-
What Everyone Ought To Know About Census Research
Everything you need to know to get the most out of your census research and find your ancestors. Your genealogy research will get a boost! Census records are some of the first records genealogy researchers begin with. Let’s face it. Finding your ancestor on a census record – or even yourself in those census pages – gives you a little thrill. It’s like a mini-version of the genealogy happy dance! Let’s get back to those census records for a little refresher. Whether you are a seasoned genealogy researcher or a brand new researcher, understanding the basics of census research is essential to finding your ancestors. While the examples in this…
-
What Is The 1910 Census Telling You About Your Ancestor?
The 1910 census provides the genealogy researcher with unique information about your ancestors. Are you recognizing all of the clues to be found? Is it possible to have a favorite census? If so, I am claiming the 1910 census as my favorite! There is just something about that particular record that really opens up the stories of my ancestors to me. Today we are going to take a closer look at the 1910 census record and I’ll share with you some of my favorite bits. But here is the important thing I want you to remember: Look beyond the names and dates of birth. What are all of those other…
-
How To Use Pre-1850 Census Records to Find Your Female Ancestors
Genealogy researchers can struggle to find female ancestors in pre-1850 census records. We are familiar with the US census records, and they are often some of the first records we search when looking at a family line. In those early census records, we pay more attention to the male ancestors listed. We (you can read that as “I”) can fail to see our female ancestors in these records. I used to dread the point in my census research when my ancestors preceded the 1850 U.S. census. (The truth is, I still do sometimes!) I especially dreaded those pre-1850 census records when I researched anyone other than the head of household.…
-
The 1890 Census – How To Research the “Genealogy Black Hole” Part 1
[Note: This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on the 1890 census.] The 1890 census is referred to as the “black hole” of genealogy research. How many of you have “lost” track of your ancestors because the 1890 census did not survive the Commerce Department fire of 1921? I’m waving my hand wildly over here! A bit of genealogical trivia first….. The 1890 census did not burn. It received significant water damage during the fighting of the fire. The records then sat and sat and sat….. Well, water, paper and time are not a good combination. The 1890 census was ruined. Back to our research…. The loss of…
