607. As the colonists endured that first hard winter and eventually began to prosper in their new home, economic opportunities quickly presented themselves. John Rolfe brought tobacco … [Read more...]
Connect to Your Roots: Plan Your 2023 Heritage Tour Now
Our ancestors’ stories are an integral part of who we are. Many are drawn to their ancestral homeland with the quest of discovering the details of the lives of those who came before them. If you are thinking about traveling out of the country, consider planning a heritage travel tour. What is a Heritage Travel Tour? A heritage, or ancestral, tour involves traveling to different locations to understand the history and culture associated with them. But they don’t just involve … [Read more...]
My Journey to Dual Italian Citizenship
A new law enacted in March 2025 may render some of the information below inaccurate. Legacy Tree Genealogists’ Sarah Gutmann was excited to have stumbled upon a record that could potentially change the narrative of her family’s history. In this article, she describes her journey toward dual citizenship to pay homage to her family’s Italian heritage. For eight decades my grandpa believed his father, Joseph Fraggetta was a first-generation American. Despite this claim, I could not find my … [Read more...]
Ask a Genealogist: Tracing Ancestry in Spain
We sat down with Katy Barnes to discuss research in Spain. She spent seven years as a senior editor and researcher with Legacy Tree Genealogists, with a wide range of geographic specialties, and has a degree in family history and genealogy. What interested you in genealogy and specifically research into Spain? I've always loved history, writing, and other topics that frequently intersect with genealogy, such as politics, culture, and law. I discovered genealogy as a hobby in high school, … [Read more...]
Ask a Genealogist: Exploring Your Cherokee Heritage
Michelle Carroll uses a combination of genetic genealogy and traditional research to help clients break through genealogy brick walls. In addition to holding a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University, her diverse background has resulted in a breadth of genealogical knowledge including Cherokee, African American, French Canadian/Acadian, and Norwegian ancestry. What got you interested in genealogy? I became interested in genealogy when I was in grade school and … [Read more...]
Guest Blog: My Genealogy Travels and Research
A family tree has many branches and researching ancestors can be an ongoing process. In fact, nearly half of our clients order additional genealogy research projects to answer more questions about their family history. One client, Norman E. “Ned” Donoghue, II, embarked on a quest to trace his ancestry half a century ago and has enjoyed learning more about his family’s past. When he wanted to extend his ancestry beyond his own available resources, he reached out to Legacy Tree Genealogists and … [Read more...]