Did you know that before Ellis Island, most immigrants to the United States arrived at a place called Castle Garden? In this post, learn all about this forgotten part of America's history, and how this place may have shaped your family's journey. Four of my great-great grandparents arrived at the port of New York during …
You might already know that you can find basic information about your ancestors in old census records. However, there are some aspects of the census that might surprise you - and help you learn things you never knew possible about your ancestors. The United States has conducted a census every ten years since 1790. The …
Do you want to know how to look up your ancestors for free? In this post, I'll teach you ways to find information about your ancestors without having to pay a subscription. It seems like every online records website wants to charge a hefty monthly fee. While some of those sites can be worth the …
Have you seen your ancestor's occupation on a census record? In this post, learn what the most common jobs were, and what your ancestor's job can reveal about their life. Census records are one of my favorite types of genealogy records. On these records, you are likely to discover the type of job that your …
Have you heard of the Freedmen's Bureau? In this post, learn what this agency was, and how the records it kept can help you with your genealogy research. The roots of the Freedmen's Bureau can be traced back to the American Freedmen's Inquiry Commission, which was created after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham …
Do you have two or more DNA matches that share an overlapping DNA segment? In this post, learn what this means and how to use this information. If you are thinking about DNA segment overlap, but have questions, you are no longer a beginning DNA researcher. You know that there is more to get from …
Are you thinking of canceling your Ancestry subscription? You have questions, and in this post, you will find everything that you need to know to help make your decision.
Did you know that collaborating and sharing with other family tree researchers might be the key to taking your research to the next level? In this post, learn how you can leverage the power of collaboration to help tell your ancestors' stories. As the readers of my free newsletter might know, I love to get …
Do you routinely include sources when you do family tree research? In this post, learn why you should always cite your sources on your family tree.
Should you have surname matches with distant cousins? What does it mean if you don't see your surname or maiden name in your list of DNA matches?
Are you an Ancestry DNA customer who tested their DNA before fall of 2025? If so, your DNA results may have gone through a major update, and you can learn all about it in this article. For the better part of a decade, Ancestry has released a big fall ethnicity estimate or ancestral regions results. …
Have you tested your DNA with 23andMe? In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about the biggest 23andMe update so far. I always get excited when there is a DNA results update on 23andMe because it means that DNA results will become more accurate and I might even learn something new …
Are you wondering what you should do while you are waiting for your DNA results to be ready? In this post, find a helpful list of things you can do while you wait - and they will also help you get the most from your DNA results once you get them. You took the big …
If you are one of the many millions of people who have tested their DNA with Ancestry, you might have seen your results change over the years. In this post, learn about the big changes through examples. Ethnicity or ancestry estimates are usually the main reason that people take a DNA test. They are hoping …
Have you been wondering about your ancestors? In this post, learn what an ancestor actually is, which relatives are not your ancestors, and much more. Most of our life is spent thinking about and taking care of our descendants, especially our children and grandchildren. If we are lucky, we get to know some of our …
Do you wonder whether your ancestors were Vikings? In this post, learn how you can find out if you likely have Viking ancestry, and much more. In the past few decades, we have seen modern culture develop a fascination with all things Viking. This fascination has been encouraged by artists, books, television shows and movies, …
Have you wondered if you should ignore your distant cousin DNA matches? Is there anything that can be gained through trying to identify how you are related to these relatives? Some of us have many thousands of DNA matches. Since it can be difficult to tell which matches are most important, many of us focus …
Did you know that there are dozens of Facebook groups where you can connect with people researching similar topics? This is a great way to get answers to your questions, research ideas, and even help with translations. Facebook groups have been a great help to me over the years. I have posted photographs of gravestones …
Did you know that your ancestor's religious records might reveal hidden facts about their life? You could discover information that you wouldn't be able to learn any other way.
Have you tried the Ancestry DNA matches by cluster tool? In this post, learn how you can automatically cluster your Ancestry matches, and how this can help you. Your DNA match list is the most valuable element of your DNA results. It is a treasure trove of information for those who choose to explore it. …
Did you get DNA matching the Scotland ethnicity region on Ancestry DNA? In this post, find out what it means to have Scottish DNA, how you inherited DNA from this region, and how to trace it.
What does cM shared mean on your DNA results? Where can you find this information? Learn all of this, and more, in this post!
Have you seen your Ancestral Journey on your Ancestry DNA results? In this post, learn where to find them, what they mean, and how you can use them to learn more about your ancestors.
Have you ever looked into getting citizenship through ancestry? If your ancestors came from certain countries, even if they emigrated a few generations ago, you might be eligible for citizenship.
Do you have an ancestor with a very common name? This can make finding records about them seem impossible! In this post, find out ways to overcome this research challenge. The common names that you will encounter in your tree will vary depending on where your ancestors were from. For example, millions of people in …
Have you ever wondered how far back in your family tree DNA matches can really go? In this post, find out everything you need to know about this question. As we all know, DNA matches share bits of DNA with us that we refer to as DNA segments. These DNA segments were passed down to …
What if you discover some of the things no one talks about in your family tree? This is just one way that genealogy has a dark side.
Have you had trouble finding information about your female ancestors during your genealogy research? In this post, find tips and tricks for locating the women in your family tree.
Which Star Wars people would show up on Luke Skywalker's DNA match list? Would he be a match to Owen and Beru Lars? What about DNA shared with Darth Vader?
If you have ancestors who were born in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, you need to know where to find UK genealogy records. In this post, find ten places to search for your ancestors online.
If you have a DNA match that shares about 1300 cMs with you, they could be your half-sibling or a half-uncle or aunt, among other relationship possibilities. In this post, learn how to know whether your match is your half-sibling, or that of one of your parents. DNA results are an amazing way to find …
Are you wondering how the 23andMe bankruptcy issues affect you and your DNA results? In this post, find out what you need to know and whether you should take steps to protect your data.
Did you know that Ancestry has a built-in feature that uses AI to automatically transcribe images? In this post, find out how to use this tool to learn about and document your ancestors. A few weeks ago, I was given an antique writing box that belonged to my great-great-great grandmother, who was born in 1861. …
It's important to ensure that the sources you use for your family tree research are high-quality and reliable. In this post, learn the steps you should take to evaluate your records.
Have you tried out the Experimental Full-Text Search on Family Search? In this post, find out what you might be able to discover about your ancestors from using this free tool.
Are you wondering what kind of information you can learn through passenger lists where your ancestor is named? In this post, discover how to use these valuable genealogical records to find new details about your ancestor’s life.
If you have spent some time analyzing your DNA match list, you might wonder if it is possible to have no DNA matches from an ancestor who you know is in your family tree. In this post, learn whether this is possible and how it could happen.
Are you thinking about putting together a family reunion, but don't know where to start the planning process? In this post, learn helpful tips for planning a family reunion that everyone will remember for years to come. I spend a lot of my free time working on my family tree, which usually means I am …
Anyone who spends much time researching their family tree will eventually stumble upon family names that cause them to pause and wonder. Here, learn how and why our ancestors sometimes have names that seem strange to us. In this post, I'll tell you some examples of some "crazy" names in my own family tree, and …
Do you want to learn more about the most recent MyHeritage ethnicity estimate update? In this post, you will find out everything you need to know about the v2.5 update of your DNA results.
Did you know that there is a way to automatically add a DNA match to your family tree on Ancestry? In this post, learn how to find and use this helpful tool! This tool, called the "Add DNA Match to Tree" tool, is a feature that launched around the beginning of 2025. Anyone with an …
Did you know that the 1921 Census of England and Wales is available on Ancestry? In this post, you will find information about the background of this census, what you can learn from these records, and how to access them on the Ancestry site. If you had ancestors living in England or Wales in the …
Have you ever thought about who should or shouldn't be added to your family tree? In this post, I'll discuss what you should consider before adding someone to your tree.