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Techniques and strategies to identify old photographs. Date an old photo and find other important clues in your old family photos.

Do you have unidentified photographs of your ancestors in your collection?  I think many genealogy researchers do. Among my own personal collection I have a large number of photographs of unknown individuals. It’s actually a wonderful problem to have!

Are they family? Friends? Neighbors? I’m really not sure on some. I expect it’s a mixture of both.

When you come across old family photos that are not labeled, the question very quickly becomes “How do we identify those individuals? Is it even possible?”.

Early 1900's sepia toned photo of two young men with white lettering reading 16 post to help identify old photographs

As researchers, we must first educate ourselves about those old family photographs. We have to learn how to place a photograph in time and place, and we have to learn how to interpret the family history clues in the photo itself. 

It’s an “Identify Old Photographs” Round Up!

Below, find sixteen (16) Are You My Cousin? posts all containing  techniques and strategies to identify various types of photographs, fashions and other important clues to learn more about your ancestors’ photographs.

Techniques and strategies to identify old photographs. Find the age of a photo and other important clues to learn who is in your old family photos.

It's a Round- up! Find all the Are You My Cousin? articles about your old family photos here! Let's start putting ancestor names to faces.

Now it’s your turn!

Pull those family photos out of the closet. You know the ones – those in the shoebox in the top of the guest room closet? Blow the dust off  and get started identifying those unknown individuals.

lisa lisson

About Lisa

I believe researching your genealogy does not have to be overwhelming. All you need is a solid plan, a genealogy toolbox and the knowledge to use those tools.

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5 Comments

  1. Sharon Turnbull says:

    I am going through my grandfather’s old photo album and there are a lot of people I do not know. I am going to try and put some out on the net to see if anyone in my lost family may know them or have the same picture in an old album. The are from around 1887-88. . Thanks for putting your info out for us to review.

    1. LisaL says:

      You’re welcome! How great that you have those old family photos! Best of luck as you work to identify them.

  2. Bonnie Powell says:

    I have a lot of ancestors that there picture was on a postcard. Would you happen to know time when postcards were used?

  3. LisaL says:

    Thanks so much for including me!