Family Tree Research

Maybe you have heard of genealogy, but you aren’t quite sure what it is. In this article, learn the definition of genealogy, find examples, and learn how it works.

Did you know that you can upload a family tree from your computer to Ancestry? In this post, learn what you'll need to get started, and exactly how to do it. There are many places to build family trees, both online and in the form of software that you can have on your computer. If …

Have you ever wanted to see a map of where all of the people in your Ancestry tree? In this post, learn how you can see where important events in your ancestors' lives occurred on an interactive map.

Do you want to learn more about your Irish ancestors? In this post, find out how to find which of your ancestors were Irish, how to learn about their lives in Ireland - and more. Since the year 1800, about ten million people have left the island of Ireland, including both the country of Ireland …

Have you ever heard of a GEDCOM? In this post, find out exactly what this is, how they work, how to get one, and more. The first time I heard about a GEDCOM, it sounded pretty high-tech. However, GEDCOMs have been around for a long time - since the early 1980s, in fact. However, not …

Have you ever thought about whether your messages on Ancestry are private? In this post, find out to make sure your communications on Ancestry are private, and more. Ancestry has a really great messaging system that you can access by clicking on the envelope or dialog box at the very top of your Ancestry account. …

Are you looking for ideas on how to write a family history? In this post, learn the basic structure of a good family history and how to go about getting started. If you are interested in writing more than just a list or a chart of dates and places, this article is for you. Many …

Do you have a pile of old photographs of people that you can't identify? In this post, learn how you can figure out who these people are so you can preserve their image for future generations.

Have you ever heard someone say that you should build a wide family tree? In this post, learn what this type of family tree is, and why you should definitely make yours wide. When most of us first started out in genealogy research, we probably had a main focus of learning who our ancestors were. …

What do you do when you find conflicting evidence in your genealogy research? In this post, find examples and solutions for how to proceed when the facts don't seem to match up with each other. Conflicting evidence examples The two most common situations when we see conflicting evidence in genealogy are when we see evidence …

Do you want to know the steps to take to preserve old handwritten letters? In this post, learn what you should do to save protect this history for generations to come.

Did you know that a genetic family tree isn't the same as your regular family tree? In this post, learn the definition of a genetic family tree, and more. You will also find out: Plus, you'll also find out whether or not all of your living relatives and ancestors are on your genetic tree. Exactly …

Do you want to learn about ahnentafel in genealogy? In this post, learn what this term means and how you can use this system for your genealogy research. If you have been building a family tree for any length of time, you have already noticed that your family tree can quickly become confusing. We have …

If you need to find an obituary for a specific person, there is a good chance that you can find it online. In this post, learn how to find someone's obituary.

Heard of the Ancestry Stories feature? This tool allows you to create custom stories about your ancestors to add to your family tree and share with relatives.

If you have spent time researching and building your family tree on Ancestry, it is time to make sure you don't lose your work. In this post, learn different ways to backup your Ancestry family tree and protect your research. Do you spend an hour a day, or a few hours a few days a …

Google Earth is a powerful tool that we can use for genealogy. Learn how to use it to learn more about your ancestors and share your research with others.

Do you want to know what types of cousins there are? In this post, learn everything that you need to know about all kinds of cousins.

Do you want to learn how to delete someone from your family tree on Ancestry? In this post, find the steps you need to take and what to look out for when you remove a profile from your tree.

If you have spent time doing family tree research looking at census records, you will want to know what "enumeration district" means. Find out the answer, as well as how to find district maps, in this post.

Are you curious about Find a Grave? Here, you will learn what it is, where the information comes from, and how to use it for your family tree research.

Do you want to know if your ancestors were royalty? Believe it or not, you can find out for yourself, and in this post, I will tell you how.

Do you want to know if there are totally free genealogy websites where you can find your family tree without a subscription? In this post, learn about how to find free genealogy records online for building your family tree.

Do you want to learn how last names got their start? In this post, you will learn the many different ways people got surnames and when the trend began.

Have you wondered if females can trace their paternal line? Females do have options for learning where their direct-line paternal ancestors came from.

Do you want to know what a ninth cousin is? In this post, learn all about 9th cousins, including how many you have, how they are related, and more.

Have you ever wondered whether it is possible to research and find out the history of your house? Learn how you can learn about your home's unique history.

Want to know what a half-sibling is? Here, you will learn the definition of half-siblings, whether they are considered immediate family, and if they share DNA.

Many families from Ireland followed Irish naming patterns. Learn how to understand your Irish ancestors' naming traditions here!

What is a distant cousin? In this post, learn all about distant cousins, including whether they are considered to be family, and more.

Have you heard of endogamy or seen signs of it in your family tree? In this post, learn the definition of endogamy and why most people have it in their family tree.

Have you recently discovered that you might be a descendant of Charlemagne? Is there a way to find out for sure? Find out in this post!

Not using old newspapers for genealogy research? You might be missing out! Here, find out what you might learn about your ancestors from old newspapers.

Do you want to know why cause of death is important in genealogy? Here, learn all of the reasons why figuring out the cause of death is worthwhile.

Why is oral family history important? In this post, learn why this aspect of family tree research is key to understand our family's broader story.

Heard the story of Dr. Hicks? Learn who the "Hicks Babies" are, how they got their name, and how they are using DNA to discover their biological origins.

Wondering when and how we will get access to the 1950's US Federal Census? Here, find out when and how the public will be able to view this census data.

What is a Great-Uncle or a Great-Aunt? In this post, learn who these relatives are to you, whether it's better to say granduncle, and much more.

What does Eastern European descent mean? Here, learn the definition, which countries are included, and whether Eastern European is an ethnicity.

Do you want to know what an eighth cousin is? Here, learn the definition of an eighth cousin, as well as lots of other interesting eighth cousin facts.

What is a collateral line in genealogy? It's a line made of the descendants of your collateral ancestors. Learn all about these branches of our family tree

Are there famous Find a Grave memorials? Below, find out some of the most popular famous Find a Grave memorials in the United States.