Genealogy Research
Explore genealogy research tips designed to help you get the most out of your research. Find tutorials and in-depth posts on all things genealogy. Successful genealogy research requires solid research skills. Don't let that thought overwhelm you! [We're not in high school anymore. No grades will be given.] Like you, we all want to connect to our past through our ancestors. We want the current generations of our family to be grounded in their family history. We want to build and document the family tree for future generations to come. Let Are You My Cousin? take you through tutorials and teach you how to find your ancestors and build your family tree. You will find articles on research strategies, where and how to find the records your ancestors generated, and how to analyze those records. I want to make sure you are not missing out on potential genealogical clues to finding your ancestors. Most importantly, I want to help you not be overwhelmed! You will also learn about uncommon genealogy resources and how to think "outside of the genealogy box". Solving brick wall ancestor problems can require uncommon strategies. You will find a mixture of guides and tutorials on the website. Learn from tutorials such as:
- How To Do Free Genealogy Research on Ancestry.com Yes, genealogy does not have to be expensive.
- How To Determine Your Ancestor's Birth Date (Even When No Birth Records Exists)
- Your Guide To Cemetery Research – Are You Missing Important Genealogical Clues? [One of our most popular posts!]
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How Joanna Gaines Made Me a Better Genealogy Researcher
Become a better genealogy researcher by following the principles of popular DIY home improvement shows such as Fixer Upper. My daughter and I love to binge watch old Fixer Upper episodes with Chip and Joanna Gaines. The couple takes the worst looking houses and turns them into beautiful family homes – all within an hour! After seeing umpteen episodes, the thought occurred to me: Renovating a house and genealogy research have a lot in common! Dare I say, I’m a better genealogy researcher, because I watch DIY home shows?! [Stay with me! I’m really not crazy.] Vision and Inspiration for the Genealogy Research Fixer Upper opens up with a couple…
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7 Steps for Using DNA to Find Birth Parents of Adoptees & Others with Unknown Parents
Trying to find birth parents? DNA and genetic genealogy along with good detective work and plain old fashioned genealogy research can yield results. I am thrilled to have Mary Eberle, JD of DNA Hunters as a guest writer today! Welcome, Mary! Many adoptees and others looking with unknown parents use DNA in their searches. There are techniques and resources for this work that can be broken down into 7 steps, which are discussed below. Before jumping into DNA, it’s important to consider what non-DNA resources might help in searching for a birth parent. Non-DNA Resources To Find Birth Parents Original Birth Certificates State laws govern adoptees’ rights to access to…
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5 Reasons You Are NOT Finding Your Ancestor’s Birth Record
Trouble finding your ancestor’s birth record? 5 Reasons why not and how to search smarter. Genealogy tips for finding that ancestor’s birth record. One of the most sought after genealogy records is your ancestor’s birth record. One of the most common questions Are You My Cousin? readers ask is, “Why can I not find my ancestor’s birth record?” Every ancestor has a birth date, after all. Finding a record of that date is not always an easy task. When traditional research methods fail, increase your chances of finding that birth record by adjusting how you perform your genealogy searches. To understand how to adjust your search, first let’s understand why…
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Seeking Connection: The Importance of Family History
Seeking connection through family history is the goal of genealogy researchers. Learn how to get started finding your ancestors. Family can mean different things to different people. For some, it means to be with people who understand and accept you unconditionally. For others, it is strictly those to whom they have a biological connection. Some of us don’t have ideal families, while others couldn’t imagine their life without family. Most often, though, it’s a mixture of each of these types of relationships. When I think about my most ideal family relationships, I think of my dad’s Germans-from-Russia Mennonite cousins, double cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents… you get the idea. It’s…
