GenTips Has A Google PageRank Of 4!

If you look to the right, you'll see that Google now sees GenTips as having some authority in the field of genealogy and family history research and has bestowed us with a Google PageRank of 4. That is fairly good and means that this blog is seen as better than some and worse than others. Obviously what I would prefer is a higher PageRank, maybe a 6 or 7, but that will only be attained with time and an increased number of interesting, informative articles.

I should mention that securing a higher PageRank is not the primary goal of this blog, but a nice side effect. The goal remains to provide readers with good content that is helpful to those trying to get further in their family history research. What is done here is that articles are written for both general and much more specific genealogy interests. Articles will continue to include those trying to find out more about genealogy on a country-wide and world wide basis as well as a narrow focus on smaller units such as state-wide, province-wide, as well as information related to counties and individual cities and parishes.

If there is an genealogy area you would like to see more information written on, don't hesitate to leave a comment.

Genealogy And Family History Defined

Genealogy and family history are two terms that people use to describe the hobby of tracing your ancestors, but do they mean the same things? Not really. If you are doing genealogy, then you are basically doing a family tree, locating the vital dates of birth, marriage and death of individuals and moving farther back from one person to the next.

Family history means going beyond the confines of of a literal "family tree" to look at history and a family's place in it. When someone looks at family history, they try to see what was happening at the time a person lived, major events and much smaller, more localized events and how the person reacted with these events.

Of course, when we are tracing our family histories, one aspect of this research is trying to locate records that provide proof of an individual's birth, marriage and death. What makes this information much more interesting than a simple recitation of dates like "He was born..., he married..., he died..." is by trying to find out more about the times that ancestor lived.

As an example, I've found that some of my ancestors lived in Ireland around the end of the 1700s and early 1800s during a time of tremendous upheaval. They lived in Wexford county an area that was in bloody rebellion during the summer of 1798. I've read about many families having their homes torched, people killed, mobs of angry people marching and attacking soldiers and others, as well as battles raging around the county as the people rose up.

Wouldn't you like to know what role, if any, that your ancestors played in these events rather than just knowing their dates of birth, marriage and death? By reading about the Rebellion of 1798 in Ireland, I think I have a better handle on what my ancestors went through. Truth be told, I didn't know very much about that particular Irish rebellion, but now I am keenly interested as it affected my ancestors.

I do have a lot of information about the births, marriages and deaths of these Irish forebears, but what really excites me is the information I've uncovered about what happened to them during this rebellion. How one "had to cross a field strewn with the bodies of dead soldiers" and that they had to hide in ditches as large groups travelled the countryside, killing anyone they thought was not on their side.

That's just one part of my ancestry, a branch of my family tree that I've discovered. There are others who fought in wars, travelled to the far east, and some who simply stayed at home and tended the family farm. All are of interest because when you look at them as people during their life and times, you get a better picture of them - and maybe a better understanding of our own place in the family history.

The bottom line is that this hobby is so much more than simply looking up the date your great-great-great-grandfather was born or died, which in itself is an exciting event when you accomplish it, but also finding out what kind of world he was being born into and the surrounding events that shaped his life.

Using Google For Genealogy Searches

One of the most powerful tools available to family historians is the Google website. Google searches can offer genealogy leads that someone searching for their ancestry may never find otherwise. Google is, of course, the number one search engine on the Internet and the video above shows several different methods to track down leads to websites and family history information that you as a researcher just may not be aware of.

One tip outlined in the video, spelling genealogy incorrectly as geneology is fairly common. There are many search terms that can be used like this to uncover information that might otherwise be missed. Spelling cemetery as cemetary is another slip that you might be able to use. Basically, Google is currently the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource covering the whole Internet and should be a common tool for any researcher trying to track down their ancestors.

English Parish Registers: How Do I Find Them?

The original copies of most of the English parish registers, which contain christenings, marriages and burials, are stored in the relevant County Record Office, which usually also doubles as the Diocesan Record Office.

The location of the registers for each of the ancient parishes and their various chapelries is given on the relevant page on the GENUKI site, or at least it should be. If you should find any of the information is not correct, there is a link at the bottom to let them know of the error. You will also find maps on the various County pages under (of course) "Maps" which should show you where most places are in each of the counties.

For an overview on the subject of English Parish Records, take a look at this useful website British-Genealogy.com, which provides information about the County Records Offices and local Family History Societies.

Some Interesting Family History Articles

Here are 3 genealogical articles I have recently read that you may find interesting. The first is an article from the BBC Online explaining why people are interested in doing family history research in Scotland. Personally, I love the records kept in Scotland as they usually provide more information than the ones held in England. You can usually find more information such as the mother's maiden name as an example.

The second article has to do with DNA research in regards to genealogy. This is a fascinating area on it's own. The article is a transcription from a radio interview from PRI.

The third has to do with an area that I really enjoy myself - Mayflower descendants. From what I can tell, I am not descended from any line that came across on the Mayflower, but the article still hold your interest.

What is the appeal of Scottish identity? For the past 10 months thousands of people of Scottish descent have been heeding a call to return "home" for a visit. What is the appeal of the Scottish identity? BBC News

Tracing genetic genealogy on a global scale Tracing the paths of human migration through DNA to determine our origins and how we came to be so diverse.
Public Radio International

genealogy requires much digging to unearth past Think you may be a Mayflower descendant? Roll up your sleeves. You have some work to do. According to Deb Miller, former assistant governor the Susquehanna Colony of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, joining the Society of Mayflower Descendants requires much more than stories passed down from generation to generation. By DAVID THOMPSON SunGazette.com

I am always on the look out for articles about family history and genealogy, so if you find something that catches your eye and that you think others may be interested in seeing, leave a comment and I'll see if I can provide a link. Also, if you are writing articles about genealogy, drop in a comment and I'll see about getting more readers for you as well.

Things To Avoid In Genealogical Research

This is without a doubt, one of the most interesting hobbies someone can take up. It can be expensive unless you keep an eye on your expenses though. And there are pitfalls that can hinder your research if you are not careful and here are some of the things to try to avoid if you want to keep moving.

1. Don't collect EVERYTHING about your surname. Unless you have a somewhat unique name, you will be wasting valuable time. I have Smiths, Joneses, Browns, Taylors from all over the North American continent and Europe and if I tried to track them all down, I wouldn't move back very far. That said, if you do have a rather unique surname, or one that is somewhat rare in the geographical area you are researching, by all means try to collect information on those people. Possibly they may collect to your main line through collateral relations. I love finding information about various cousins of great-great-grandparents, and by collecting such data, you can share with distant relatives who may be researching those lines. It's all about helping others. Don't you love getting in contact with someone and discovering common relations and comparing information?


2. Don't do research trying to prove you are descended from someone who was famous in the past or royally connected. That's a fool's game. Just because someone famous had the same surname as you is NOT definative proof of any connection. Always do the proper research by moving from the known to the unknown, back into the past. Sure, maybe you will find some connection to a famous (or maybe infamous!) person back in the mist of time, but if you come from a long line of farmers or fisherman or whatever, who cares? I hold my solid, hardworking forebears in high esteem and so should you. Of course, it is kind of exciting to find you do have someone in your tree with a tinge of notoriety. I'm not related by blood to him, but I think it is cool that my grandfather's uncle married the great-granddaughter of Benedict Arnold, and I may have some relations in common with the infamous Captain Bligh of The Bounty. I'm not going to try to prove it, but if my research takes me there, I won't deny it lol.


3. Don't give up! Like many a family genealogist, I have had my share of frustrations and brickwalls. I've been lucky with some lines and had limited success on others. I've been able to trace many lines to the early 1600-1700s, but I have some stubborn lines that refuse to reveal themselves past the late 1800s. If you find that you just cannot move forward in your research to find great-grandmother's family, put it aside and do some work on one of your other lines and come back to her file later with a fresh perspective. I've done this numerous times and sometimes, with a fresh eye, I spot a new avenue of research. Sure, they don't always pan out, but sometimes they do! I have worked on one line and suddenly realize that the tool or idea I am using can be applied to that other line I have been having so much trouble with. Keep at it, and eventually that problem will unravel for you.


4. Don't forget about your living relatives. I was lucky because I started doing family tree research as a 13 year old. Back then, before the internet, I was lost. I plodded on gathering whatever information I could from books, magazines. I was also lucky in having a grandmother interested in family history who went back to the old country (Scotland) and came back with a partial family tree, pictures of gravestones etc. Most of my older relatives shuffled off this mortal coil long before I had the chance to ask them about the family, but I did get the chance to correspond with my grandfather's elder sister (born in the early 1890s!) before she passed, and she provided information on her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents which has proven invaluable to me. Now, thirty-plus years later, younger and more distant relatives are using my research as they work on their family trees.


5. My last name was spelt THIS way. this is a common pitfall. I've heard many people saying that their family always used the "MAC-" rather than the "MC" spelling of their surname and won't even look at the alternatives. That is a major failure. Sure, YOUR family spelled it that way, but did the parish priest or census taker, or county clerk also use your spelling? Of course not. The majority of the population did not have the ability to spell back in the day and the examples of misspellings of surnames is massive. What if your family moved into an area where the other spelling of your surname was more common? What if the person recording the information couldn't hear the name properly because of a thick accent? And just think of all the multi-syllable names today that you have difficulty spelling.


6. Where is my Family Coat of Arms? Here's a hint - you don't have one! Even if someone registered a coat of arms 400 years ago under your name, it is HIGHLY unlikely that you are legally entitled to use that design. Yes, it does play to my ego that there are a number of Bradshaw coats of arms that were registered, but I cannot use them as mine. I can buy a nifty coat of arms and display it on my wall, but likely I am not related to the Bradshaws who registered it originally. Maybe I am, but unless I am the eldest son of the eldest son of the dude who got it in the first place, it is not mine. Besides, who wants a coat of arms? If you were entitled to it, you would know it. These were given to individuals, not to families.


7. This is just too hard to do. No, it isn't. Just because you don't know where to start does not mean you cannot begin. Family tree research is not only about gathering a bunch of dusty records and the dates when your ancestors were born, married and died. It is about learning about HOW they lived and died. How they interacted during the days they lived. I know who my great-great-grandparents lived and I've studied the arc of their lives. Some spent most of their lives on the business end of a plow, but they lived, breathed, had children, bought and sold land, voted, harvested, travelled, laughed and cried. I think I have a tremendous respect and understanding for them, and this all started because I picked up a piece of paper and tried to write down where I came from. Because that's the only way to know where you are going.

There are many things you should avoid (scams, missteps) and you will find that you make an error or two, but you will learn from that mistake and move on. Slowly, but surely you will take more steps forward than back in your research. Hopefully this short article will help.