Genealogy Tip of the Day

Think about "who knew" that information you are trying to locate. Is there any record on them that could provide that information?...

We've set the dates for our 2013 Family History Research Trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in May. Join us for a week...

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Regularly saving files and documents in backup locations is always advised. Have you been redundant today? The time you spend today may be...

Chances are, you are not the only descendant of your great-great-great-grandparents (or any other set of distantly removed ancestors). Have ...

In our quest to find "proof" and "reasons" behind all those things our ancestors did (or did not do), remember that whil...

There are states that have more than one location with the same name or with locations that have similar names. Illinois has more than one P...

Have you ever read the probate section of state statute for the state in which you are researching? At the very least it may put you to slee...

Don't neglect searching college yearbooks even for those people you think might never have attended. A relative may easily have only att...

When you locate a new piece of information, particularly a detailed document, do you analyze it, think about what it says (and does not) bef...

For some reason, old tips are going out in the email version of "Genealogy Tip of the Day." We're working on getting it fixed....

Those who have never researched rural ancestors are sometimes in for a treat when they try and locate someone who has a map of the cemetery ...

Occasionally I get emails from readers telling me that there simply "have to be records" and comments indicating that "someon...

Years ago, I discovered that my grandmother had a step-grandmother who had never been mentioned. For a long list of reasons, I never mention...

In the interest of clarification, Genealogy Tip of the Day 's blog site and Facebook Fan page are generally not: places to promote ge...

It's always possible that a grave marker was never erected for your relative. Sometimes financial difficulties or no family living in th...

Are you in need of how-to information written clearly, concisely, with an emphasis on instruction and explanation? That's exactly what y...

In the time period in which your ancestor married, how far were they likely to travel to find a spouse? It might not be as far as you think....

County Recorder's offices usually records deeds and other legal instruments. They frequently have a "miscellaneous" record whe...

Save 60% on my recorded genealogy webinars--now through 19 September 2012. Don't wait! List and information here: http://rootdig.blog...

At the county level, in some places and time periods, there might have been several different "courts" housed in the same physical...

When you locate that obituary or death notice for your ancestor, consider reading the entire thing--the newspaper that is. Reading an enti...

The Genealogy Tip of the Day is sponsored by GenealogyBank. GenealogyBank offers a variety of digital images and databases by subscription...

Are you tracking your online searches as you perform them? Genealogists are not going to track every search they conduct online. People co...

We have completed an updated listing of all back issues of my newsletter, Casefile Clues . Those lists can be viewed using the links below-...

Sometimes "seeing" a clue is not about seeing at all. Do you ever read a document or record "out loud?" There are times ...

Vital records are usually recorded where the event took place. A child might not have been born where the couple "lived," they mig...

When transcribing handwritten documents, make certain that any comments, interpretations, etc. that you make are clearly indicated in bracke...

Have you thought about how you will handle those family skeletons that you will eventually uncover? Give some thought to it before simply po...

If you ordered genealogy webinars from me and your download link expired: email me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com forward me the receipt for th...

If you locate a record or a relative sends you a copy of a record, do you: know what the record actually is? know why it was created? k...

I have a relative,  born in Canada in the 1820s who for some reason moved to southern Missouri in the 1850s. It seems a little unusual to me...

A big thanks to GenealogyBank, who sponsors Genealogy Tip of the Day . You can view a few interesting tidbits I've found here: Spa...

If you need a list of churches, try a city directory. They often have lists of churches grouped by type of denomination. Addresses and names...

For years, Ellen Sargent was one of my "brick wall" ancestors. Her 1880 census enumeration indicated she was born in Missouri with...