Questions tagged [research-methods]
For questions about how to conduct genealogy research and best practices for genealogy research.
175
questions
49
votes
12
answers
4k
views
When documenting location, should current or historical place names be used?
When I am documenting records, do I use the name of a city or country as it is called today or as it was in the year an ancestor was there?
Related to: When documenting place names, should I write ...
- 2,119
36
votes
10
answers
1k
views
What are the key features in genealogical software that will help me future proof my research?
I have been researching my family for about 15 years.
I have used Microsoft Access for about 10 years to record my results.
Microsoft no longer supports the version of Access I have.
I have no need ...
- 681
33
votes
10
answers
3k
views
Transitioning from person-based genealogy to record-based genealogy?
When we start genealogy we know the persons who are closest to us in time so we are comfortable using software where each person record is a unique "conclusion" person. We create a person record for ...
- 3,162
24
votes
9
answers
589
views
Benefiting from another's tree without copying and pasting?
Once one gets so far back in their tree, one finds ancestors in common with other researchers. It is all too tempting to collect information by copy and paste information from another researcher's ...
- 1,159
22
votes
10
answers
8k
views
Organising digital documents for genealogy and family history? [closed]
I have been trying for over 15 years now to come up with a system of folders for my family documents. As I'm sure most of you know it can be difficult.
Without making duplicates of each document ...
- 571
21
votes
5
answers
348
views
What to do with discarded research data?
What to do with discarded research data?
Some time ago, I was looking for anything related to the birth, or the family, of a lady who married into my line back in 1834. All I could see was one ...
- 5,897
20
votes
5
answers
495
views
How can I establish (and describe) my confidence that the child and adult are the same person?
My two general questions are:
At what point can one say that, yes, the adult you have identified as your ancestor is the same person as the child you think might be your ancestor, and that you have ...
- 2,998
18
votes
3
answers
324
views
What is the advantage of submitting my research to a GENDEX site?
Does submitting my research to a GENDEX site increase the likelihood of others requesting information from me?
- 181
17
votes
1
answer
691
views
How can DNA testing aid me in my genealogy research?
My basic understanding of DNA testing is that it can tell you where your ancestors came from. How can just knowing the ethnic breakdown of my ancestors help me?
What if I already know where my ...
user47
17
votes
4
answers
443
views
What details should I be recording during my research?
I have only recently become interested in my family tree. I am using PAF and am aware of GEDCOM. In addition to the details that PAF and GEDCOM support, what other information should I be recording?
- 173
16
votes
8
answers
6k
views
What is the difference between evidence and information?
What is evidence?
I have piles and piles of historical records, old letters, e-mails, all of which provide details about my family.
Is all of the information contained in these documents evidence?...
- 8,527
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Determining what old document with Illegible handwriting says?
When looking through handwritten records, I found a document. Some fields are legible and matched information I already knew. However, the name is written illegibly. I cannot read it for the life of ...
- 2,477
16
votes
4
answers
267
views
Passing on our data
Everyone here will have thought about the longevity of our data, including related artefacts such as photographs, documents, letters. What is the best approach for preserving this and ensuring that it ...
- 5,897
16
votes
2
answers
863
views
Are there checklists or templates made for visiting the Family History Library in Salt Lake City?
I am on my first research trip to Salt Lake City and my first few days in the FHL has been quite a learning experience. I watched the into video and met a number of very friendly, helpful volunteers ...
- 4,685
15
votes
6
answers
5k
views
How should I deal with conflicting information?
How should I record and report information which conflicts (e.g. differing birth dates for what I believe to be the same person)?
- 1,159
15
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Tracking family names and migration patterns using GIS?
I posted a question, Using web mapping and geocoding to track genealogical data, over at Geographic Information Systems SE awhile ago, so I was quite excited when I saw the proposal for this site. I ...
- 259
15
votes
5
answers
812
views
Determining what records are available for a particular locale?
A common question that any researcher asks themselves is, "What records are available?" How can that question be easily answered for a particular locale and time period? I know that I could inspect ...
user47
15
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How do I plan a research trip?
I intend to visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. I know already that they allow Flip-Pal Scanners, so I will bring mine, plus my laptop which contains all of my genealogical ...
- 4,685
15
votes
2
answers
583
views
Why do historical and genealogical scholars differ in their approach to classifying sources?
Historical scholars classify sources as "primary" or "secondary."
Princeton University, "What is a primary source"
Library and Archives Canada, "Toolkit: Defining Primary and Secondary Sources"
...
- 8,527
15
votes
2
answers
10k
views
Where can I find information on buildings that have been demolished?
I'd appreciate suggestions from anyone who has traced the history of houses, multi-family residences, and commercial buildings, on how to find more information about buildings which no longer exist.
...
- 25.3k
14
votes
9
answers
756
views
Validating place names that no longer exist?
For the places mentioned in my family history I'm looking to make sure I have the native spelling correct. The problem is that many events' places no longer exist. Some places (like Prussia) are not ...
- 4,966
14
votes
2
answers
906
views
Correctly identifying individual who goes by multiple names?
This question is general to all inquiries where a person has differing last names in multiple records. In my particular case, I am researching my 3rd great grandfather Simon Zoller (1840-1902) and I ...
- 355
14
votes
4
answers
176
views
How do you record a person you know existed, but with no (or limited) other details?
The Census of England and Wales 1911 asked for each married woman -- the number of children born alive to this marriage, and the number still living.
This information can reveal the existence of ...
- 13.3k
14
votes
2
answers
282
views
Finding living relative in Victoria, Australia? [duplicate]
I only have their first names, maiden names, and know that they were born in Victoria, Australia.
What is a way to locate these relatives?
- 685
14
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Citation guides for UK sources for family history and genealogy
Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. Revised edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., ...
user104
13
votes
6
answers
127k
views
Determining ethnicity according to ancestry
My sister, cousins, and other relatives speculate that my mom's grandmother was Jewish (for various reasons). I've heard people say at times things like, for example, "I'm 50% German" or &...
- 257
13
votes
6
answers
824
views
Identify people in 20th-century photos once the older relatives are gone?
My husband and I, and our siblings, are now the oldest generation in our families. We have photos which have been discovered or have come down to us when our parents died. I have another friend who ...
- 25.3k
13
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Organizing Research: Should I start a binder system?
In today's day and age, are newbies still starting binder systems? I am reading Unpuzzling Your Past, 4th edition by Emily Anne Croom and it is very good. She advocates binders that organize by ...
- 4,685
13
votes
5
answers
177
views
How to do research using local resources remotely?
My great great great grandfather spent some of his life in Houghton, Houghton, Michigan, United States, and I would like to find more records for that area regarding his family. The problem is that I ...
- 375
13
votes
2
answers
375
views
How can I get all the military records available through NARA (USA) for an individual veteran?
When requesting the military records for an individual veteran from the national archives, I was only sent the discharge summary. How do I know if there are any more records available for the ...
- 343
12
votes
5
answers
183
views
Which individual in family tree to research first?
I am helping a friend start his family tree.
Which individual do I start with to achieve results to keep him interested?
- 611
12
votes
4
answers
207
views
Recording details of records about 'same name' or unrelated individuals?
I often come across data on what could be a relative, only to find the record belongs to someone who is not related, or was not the person I was looking for.
Where do I record this information, so I ...
- 1,122
12
votes
3
answers
240
views
What details are needed about ancestor to uncover ship they immigrated to America on?
What basic information do I need to have about my ancestor before I start looking for the ship that he/she came to America on? So that I don't waste a lot of time fruitlessly searching for a ship - ...
- 2,119
12
votes
3
answers
997
views
Are there advantages or disadvantages in using more than one genealogy software program for recording purposes?
I will be purchasing a genealogy software package shortly. I have looked into most and while not yet deciding on one, I would like to know if there is any purpose in having more than one such program, ...
- 1,122
12
votes
1
answer
587
views
Methods to organize medical genealogy information?
An aspect of genealogy that I have recently become very interested in is medical genealogy.
Numerous sources give me information about my medical family history, such as:
anecdotal evidence (for ...
- 18.7k
11
votes
6
answers
230
views
How can I get others excited about an aspect of my family history without gloating?
For example, one of the major battles of the Revolutionary War was fought on my [several-]great-grandfather's farm grounds.
Without sounding like I'm gloating when talking about the event, how can I ...
- 600
11
votes
4
answers
135
views
Retrieving online source about WWII pilots which has vanished?
I recently discovered a source online for WWII pilots has vanished:
http://planesandpilotsofww2.totalh.com
Some of the information there I found valuable in research. I wanted to try and ...
- 4,966
11
votes
3
answers
226
views
Strategy for distinguishing between two possible baptisms, and thus people, parents, etc.?
My partner has an ancestor, Peggy Crossley, probably born around 1750, who married Henry Rawlinson in Burnley, Lancaster (source) in October 1767.
I have two candidate baptismal records that seem ...
- 2,998
11
votes
2
answers
150
views
How can I track down back issues of a family history newsletter from the 1980's?
When I started asking my parents about family history in 2008, my mother gave me a copy of a "Burbank Family News" newsletter of the Burbank-Burbanck family edited by John R. Burbank in St. Albans, ...
- 355
11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to record a stillbirth as a genealogical event?
There are differing legal definitions of the term “stillbirth” in different jurisdictions and also modern registration of these sad events differs from country to country. As a genealogist you ...
- 5,417
11
votes
1
answer
450
views
Breaking through brick wall with circumstantial evidence?
Wondering if there are techniques to break through a brick wall with circumstantial evidence rather than hard evidence. Drawing a blank on my 3rd great grandfather in my paternal line. He lived in an ...
- 111
11
votes
3
answers
628
views
Tracing ancestors in 20th century Romania?
Sanda Yordanova Genova was born in Braila in 1911.
Yordan Genov
Date of birth: 06/02/1907
Place of birth: Cerna
Name of spouse: Maria Todorova Ilieva
Nikola Todorov Bonchev
Date of birth: 10/09/...
- 111
10
votes
5
answers
969
views
Finding original surname of adopted child from New York?
My late father-in-law was adopted by his step-father when he was 10. My late grandmother-in-law never talked about her first husband and there is some confusion on the first husband's surname.
My ...
- 3,735
10
votes
5
answers
891
views
How should I record unsuccessful searches (that may constitute negative evidence)?
How should I record the fact that I have performed a search in a certain dataset and came up empty-handed?
As an example:
I search for Person X in the New Hampshire Marriages index on Family ...
- 1,644
10
votes
4
answers
9k
views
Which FHL microfilms are available to view online?
My research subjects are two sisters who lived in College Point, Queens, NY. For the sister who died in 1902, I have the date of death and certificate number from the collection "New York City, ...
- 25.3k
10
votes
4
answers
700
views
Managing the Multiple Maybes
My question is related to this previous question, but I think I'm looking for a rather different answer because I'm not sure a second software genealogical software package is what I'm looking for. It'...
- 2,998
10
votes
4
answers
273
views
How do I deal with alternative spellings to names?
I am trying to find out information for an Arzula Hokum and am running head-first into issues with her name. Her first name sounds like Ursula and her last like some variant of Holcomb(e). How do I ...
- 4,966
10
votes
1
answer
228
views
Organizing geographical reference material for English parishes?
Abstract: I prefer to standardize place names in Family Historian to take advantage of modern geo-coding and mapping features, and to record historical place names in research notes. But how do I ...
- 25.3k
9
votes
4
answers
131
views
Where can I find more information on Danish 16th century priests?
My family is from Gotland, and in my family tree I have two priests who moved in from Denmark(*). Since Gotland nowadays is Swedish and these men are from Denmark I'm stuck, I know nothing about how ...
- 1,476
9
votes
3
answers
317
views
Using shared cM to determine likelihood of misattributed paternity?
My ancestor Harriet Smith was born in the mid-1850s in England. Her birth certificate shows both of her parents (John Smith and Sarah Johnson). For the purposes of the birth registration, John and ...
- 18.7k