Land Plats of an ancestor’s land will likely include his surrounding neighbors. With a closer examination, we might gain an understanding of their lives and place them with their community and local events.

One of the great difficulties for people researching their French immigrant ancestors’ roots is that so little is known outside of France about when and why the French left their country. This dearth of knowledge has led many family historians of the 19th century to presume Huguenot, noble émigré or Alsace-Lorraine ancestry for any ancestor with a French name. The supposition became a family legend that then became a research frustration as more recent family historians attempt to prove what was never more than a misguided supposition. This webinar looks at the many waves of French migration, as well as the three mentioned in the title, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The historical reasons for when, why and to where they emigrated will provide the key points to bear in mind when conducting research. The bibliography, in English and French, contains not only books and articles concerning French emigration but a list of websites to aid the researcher.

Let’s diagnose your DNA match list. Do you have too few matches to work with? Or so many that it’s overwhelming? Learn WHY that may be and WHAT you can do about it, whether you need MORE matches or you need to whittle them down. Take a close look at your own tree with the tools I’ll give you and leave with next-step strategies to address your own DNA problem.

Finding an overseas ancestral hometown. Tracking a family from one place to another. Researching in a place with record loss. Identifying all the children of an ancestral couple. Finding (or verifying) a birth, marriage or death. Researching extended families. Searching for ancestors who were poor, non-English speaking, ethnic minorities or enslaved. Got any of these brick-wall situations? Learn how church records may be your saving grace.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already helping to shape the future of genealogy. Learn how current and developing technology can help you find your elusive ancestors and share their stories.

This lecture will discuss how to get started in African American research. The objective of this presentation will be to research either a free person of color or a formerly enslaved African American and identify the last enslaver. It will introduce Reconstruction Era records such as: The Freedmen’s Bureau records, Freedmen’s Bank Records, Southern Claims Commission records, military records, census records, voter’s registration, newspapers, and vital records. It will also cover methodology for 1870 African American brick wall problems.

You want to research your family tree but just don’t have time. These 6 tips will help you stay organized and on track when you find time to research even if it’s only 15 to 30 minutes at a time.

Birth records are more than just dates — they hold the beginnings of your ancestors’ stories, revealing a wealth of information beyond the moment they entered the world. Are you mining these records for all they’re worth? Join Lisa Lisson for a deep dive into birth records, from discovering MyHeritage’s extensive collection to uncovering the rich details within. This session will equip you with practical techniques for unearthing accurate birth dates and enhancing your family history research. Plus, we’ll explore alternate sources that can shed even more light on your ancestors’ beginnings. Walk away with a newfound ability to breathe life into your ancestors’ stories.

The desire to discover our ancestors continues to grow in popularity with the addition of online trees, genealogy TV shows, and the popularity of DNA tests. In this presentation, we will look at how to begin to create a family tree, learn what documents may provide information, and how and where to find them. Using a research plan, organization, and avoiding mistakes are also important habits for every beginner to understand and implement from day one. This presentation will give beginners the confidence they need to begin and move forward with building a correct family tree.

The Family Bible is one record source genealogy researchers long to find. Yet, it can also be one of the most difficult of all genealogy records to find. The loss of the Family Bible in a family line does not mean a genealogy researcher is out of options. Explore 10 places outside of the family to seek out Family Bibles.

Despite their reputation for being rooted to their localities, Germans do have a history of migration within their own country, especially after the onset of industrialization in the mid-19th century. In this presentation, we will explore the various patterns of internal migration, and offer guidance on how to navigate these movements to aid in your search for ancestors.

Not every Scottish surname is a Clan, despite what your “Clan Society” says. Are there really “Septs”? And how do we go about getting a Chief?