Genealogy Tip of the Day

When searching an online database, leave out the last name and enter in other search parameters. Is it possible that the last name was so di...

Cyber Monday discount on my weekly genealogy how-to newsletter Casefile Clues . Our website has more information . Just a little time left....

Indexes have made the searching of many records easier. Search, find, click and there's the image on our screen. It still though is wise...

I usually tell researchers if they spend more than 5 minutes searching for a person in an online database, it's time to get off the comp...

Put every event in context. If your ancesor sells property, ask yourself: how old was he? was he getting ready to leave the area? was he ...

If onsite research at the local courthouse is not an option, consider contacting the local genealogical/historical society or the local libr...

We're not using other term for post-Thanksgiving discounts, partially because I think the Thanksgiving holiday has been playing second f...

Is your ancestor's last name "St. Clair"  or some other phrase starting with the word "Saint?" Is it possible that t...

I'm searching for a man named Harm Habbus for an upcoming issue of Casefile Clues. One suggestion in searching for him was to search for...

Marital status as stated in some records needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Back in the day when divorce was scandalous, a person enume...

It is always possible that your ancestor is enumerated more than once in a census year. Employment away from home or travel could have resul...

If a legal document indicates your ancestor has a "life estate" in real estate it means they own it for their life only. They can...

Think about the various events in your ancestor's life. People often look for births, marriages, and deaths in the newspaper. Are there ...

Is Grandma telling you information about events that took place when she was a child? Sometimes children get things correct and sometimes th...

Remember that family members can easily individuals from previous generations confused creating additional confusion for the researcher. A...

These Latin abbreviations are found in many courthouse documents, particularly land records and court cases When time is limited and you are...

Fire insurance maps may provide you with a different view of where your ancestor lived. Insurance maps are generally available between the l...

Just as a note--Tip of the Day is FREE. The only time it is not is if you choose to get it on your kindle. The free versions will continue t...

In some areas, it's important to remember that the reason there may be several men with the same name of about the same age is that they...

Genealogy Tip of the Day can now come right to you on your kindle.Tip of the Day can be as close as your purse or briefcase. I've been p...

Your ancestor's estate is being administrated by a man whose name you have never heard of. Any chance he is the son-in-law?

When last names can be first names and first names can be last names confusion can result if records and the people providing information ar...

If the tombstone of great-great-grandpa is difficult to read today, have you searched to see if the cemtery's stones were transcribed 20...

USA Only Tip: Records of Selective Service records for men born before 1 January 1960 are available through the National Archives. For more ...

It is important to remember that some records we use in our genealogy research are not public records and may only be available to us throug...

Some genealogists think if they post their question to enough message boards, websites, mailing lists, etc. someone will discover that magic...

Sometimes we might have an idea of what great-grandma or great-grandpa did in response to a certain event in their lives. Be careful assumin...

Is your ancestor's name David P. Able? Is it possible in a record somewhere that he is listed as David Pable? Depending upon the handw...

If you are looking for information or ephemera related to your great-great-grandparents, ask yourself: "Am I their ONLY descendant?...

Sometimes one letter can make a big difference and move a location across the country. I was typing an address and I intended to type "...

If you have urban ancestors (or even not so urban ones), consider using city directories to fill in those off-census years. Directories may ...

Are there two lines squeezed in the bottom of Grandma's marriage record? Is there something written in the margin of the deed book? If t...

My brother lives in a rural area a mile or so from my parents on the same state highway. He lives on the east side of the road. They are on ...

Just remember a secondary source isn't necessarily wrong. In 1907 a widow testified as to who the siblings of her husband were. Did she ...

Some families name children for ancestors. Some do not. In some ethnic groups, names of chidlren can give ideas as to what the names of gran...