Welcome to a new year! While I love the holiday season and all that goes with it, there’s something special about returning to “normal” and starting fresh, especially in your genealogy research.
I’d also like to welcome you to the first post in my new series, Learn With Me! This series is all about exploring genealogy a little bit deeper. Whether you’re a beginner just starting to discover your family’s roots or a seasoned researcher looking to learn new tricks, you’ll find something valuable here.
We’ll look at different methods, record groups, and tips to make your research easier and more rewarding. I’ll show you how I tackle problems or use a particular record set.
This Series
I’ve enjoyed blogging about genealogy topics and I hope you’ve learned a few things to make your genealogy journey more enjoyable and successful. This series will be a deeper dive into how I would approach genealogy research with all its roadblocks and overwhelming choices.
This first post is more of an introduction to what you can expect to get out of this series, but there are some suggestions if you’re eager to get started today.
Starting with a Strong Foundation
The first step in any genealogy project is to define your goal. Ask yourself: What am I trying to learn? Do you want to identify a specific ancestor, couple, or ancestor action? Fill in gaps in your family tree. Or maybe uncover the history of a family home. Having a clear goal will keep your research focused and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
Let’s say you’re starting with the question: “Who were my 2x great-grandparents?” That’s your research goal. From there, you’ll gather everything you already know, such as names, dates, or locations. Even small clues can point you in the right direction.
Write it all down in one place—a notebook, a spreadsheet, or even genealogy software. I wrote a blog post about organizing your research in Evernote, Word, Excel, and Airtable. You can find it here.
Spotlight on Record Groups and More
In this series, we’ll dig deep into specific record groups, like census records, vital records, and more. Understanding what these records can reveal is key to finding the answers you need. For example, do you research the witnesses in genealogy documents? They could be great clues.
But we’ll also look at other genealogy topics like DNA, AI, genealogy software, etc.
In upcoming posts, we’ll cover topics like
- How to find and use land records to trace property ownership. Land records are some of my favorite records to research.
- Correlating the different record groups to make sense of your research.
- How I tackle my DNA match list.
- How I use AI to further my genealogy research.
Each topic will include examples and tips so you can try them out on your own family tree.
Learn as You Go
One thing I’ve learned is that genealogy isn’t about perfection. You don’t need to have all the answers right away. It’s okay to take small steps. The key is to keep learning and stay curious.
For example, if you’re searching for an ancestor’s birth record but come up empty, try a different approach. Look for a marriage record or a death certificate. Sometimes these records include birth dates or even parents’ names. Genealogy is one big puzzle—if one piece doesn’t fit, try another.
What You Can Expect
Here’s how the Learn With Me! series will work:
- Each post will focus on a single topic.
- I’ll explain the concept, why it matters, and how to use it in your research.
- You’ll get practical examples and step-by-step instructions.
I’ll also share my personal experiences, including successes and blunders. Because let’s be honest, we’ve all chased down the wrong ancestor at least once!
Your First Task
If you haven’t done so already, sign up for an account at FamilySearch. I will try and use this site as much as possible since it is free (and who doesn’t like that!)
Finally
I’d love to hear from you as we go through this series. Are there topics you’re curious about? Record groups you find confusing? Drop your suggestions in the comments or send me a message. This series is for you, so let’s make it as helpful as possible.
Genealogy is a journey, and I’m so excited to share it with you. Let’s discover your ancestors’ stories, together.
Genealogy tip: Take some time to get organized. Do you have a home office that needs attention? Or perhaps your digital genealogy files are all over the place and need you to organize them. Genealogy can get messy quickly, so do what you can to get started this year on the right foot.
I’m taking new clients right now, so if you need a project done for you or you just need a few hours of help, click below to get started.
