Pedigree triangulation is a game-changer for tackling genealogical brick walls, especially in the challenging pre-1850 era. This presentation offers a comprehensive look at this key methodology, illustrated through a real-life case study of proving the father of a woman’s 1828 birth. Learn to create genetic networks, group DNA matches, and apply key pedigree triangulation steps to break through long-standing brick walls. Discover practical strategies for integrating DNA analysis with documentary evidence, constructing revealing family trees, and creating clear genealogical diagrams.

Have you ever wondered what your ancestors’ lives were like beyond the names, dates, and places? While these fundamental details form the backbone of genealogical research, they often fail to capture the imagination of family members who aren’t as passionate about genealogy. The key to engaging your relatives and bringing your ancestors to life lies in incorporating social and community history into your family narratives. While time travel remains the stuff of science fiction, we can carefully reconstruct the historical context in which our ancestors lived. In this session, Robyn describes approaching social history by using conventional genealogical records in new ways, and using unconventional genealogical records. This session includes multiple examples of how to incorporate our findings into our writing for more creative storytelling. By embracing social history and looking beyond traditional genealogical facts, we can create compelling narratives that bring our ancestors to life. This approach not only enriches our understanding of family history but also captivates the interest of relatives who might otherwise remain indifferent.

Overwhelmed with too many paper documents and digital files? Learn to organize these so that you’ll quickly find just the one you need.

Explore the cutting-edge world of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) and their applications in family history in this innovative webinar. You’ll learn about the various GPT models available, how they can be utilised to enhance your genealogical research, and the benefits they offer in terms of efficiency and creativity. The session will also provide a guide on how to create your own GPT tailored to your family history needs, from data preparation to fine-tuning the model. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or new to AI, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge and tools to leverage GPTs in uncovering and preserving your family’s stories.

Janice loves researching scoundrels and black sheep – they leave behind such wonderful records! This webinar looks at seven types of records family historians rarely use: police records, criminal court records, jail records, coroner’s records, church disciplinary records, divorce records and juvenile reformatory records.

Understand original steps in getting from event – birth, marriage or death to an index; how online services impact searches; how to obtain inexpensive certificates. Access procedures and costs for obtaining birth, marriage and death certificates in England and Wales has changed radically in the last few years. Positively, the reduced costs make it such there is no excuse for not getting all birth and death certificates. Negatively, people are losing sight of what they are actually searching to get the certificate. – Learn the original process of getting from an event to a listing within an index (local or national). – Learn what rules and laws changed the above processes over time. – Understand differences between original and new indexes. – See the impact of which versions of the indexes are being searched by the different online services. – Learn how to purchase, and quickly obtain birth and death certificates. – See the different versions of the certificates that can be currently purchased. – Learn alternatives for obtaining cheaper marriage records.

URLs here, URLs there, URLs everywhere. Which one do you choose to use for your citation? Which one do you use for your research notes? How long should it be? How short can it be? Can you edit out parts of a URL and still have a stable working link? We will discuss strategies to document URLs for websites, databases, or images in your research.

Head of census and names on a vital record, are the typical documents we attach to the males in our family trees. What other things can you find? In this webinar, Michelle will explore a number of other research avenues to help you understand more about the lives of your many male ancestors.

This session will explore records available for Australia and New Zealand through MyHeritage. Personal examples will be used to demonstrate information to be discover.

In Greek genealogy research, tracing female ancestors can be rather challenging. However, a number of research options can tackle this problem. This webinar aims at presenting such options and tips to help you find the names and stories of your Greek female ancestors.

Explore 19th-century German engagement, marriage and divorce traditions, historical social norms and legal regulations, including economic motives, marriage contracts, remarriage, and strict divorce processes. This presentation will explore the complex world of marriage and divorce in nineteenth-century Germany, emphasizing its importance to genealogical research. Participants will gain insight into the economic, social, and legal factors that shaped marriage and divorce practices. The session will include examples of historical documents and introduce new types of records beyond traditional church records.

There is so much emotional and heritage capital invested in the Scottish kilt and tartans. But these are not as ancient, and not so uniformly Scottish, as often thought. How much of this is historical fact and how much a modern creation? Dr Bruce Durie sifts the reality from the myth.

Learn how to effectively build, expand, and manage a family tree using MyHeritage’s tools. Learn about tree views, Smart Matches, Record Hints, the Consistency Checker, Family Statistics, printable charts, the new Cousin Finder feature, and collaboration options with relatives.

Gain an understanding of the different social statuses in historical Germany. Learn about the living conditions of the different classes in Germany. Until the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, there were a total of 22 monarchies and three free cities in what is now Germany. And there were almost as many different regulations concerning the rights and duties of the residents. Citizenship was usually not acquired by birth, but only after an application and the strict examination of the fulfillment of several requirements. This presentation will give information on acquisition and loss of citizenship and the respective reasons for it.

This captivating webinar presents real-life stories of individuals who took a DNA test and received answers to questions they never asked. Each story opens the door to unexpected revelations, presenting profound ethical and moral dilemmas, the complex emotions and challenging decisions people need to make when unexpected information is revealed. How far should one go to uncover the truth? This webinar will echo long after it ends. Don’t miss out on these gripping tales of DNA surprises.

Find your colonial ancestors in the communities of New England with these fifteen strategies that cut through 400 years of changing records. Learn expert practices for accessing New England’s information and building evidence of lives long forgotten. Your early New England roots can come to life with these less-obvious sources and methods.

Did you mark your wish list in the Sears Christmas catalog as a child? FamilySearch Catalog lists everything available in the FamilySearch Library. Many of these items are also available online, at FamilySearch Centers and Affiliated Libraries. Items include books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications. This session will go through the steps on how to search by location, surname, title, author, subject, or keywords, and combinations of these. Learn to find where the items are located and what type of media they are stored in. Search online in film images, and adjust their image or zoom in and out. When you find records for your research, mark each to view later in a to-do list of items which may be printed to the library when you got in person. See how the FamilySearch Wiki will help find records for an area anywhere. Just like the Christmas Catalog had something for every member of the family, this catalog has something for everyone, no matter where you are researching.

From overbearing privacy laws to poor funding to archives, genealogists’ access to the historical records we need are always under threat. Learn why genealogists need to take an active role in fighting for records access, what genealogists have already been doing, and what we can do going forward!

Writing about your genealogy research can be challenging. Assembling genealogical conclusions requires time, persistence, and dedication. Learn how generative AI tools can help – whether you’re writing a biography, research report, or proof argument. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude can turn research logs into reports and timelines into narrative. Providing text to the AI tools help increase accuracy and limit errors. Generative AI tools can increase your writing efficiency, but your personal style may be lost. Learn how to maintain your unique voice while increasing productivity. We will also discuss when to disclose writing assistance from AI tools and how to cite them. Correction: In slide 36, Nicole mentions that the land Daniel Elder patented was within the Ottawa area of British Columbia. Ottawa was actually the location of the land patent office as the capital of Canada, and that’s why the location was included in the land patent. The land he patented was in British Columbia along the Railway Belt.

MyHeritage DNA offers a key feature missing from its main competitors: a chromosome browser. That tool lets you view the DNA segments that you share with your matches. Export your matching segment data to DNA Painter and you can determine exactly what DNA you inherited from the ancestors you share with your DNA match. MyHeritage DNA even accepts DNA results from other DNA testing companies, so you can import that information into MyHeritage DNA and get matching segment data to use with DNA Painter. In this webinar, you’ll get step-by-step instructions.

Did you know that the Google Translate tool you rely on as a genealogist also comes in a convenient browser extension? With this extension, you can instantly translate text right on the page you’re viewing, without the hassle of switching tabs or opening a new window. It’s a seamless way to break down language barriers while staying focused on your research!

Quilts with inked or embroidered names are referred to as signature quilts or friendship quilts. These quilts were used as gifts and fundraisers. Today these quilts are being used to tell stories of families and communities. In this presentation we will explore the history of signature quilts, how to research them, and repositories that collect them. Quilts are more than a bed covering, they also can be a genealogical source.

A prevalent misconception in genealogy is the belief that African Americans cannot trace their ancestry beyond the 1870 Federal Population Census. This myth, known as the “1870 Brick Wall,” suggests that records of African American ancestors, especially those who were enslaved, are virtually non-existent before this key year. This presentation will debunk this myth by exploring the wealth of resources available for tracing African American lineage before 1870. Attendees will learn about various records, strategies, and techniques that can help uncover the rich histories of African American ancestors, challenging the notion that their genealogical journey must start in 1870.

This talk gives an overview of the investigative genetic genealogy process: what it is, where it is used and the basics of how it is undertaken. Nathan briefly discusses some real-life key cases that have used IGG and then moves on to his own fictional writing, focussing on the Venator Cold Case series, which uses this methodology to catch serial killers. He explains his meticulous research process, the experts that he consults and his process of writing.