Build a Research Trip Kit

If you are serious about doing genealogy research, you may want to build a research trip kit to take with you to the places you do your research, such as the library.

In this kit you will want the following items:

-A stapler and staples

-Sealable sandwich bags with several different sizes of paper clips for organizing like papers and several different sizes of rubber bands for binding together information

-Many sharpened pencils and erasers

-Small notepads to record small notes as you go and attach to papers you find the information from

-Lined paper in a notepad for writing larger amounts of notes

-One last sealable sandwich bag to hold coins and bills for making photocopies and printing microfilm.

This research trip kit is a great way to be prepared for those many trips to the library, genealogy society or the courthouse.

Mistakes We Make When Searching Our Genealogy

When people are researching a family genealogy they often make some very simple mistakes. Make sure these don't happen to you!

• Don't forget to talk to living relatives. Many researchers forget to talk to those that are alive and instead focus on those that have passed away. Living relatives are a great place to start!
• Don't believe everything you see in print. After all, not everything we read is true. Do some research to back up what you find.
• Just because your research says you are related to someone famous, it doesn't always mean you truly are. Don't get hung up things like celebrity.
• Don't accept everything you read about your family and its legends as fact. Again, not everything you read is true..do your research.
• Do not limit your names to one spelling. Many last names were changed throughout the years and spelled differently as times changed. Keep this in mind when doing your research.

Finding Maiden Names

For many years, genealogy pretty much ignored maiden names of females and their ancestral lines. Usually in the past a maiden name was given but very little information about that woman's history.

In today's genealogy world, people want to find out as much as possible about a woman's maiden name and her ancestors. However, if you have a family tree that doesn't include the maiden names of your ancestors, there are ways to still find out the information you need about her family.

Ask Family Related Questions

When doing your family genealogy try to remember to ask as many family members as possible as many questions as possible. This will give you a huge amount of information to use in your search. Some good questions to ask are:

• Where were you born?
• Where specifically did you live when you were growing up?
• Where did you like living the best?
• What schools did you attend?
• What year did you graduate from high school?
• Did you attend college? If so, what dates and where?
• How did you meet your spouse?
• When did you get married?
• Who was in your wedding?
  
• Where did you honeymoon?
• Where did you live after marriage?

The important thing to remember is to ask several questions for everyone and to get dates for everything. Having the dates and locations will help in your family genealogy search.

Ancestry Search and Your Brain

Did you know that researching your family history could help keep your brain healthy? It's true!

Exercising your brain helps keep it healthy and may even help prevent Alzheimer's Disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. If you keep your brain active by staying involved and curious in things, your brain will be a healthier brain!

What is a better way to keep your brain active than researching your genealogy? You have to use your brain to do research and of course, you are pretty curious otherwise you wouldn't be wondering what your family's history is all about.

Therefore, doing genealogy because you are curious keeps your brain active, which in turn may keep your brain much healthier!

Catholic Genealogy

Have you been trying to locate your Catholic ancestors? Are you frustrated with what you are finding? Have you hit a brick wall, so to speak?

Never fear, there is a wealth of information out there for your Catholic genealogical research. First, try an Internet search for "Catholic Genealogy" and see what pops up.

One site in general should lead you to a ton of information. Here is a list of some of the types of records you may find in your Catholic genealogy search:

You may find information on the seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church believes the seven Sacraments are a sign of communication between God and man. You may find records of sacraments on baptism, reconciliation, first communion, confirmation, marriage, holy orders, and anointing the sick. You may also be able to request information on these records if you know the name of the city, the state and the church in which your relative lived and attended.

This is just a starting point; you should find even more information throughout your search.

Jewish Genealogy

If you are interested in tracing your Jewish genealogy, try doing an Internet search for the words "Jewish Genealogy" - you should find several related links to check on in your search for information.

For instance, if you are interested in finding out the meaning of Jewish names, you may be surprised to find out that people of the Jewish faith did not get surnames until the 19th century when Napoleon took over.

If your family was/is Jewish and came from Russia, Poland or Germany they were ordered by Napoleon to get a surname when he captured these countries. Napoleon ordered surnames for tax purposes and when he was eventually conquered many Jewish people went back to not having a surname, instead choosing to be "son of" names, such as Son Of Jacobson.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Jewish people adopted family names choosing to use the patriarch of the family's first name as their surname.

Family Tree Search Hint

When searching for your family genealogy you may struggle at times. Keeping everything organized is an easy to have the information you find right at your fingertips instead of having to dig around for your information. Just how are you supposed to keep that information organized?

If you are doing a lot of family history searching, then you should have some sort of record keeping software. Record keeping software is one of the easiest ways to keep track of and organize all the information you gather, even those that are not from the Internet. It is easy to input information and retrieve it when needed.

You can find this type of software on any major ancestry website, your local chain department store, a computer store or online stores such as Amazon. The prices will vary for each different record keeping software you look at.

Irish Genealogy

Have you been wondering about your Irish family roots? Are you curious as to why your Irish family left Ireland, of if any of your Irish relatives may have been someone very important in the Irish culture?

If these are questions you are wishing to find answers to, there are several places to start your Irish family genealogy. One place to start your search may be to visit an Irish Family History Foundation for information. A simple Internet search with the name of the foundation should tell you just how to get in contact with a center near you.

These centers will have records made available to you, records such as: church records, civil records, census records, Griffiths Valuation, and grave yard inscriptions.

These centers have been taking on the large task of computerizing as many Irish family history records as possible and to date have put more than 15 million records into their computer database. It may be a great starting point for the genealogist in you!

Genealogy Classes Online

Are you just starting out in your online genealogy research? Are you slightly confused as to how to go about this whole vast topic of ancestry research? Or, are you already a seasoned pro at researching your ancestry via the Internet? Either way, there are classes online for you to take about genealogy.

If you are just beginning, you will find several of the major genealogy websites that offer free genealogy classes to help get you started. These classes begin with the basics such as how to get started searching on the Internet and what are some great tools for Internet research. Never fear it won't be a waste of your time nor will you lack in choices, both topics have 15 or more lessons included in the classes.

If you are a seasoned genealogist just looking to hone your skills or learn something new, there are classes for you also! You can take classes ranging from how to access help from genealogy societies to how to enhance your online and offline digital photographs.

If you do a search for genealogy websites, you will find several that offer classes such as the above. What are you waiting for?

World Family Tree

A world family tree is another genealogy tool that allows you to search for family trees. It is pretty much what it sounds like- a search for family trees throughout the world.

World family trees are something that you pay for and then are able to view hundreds of thousands of actual family trees. You may view these family trees online or download them to your computer. Your price will vary, but most likely will average a little over nine dollars a month for world family tree information.

By finding only one of your ancestors with a world family tree search you can add an entire branch instantly to your own personal family tree. Try doing an Internet search for "world family tree" to see what you find.

Family Project for Grandparents and Grandkids

There are projects or fun activities that grandparents can do with grandchildren to help preserve precious memories from time gone by.

One very special activity that grandparents can do with their grandchildren is to go through old photographs with them. As the grandparent finds a photo he or she shares with their grandchild just who the person was and how you are related. The grandparents can tell stories about that person. While going through the pictures, the grandchild can help write down and information about that person that the grandparent shares. It is a really special way to help grandchildren get to know their ancestors.