Archives for August 2016

Where can I take online genealogy courses?

Provided you are not a professional genealogist, you’ve probably learned most of what you know about your ancestors doing research on the web.

In fact, most of people interested in genealogy as a hobby have begun their genealogy journeys learning on the web and taking advantage of the tools provided by genealogical websites such as Ancestry.com.

But, at a certain point of your genealogy journey, you might feel the need of gaining more knowledge and experience about genealogy, and the web is again a good option.

Why are we looking for this information?

The purpose of this article is to give you some overall information about online sources for genealogical education (addressed to the amateur genealogist).

Even if you don’t actually need an online class to build up a family tree, you might take a webinar or attend genealogy courses online to be able to dig deeper into your family history.

Genealogy courses online currently cover modern research methods and can open your eyes to new possibilities especially if you’re in need of a new perspective in your research or help on a specific topic.

What information do we need to gather?  Is it difficult?

Luckily, there are many genealogy courses and webinars online available for amateur genealogists and some of them are free to access.  As follows we provide you with some places where to find genealogy courses on line:

• YouTube is a great source for genealogy courses, online tutorials, and quick tips on family history. A simple search for “genealogy how-to” offers thousands of results and includes offerings from top experts, genealogy research sites and government repositories–including videos from the US National Archives.
• LDS FamilySearch Learning Center: besides offering extensive free genealogy information, LDS Family Search offers through the Learning Centers quality genealogy courses on nearly every genealogy topic (i.e.: how to access high-quality free genealogy sites, how to use google in new ways for genealogy research, how to track down elusive ancestors, how to find and use a variety of online genealogy tools, etc.). Please refer to: https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/home.html

In case you feel like digging a big deeper, the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has developed a partnership with  Brigham Young University (Idaho, Utah), to offer a Certificate Program in Family History as an independent study course. Courses teach students the fundamental skills they need to become capable family history researchers and establish a successful research business.   College credit is granted for each course successfully completed within the certificate program; however, the certificate is not a college degree.   For more information please refer to: http://www.byui.edu/online/degrees-and-programs/family-history-research-x95119

• The National Genealogical Society, Arlington, VA, offers two genealogy courses, both approved by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council. The basic one is called “Introduction to Genealogy·. On Lesson One you can learn how to number ancestors, how to record names, dates, and places in a standard format, and definitions for terms of relationship. After completing Lesson One, you can take a 20 question quiz and decide if you want to continue the course.

 Again, if you want to dig even deeper, you can take the course on “American Genealogy”. This sixteen lesson home study course introduces each major record group used in American research. The assignments are graded and require students to visit local record repositories for “hands on” experience.

For information on both courses please refer to: http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/online_courses

• Boston University offers two online genealogy courses: “Genealogical Essentials Course” (a 4-week course to improve your genealogical research skills) and “The Online Certificate in Genealogical Research” (a 15-week online, non-credit course). For more information please refer to: http://professinal.bu.edu/programs/genealogy/
• Family Tree DNA Learning Center offers free webinars on genetic genealogy and DNA ancestry testing related topics. All webinars are open to both Family Tree customers and the general public with registration. They offer both live webinars and archived recordings. For more information please check: https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/

Other online sources of genealogical education are:

• The Board for Certification of Genealogists offers videos of their popular webinar series. Some are free. Most are available to view or purchase for a reasonable fee. Previews and links to all are included. Please check: http://www.bcgcertification.org/
• The Friends of the National Archives-Southeast Region, Inc. (U.S.), offer webinars on genealogy. Please check: http://friendsnas.org/
• American Ancestors, the web site of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, offers online genealogy classes. Please refer to: http://www.americanancestors.org/index.aspx
• Genealogy Professor delivers online high-quality intensive genealogy education, bridging the gap between webinars and college-level courses with some of the leading genealogists in the field. Please refer to: http://www.genprof.net/
• Illinois State Genealogical Society offers free webinars open to the general public. ISGS members do also have access to recording of all past webinars. Please check: http://www.ilgensoc.org/
• JewishGen Learning Center offers genealogy courses designed to serve novice and experienced Jewish Genealogists or those researching possible Jewish branches. Get more information at: http://www.jewishgen.org/Education/
• University of Toronto Continuing Education offers genealogy courses with emphasis on Canadian material. Instruction is received via the Internet; therefore you go at your own pace. You can take the courses separately, or work towards a Certificate in Genealogical Studies over a three year time period. Please refer to: http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/eng/uoft.asp
• The International Internet Genealogical Society University offers free online genealogy courses for research in Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. The classes in U.S. research range from a beginner’s course to specific lessons for South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.   The site can be viewed in English, Deutsch, or Svenska.  Please check: http://www.iigs.org/university/index.htm
• com’s Online University ooffers a course called “Beginning Genealogy”, a series of four courses in tracing Immigrant origins, and a two part series in Internet genealogy. For more information please refer to: http://www.genealogytoday.com/roots/xweb.mv?xc=RootsDocument&xo=lrdoc&xr=182164&xz=google&zc=1&zp=cms.link

What is the solution and why?

Besides the above mentioned web genealogy courses, there are many others. Your local library may be able to direct you to some other sources of local genealogical online education.

As the Chinese proverb says: “Learning is a treasure which accompanies its owner everywhere”.  In the case of genealogy education, the treasure has also to do with enriching ourselves with the knowledge of our own roots.

By, Carmen Vazquez Sibils

When should you interview relatives about your ancestors?

From my point of view, it is always time.  Either if you are at the beginning of your journey or if you need to fill in the gaps of missing information on an advanced investigation, interviewing relatives, is not just a good idea, but also a rewarding activity for all the people involved. This I can assure from my own experience:  your oldest relatives will be more than happy to pass your ancestors´ legacy to someone in the family willing to preserve it for the future generations.

On the other hand, your oldest relatives will not be –unfortunately- around forever, so the sooner you interview them, the better.   Nothing prevents you from arranging a second or more interviews with the same family member to check further details or to compare information later obtained from other sources.

Why are you looking for this information?

• Because relatives will probably have some of the most accurate information about your ancestors.
• Because besides what they might remember, -please check our blog https://rebelato.org/how-to-find-your-ancestors/ -your oldest relatives can also be a good source for copies of your ancestors´ birth, wedding and death certificates, baptism faiths, letters, old photos (many of them might have inscriptions in the back that are important clues!).
• A wise idea would be to have in hand a portable scanner, a good camera or a smartphone to pick up and store these records. Please check our previous blog: https://rebelato.org/preserve-data-genealogical-research/ to get more in depth information about this issue.
• Many families share family graves from where relevant information might be obtained. Check who in your family is keeping the papers of the family grave and what kind of information about your ancestors comes out from such documents.
• Last but not least, because you might not be the only one in the family interested in genealogy, and you might find out a relative with information about other living relative or ancestor that might have already tried to find your ancestors. So, be sure to ask your family members if they know of someone else in the family that has done some previous research on the subject and/or if there is a genealogy book or there are other records within the family. This could give you a wonderful head start!

What information do you need to gather?

• Conversations about family can go many directions. When you are ready to conduct an interview, have the questions in front of you to make sure you are getting the information you desire. When possible, record the interview on audio or video.

• Most specialists recommend that you do an oral interview asking well-crafted open-ended questions focusing on your relative´s memories and experiences. Family tree magazine http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/20-questions suggests to ask for example things such as “Who’s the oldest relative you remember (and what do you remember about him or her)? “ while  the Lucier Family webpage suggests among other questions to ask things like “What is your full name and why were you named that? Were you named after someone else?”, “What was the religion of your parents and your grandparents?” “Do you remember hearing your grandparents describe their lives? What did they say?” etc.

• Write down everything and begin to enter the information in a pedigree chart. If you’re unfamiliar with pedigree charts or family tree charts, please refer to our article http://www.rebelato.org -***article 18**** Pedigree charts provide an at-a-glance overview of your family, making it easy to track your research progress.

Is it hard to get this information?

• It can be, if you’ve lost touch with your relatives, or if you don´t even know who all your relatives are, and of course if your relatives live in another country.

What is the solution and why?

• A good idea is to start by some of your closest relatives and ask each one to refer to someone else you might not be currently in touch with.  And then, go on with the same plan, asking each interviewed relative to refer you to someone else.
• In case you take a genealogy DNA test, bear in mind that most companies currently offering them, do also allow you to check your results against other people results.   For sure, those people that have undergone a genealogy DNA test are interested in genealogy and family history in the same way you are, so consider that your DNA matches might be willing to meet and share family stories and other relevant information.

Remember: your ancestors’ history is your own history; therefore the more ancestors you find the closest you will be to unveil your own full history. Have a “taste” on your family history by finding your ancestors.

By, Carmen Vazquez Sibils

Are there different types of genealogy pedigree chart?

A pedigree chart or a family tree chart is a graphic representation of our family history showing basic data of family members such as full name, birth and death date and place, and spouse in case of marriage.  The figure of a tree has been adopted by genealogists, because a tree is a perfect representation of a family, each branch being a lineage. As stated in our previous blog https://rebelato.org/famous-personalities/ ascendants increase in a geometric progression, as each of them bring their own lineage. Therefore, depending upon the number of relatives (and the information about them) to be included in a pedigree chart or family tree chart, different shapes and presentations can be selected.

Basically, a family chart can start with a single individual (you for example) and then branch up to show your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and so on, or can start by a single individual or couple (your ancestor/s for example) and go down to all the descendants. Amateur genealogists usually employ the first kind of family chart, while the charts showing  descendants of one single person normally apply either to professional genealogists willing to show blood descendants of famous people or to special occasions like family reunions.

Ascendant pedigree charts:

Both, the vertical pedigree chart and the left to right pedigree chart are the most common type of family chart used by amateur genealogists.

• In a vertical pedigree chart, orientation is normally bottom-up and is displayed in landscape format (the name “family tree” comes from charts of this kind).
• Left to right pedigree charts (portrait format) begins on the center of the left side of the page and then branches to the right to show ascendants. It can be convenient until you reach the 4-5th generation, but from then on, it is more advisable to use vertical pedigree charts as the left to right pedigree chart becomes difficult to display.

Vertical ascendant pedigree chart.

Image courtesy of: http://familytreetemplatewall.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/family-genealogy.html

Left to right pedigree chart. 

Image courtesy of: http://laurentlazard.com/media/Blank-Family-Tree.html

• A bow tie chart is a variation of the left to right pedigree chart (typically square or portrait orientation depending upon how many generations are shown). It starts with a single individual somewhere around the center of the chart and then shows all of his or her paternal ancestors branching out towards the left and all of his or her maternal ancestors branching out towards the right.  This normally reduces the height of a standard pedigree chart by half. But again, after a few generations the chart will become uneasy to display and you should consider using a vertical pedigree chart.

Bow tie chart.

Image courtesy of: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/144044888055609088/

• An ancestor fan chart is another interesting way of displaying ancestor’s data like where and when ancestors lived and can be designed in either a full circular display or a semi-circular display depending upon the number of generations and the amount of information that you want to be included in your chart.  The starting individual is in the center, and each successive ring contains the parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and so on until the outer ring of the chart is reached.  Ancestors fan charts compact the layout the most and can be used to show up to about 8-9 generations of ancestors.  However, once you go past 8-9 generations of ancestors, you will still want to consider a vertical ancestor chart.

Eight generations circle fan chart. 

Image courtesy of: https://genealogysupplies.com/product/Charts-and-Family-History-Kits/A3-Eight-Generation-Circle-Chart/

Descendant pedigree charts:

Descendant family chart. 

Photo and chart image courtesy of: http://images.slideplayer.com/15/4640036/slides/slide_57.jpg

As happens with the ascendant pedigree charts, descendant pedigree charts do also came in different shapes and formats.  Depending on the number of generations to be displayed and the additional information to be included such as photos for example, different kind of charts can be used:

• A traditional descendant chart as previously mentioned, is presented in landscape mode with the starting individual located at the top center of the chart, and then each successive generation and whom they married is shown one line below.
• A descendant fan chart can be designed in either a full circular display or a semi-circular display.  The starting individual is in the center, and each successive ring contains the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and so on until the outer ring of the chart. Depending upon the size of the family and the amount of information to be displayed, a descendant fan chart can normally include 6 to 9 generations. Photos don’t work well in fan charts and should be avoided.

There are also family charts that combine both ascendants and descendants of a single person.

• A family hourglass chart starts with a single individual somewhere around the center of the chart and then shows all of his ancestors above him and all of his descendants below him.  Hourglass charts are typically used for just a few generations of ancestors and a few generations of descendants, but this can vary.

Photo courtesy of: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/498281146249454733/

An all-in-one chart includes everyone in your database and is normally very large.  While this may sound attractive, it starts becoming impractical to print once you have more than 500 names in your database. However, not all family trees are to be printed: you can print yours in different formats to show different approaches, and keep your all-in-one chart both in your computer thanks to the aid of one of the many downloadable genealogy software available or on the web, and in any of the top genealogy websites that offer this service.  On previous blogs we have provided information on both genealogy software (https://rebelato.org/genealogy-software/) and genealogy websites (https://rebelato.org/genealogy-websites/) where your family trees can be kept safely.

By, Carmen Vazquez Sibils

How do you find out where your ancestors lived?

You can answer this question by using different approaches –even combining a few- and this basically depends on the information you actually have and which you can use as firm ground upon which to start your search for ancestors.

Why are we looking for this information?

Genealogy is America’s 2nd most popular hobby.  Did you know this?  It might sound amazing, but if you think it, most of us care about family members that preceded us because they share some of our genes, thus it is intrinsic to human beings to be curious about our ancestors, that is, about our heritage.

What information do we need to gather?

The first source of information are of course family members. Unfortunately, sometimes this information is not available –for example in case of closed adoptions- or is incomplete.

In the case of incomplete family records, we should start filling in the gaps by getting vital records of our ancestors.  As stated in our blog https://rebelato.org/birth-marriage-and-death/ vital records like birth certificates, baptism faiths, marriage and death certificates, normally include our ancestor´s places of origin.  Starting by the closest record, each record will take us to the previous, and so on.

Is it hard to get this information?

Nowadays vital records can be obtained on line or can be officially requested at public offices, normally at least for our first 3 and up to our 5th generation.

Whenever we arrive to a dead point, or in case there is no much ground to start our research, we can always try with a genealogy DNA test.  As stated in our blog https://rebelato.org/find-your-genetic-ancestry/  genetic ancestry testing is being offered by several companies and organizations that also provide online forums and other services to allow people who have been tested to share and discuss their results with others.  DNA tests are able to map our ethnicity going back multiple generations of ancestors and to provide us insight about our ethnicity.

On the other hand, our surnames can also tell us a lot about our ancestor´s place of origin.  In our previous blog https://rebelato.org/the-meaning-of-surnames/ we indicated that the meaning of most surnames in use nowadays either relate to a person name -normally a male ancestor- (patronymic surnames), a place name (topographical surnames), a physical characteristic of an ancestor (descriptive surnames), or to an activity performed by an ancestor (occupational surnames). By digging deeper in the meaning of our surnames and the way they are currently pronounced, we would get a lot of insight regarding our ancestor´s place of origin. Patronymic surnames are surnames derived from names and most of the time is easy to source the region of origin of these surnames by its particular characteristics. For example the prefix “O” –meaning “son of”- in a surname can be an evidence of an Irish origin (O`Donnell for example).  Some topographical surnames can also make evident the place of origin of the ancestor that originally carried it (the Spanish surname “Castro” or the Italian surname “Piacenza” for example).

It is advisable that as soon as you decide to find your ancestors and in order to properly collect and preserve all the information concerning them, you do set up a way of organizing yourself.  To preserve my data my choice has been an online genealogy site (check my suggestions at https://rebelato.org/genealogy-websites/) but you can also opt by using downloadable genealogy software like the ones indicated in our blog https://rebelato.org/genealogy-software/

By, Carmen Vazquez Sibils