Genealogy Tip of the Day

If your ancestors moved or immigrated with their children, is it possible that an older child stayed behind without making the journey with ...

When was the last time you asked to see what sources your local library may have that could assist you with your research? Do they have subs...

If you are relying on a search of newspapers to find a marriage announcement, be careful. Even if it appears that "every" marriage...

A bride or groom who was under the age of consent would need the permission of their parent or guardian to get married, particularly if they...

A big thanks to our sponsor GenealogyBank . We appreciate their continued support of Genealogy Tip of the Day ! Be certain to check out the...

Remember when reading documents in a foreign language that the words are not the only thing that may be "foreign." The script may ...

If you cannot locate a record of your ancestor's marriage, consider the possibility that they might never have gotten married or might n...

The information provided in some records used by genealogists came right out of the informant's head. Grandma did not "prove" ...

Think about all the newspapers that could have printed something about your ancestor. There are more possibilities than just the nearest one...

I was reviewing the list of funerals for the church 1/4 mile from the farm where four generations of my family lived. Half the people buried...

Research the complete family and always look for neighbors. The Abraham Chaney on this 1830 census was an uncle who I had located in later r...

I recently discovered a probable sister of an ancestor for whom I have been looking for over twenty-five years. Once I located her, I made s...

If any minor children of your ancestor had guardians appointed for them, determine what other relationship they had to the children or the d...

Siblings Abraham and Elizabeth Chaney moved to Coshocton County, Ohio, as young adults in the mid-1820s from Pennsylania. They left for Illi...

Only children with no descendants can leave interest estate settlements, especially if they die with enough property to require probate and ...

Genealogy Tip of the Day made the list of Top 40 genealogy blogs and we are celebrating! Through 11:59 PM Central on 18 April 2013, purchas...

Genealogists expect to type names in boxes and have the desired results appear, especially with census records. If you have a good idea wher...

One of my ancestral families "switched" churches. I knew a rough time period of when it happened, but did not have any way to narr...

If your Civil War veteran applied for a homestead under the United States Homestead Act, he would have to have proved his service. A copy of...

For every piece of real property your ancestor owned, there should be some record of how it was acquired and some record of how it "lef...

These presentations are short--approximately 20 minutes in length. The intent is to cover a narrow topic quickly for those who benefit bes...

I looked at a recent picture of my father and realized how much he looks like his mother. As I got to thinking about it, I realized that it...

Most pre-1900 real estate transactions in the United States include the "payment" for the property, typically referred to as the ...

Church records may contain other acts besides "the big three." One rural Nebraska church where several of my families attended had...

Sometimes pastors in immigrant churches who were often immigrants themselves would write in the records both in English script and in non-En...

In most United States counties, the county recorder is charged with recording deeds and other documents, usually vital records. Most recorde...

My grandfather's official birth record at the local county courthouse from 1903 appears to have been written on by at least three differ...

If there is not a "regular" civil record of your ancestor's birth, determine if the office has a record of "delayed"...

Applications for US military pensions often mention the act under which the veteran (or his widow) applied. The details of that act may expl...

A genealogy friend forwards you a link to a new database or website and you begin searching. Do you know what you are searching? Who created...

When trying to "prove" that family tradition, ask yourself what records would have been generated if it were true. And, when you a...

If your ancestor naturalized, see what other people naturalized on the same day. If you found your ancestor's declaration of intent, see...

While the head of household in pre-1850 US census records is usually the oldest male, there are exceptions. The head of household could be a...

My ancestor in Ohio had not completed paying for his federal land sale when he died in the early 1820s. The administrator of the estate was ...

If your US ancestor obtained a federal land patent, remember that there is documentation of how and why he obtained that patent--probably at...