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Historical Records

Watch webinars that focus on specific record categories including adoption, vital records, cemetery records, census records, city directories, immigration records, newspapers and more for locations around the world.

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59:53
263 views
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Introduction to U.S. City Directories
City directories are an integral tool in genealogical resources in locating individuals and businesses at specific time periods, and gleaning other details that may point you to other evidence. They can help you determine the date of arrival or departure, residence, occupation, and more. They are great substitutes for census records and for the in-between years. Introduction to City Directories tells you what you can find, places you can find them, and how to obtain the most information from them. You’ll also see images of many types of city directory pages so that you will know what they can tell you. This webinar was first released on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.
City directories are an integral tool in genealogical resources in locating individuals and businesses at specific time periods, and gleaning other details that may point you to other evidence. They can help you determine the date of arrival or departure, residence, occupation, and more. They are great substitutes for census records and for the in-between years. Introduction to City Directories tells you what you can find, places you can find them, and how to obtain the most information from them. You’ll also see images of many types of city directory pages so that you will know what they can tell you. This webinar was first released on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.
Thu, December 11 2025: 12:00 UTC
52:22
So, You Think You Know All About City Directories?
Most are thick books listing the heads of household with address and occupation; later the spouse and adult children appear. Add business listings and ads plus government agencies, relief agencies, civic and religious organizations, and other listings and you have a goldmine of information. Do you know how and when the material was collected? The differences in the early ones? How to use them for the history of businesses, owners, and other entities. What about the unique directories that serve as a census, tell of military service, where someone moved to, include fake names, and provide clues to vital records. The problems with some digitized directories, issues with the canvassing for listings, and the sales pushed that occurred will be covered. I’ll share the rewards of in-depth sleuthing about the directories, their compilation, some surprises, and obvious and hidden places to find them today.
Most are thick books listing the heads of household with address and occupation; later the spouse and adult children appear. Add business listings and ads plus government agencies, relief agencies, civic and religious organizations, and other listings and you have a goldmine of information. Do you know how and when the material was collected? The differences in the early ones? How to use them for the history of businesses, owners, and other entities. What about the unique directories that serve as a census, tell of military service, where someone moved to, include fake names, and provide clues to vital records. The problems with some digitized directories, issues with the canvassing for listings, and the sales pushed that occurred will be covered. I’ll share the rewards of in-depth sleuthing about the directories, their compilation, some surprises, and obvious and hidden places to find them today.
Fri, September 15 2023: 15:30 UTC
1:08:43
1.3K views
CC
Free
A Deep Dive into U.S. City Directories at MyHeritage
U.S. City Directories are useful for finding a person’s residence at a given place and time, but we can glean many more facts from City Directories. Discover how to use MyHeritage’s U.S. City Directories collection to find not only residential information about your ancestors but much more. Learn how to use MyHeritage’s unique features and search capabilities.
U.S. City Directories are useful for finding a person’s residence at a given place and time, but we can glean many more facts from City Directories. Discover how to use MyHeritage’s U.S. City Directories collection to find not only residential information about your ancestors but much more. Learn how to use MyHeritage’s unique features and search capabilities.
Tue, July 25 2023: 18:00 UTC
8:00
635 views
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How a City Directory worked for me again
Following up on his recent case study webinar, “How I Debunked an Online Tree Hint”, Geoff Rasmussen shows how a city directory put a final nail in that hint’s coffin (not sure how great that analogy is, but hopefully you get the point…) and provided new clues to continue his research.
Following up on his recent case study webinar, “How I Debunked an Online Tree Hint”, Geoff Rasmussen shows how a city directory put a final nail in that hint’s coffin (not sure how great that analogy is, but hopefully you get the point…) and provided new clues to continue his research.
Thu, June 30 2022: 0:00 UTC
1:07:27
8.7K views
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Free
City Directories: Much More than Ye Olde Phonebooks
Learn about the fascinating details which may be hiding in your ancestors' City Directories listings, such as addresses, names of neighbors, professions, and services provided. Advertisements from old City Directories will open the door to a wealth of information about how your ancestors lived.
Learn about the fascinating details which may be hiding in your ancestors' City Directories listings, such as addresses, names of neighbors, professions, and services provided. Advertisements from old City Directories will open the door to a wealth of information about how your ancestors lived.
Tue, March 24 2020: 0:00 UTC
44:30
6.5K views
CC
Free
City Directories: No Town Too Small, No Clue Too Little
Most genealogists aren’t taking full advantage of all the clues available in city directories. Learn how go beyond a mere “lookup” of your ancestor and their family. Understand how city directories were created, the secrets of various abbreviations, and how to use the F.A.N. Club approach to getting the most…
Most genealogists aren’t taking full advantage of all the clues available in city directories. Learn how go beyond a mere “lookup” of your ancestor and their family. Understand how city directories were created, the secrets of various abbreviations, and how to use the F.A.N. Club approach to getting the most…
Wed, May 15 2019: 0:00 UTC
1:46:16
Finding and Using Land Ownership Maps
Land ownership maps in the US are generally focused on the county level. Produced largely in the nineteenth-century in single sheet or atlas format, they were sold by subscription and also developed to commemorate events such as the centennial of the American Revolution. Though advances in printing such as lithography…
Land ownership maps in the US are generally focused on the county level. Produced largely in the nineteenth-century in single sheet or atlas format, they were sold by subscription and also developed to commemorate events such as the centennial of the American Revolution. Though advances in printing such as lithography…
Wed, April 26 2017: 0:00 UTC
1:37:07
4.2K views
Watch Geoff Live: Adding a City Directory
In this webinar, Legacy’s Geoff Rasmussen will demonstrate what to do with a city directory as he adds the information to his real, personal Legacy family file. This class will be presented live and unscripted, giving attendees a first-hand look at how a professional genealogist analyzes and records information from…
In this webinar, Legacy’s Geoff Rasmussen will demonstrate what to do with a city directory as he adds the information to his real, personal Legacy family file. This class will be presented live and unscripted, giving attendees a first-hand look at how a professional genealogist analyzes and records information from…
Tue, December 13 2016: 0:00 UTC
1:02:04
Ten Years Is A Long Time – Census Substitutes for the In-Between Years (BONUS webinar for subscribers)
The federal census gives us wonderful clues for our research, but the ten years between each census is a long time. This presentation will discuss records that can be used to fill in the gap and add more points to your ancestor's timeline.
The federal census gives us wonderful clues for our research, but the ten years between each census is a long time. This presentation will discuss records that can be used to fill in the gap and add more points to your ancestor's timeline.
Fri, August 14 2015: 0:00 UTC
1:24:00
4.1K views
Direct Your Research with City Directories
Browse the pages of various types of directories to discover where your ancestor worked, lived and played. City Directories are for more than family research. The details can help you date a photograph or plot your relative on a map.
Browse the pages of various types of directories to discover where your ancestor worked, lived and played. City Directories are for more than family research. The details can help you date a photograph or plot your relative on a map.
Fri, August 2 2013: 0:00 UTC

Upcoming Live Webinars

View all (231)
Fri, February 20 2026: 19:00 UTC
Emigration and Migration from Yorkshire, England
Fri, February 20 2026: 19:00 UTC
Yorkshire was an area of great migration, those who moved within the county, those who moved in and out of the county and those who left Yorkshire and England. Most Europeans who emigrated travelled to America with more than 2 million English moving to America in the 1800s. The changes during the 1800s through the effects, and aftereffects, of the Industrial Revolution created great change in Yorkshire as well as the decline in lead mining and farming in rural areas and the Yorkshire dales. As people lost opportunities to earn a living in these areas they were pulled to the opportunities further afield, the mills towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Lancashire and further afield to America then later to Canada and Australia. As a member of a family emigrated this created a greater pull for friends and family to join them creating communities in another country. This was the case in New Diggings in Wisconsin where many people from Swaledale and Wensleydale left the declining lead mines to start new lives in the growing mines of America. This talk will explore the people who emigrated, the villages they left and the communities they joined along with the Yorkshire surnames which are now part of American life. Oral histories documented in the book ‘Those Who Left the Dales’ by the Upper Dales Family History Group are referred to as well as immigration records and original documents held at North Yorkshire Archives including the publication ‘History of New Diggings’ and a Dakota ‘recruiting’ lecture given in Wensleydale. The talk will provide an insight into the reasons for leaving Yorkshire, particularly the Yorkshire Dales, and the lives of those who emigrated.
Yorkshire was an area of great migration, those who moved within the county, those who moved in and out of the county and those who left Yorkshire and England. Most Europeans who emigrated travelled to America with more than 2 million English moving to America in the 1800s. The changes during the 1800s through the effects, and aftereffects, of the Industrial Revolution created great change in Yorkshire as well as the decline in lead mining and farming in rural areas and the Yorkshire dales. As people lost opportunities to earn a living in these areas they were pulled to the opportunities further afield, the mills towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Lancashire and further afield to America then later to Canada and Australia. As a member of a family emigrated this created a greater pull for friends and family to join them creating communities in another country. This was the case in New Diggings in Wisconsin where many people from Swaledale and Wensleydale left the declining lead mines to start new lives in the growing mines of America. This talk will explore the people who emigrated, the villages they left and the communities they joined along with the Yorkshire surnames which are now part of American life. Oral histories documented in the book ‘Those Who Left the Dales’ by the Upper Dales Family History Group are referred to as well as immigration records and original documents held at North Yorkshire Archives including the publication ‘History of New Diggings’ and a Dakota ‘recruiting’ lecture given in Wensleydale. The talk will provide an insight into the reasons for leaving Yorkshire, particularly the Yorkshire Dales, and the lives of those who emigrated.
Fri, February 20 2026: 19:00 UTC
Tue, February 24 2026: 14:00 UTC
Spanish
Las 10 bases de datos más útiles para la investigación sobre Europa del Este
Tue, February 24 2026: 14:00 UTC
Con más información disponible en línea, a menudo es posible encontrar registros clave de sus antepasados de Europa del Este en bases de datos gratuitas y de suscripción. Obtenga información sobre los distintos conjuntos de registros disponibles, cómo acceder a ellos y cómo superar los problemas de privacidad e idioma, así como otros obstáculos para la investigación. Los subtítulos y la voz de este vídeo se han doblado al español utilizando IA.
Con más información disponible en línea, a menudo es posible encontrar registros clave de sus antepasados de Europa del Este en bases de datos gratuitas y de suscripción. Obtenga información sobre los distintos conjuntos de registros disponibles, cómo acceder a ellos y cómo superar los problemas de privacidad e idioma, así como otros obstáculos para la investigación. Los subtítulos y la voz de este vídeo se han doblado al español utilizando IA.
Tue, February 24 2026: 14:00 UTC
Tue, February 24 2026: 19:00 UTC
Genealogy for our descendants
Tue, February 24 2026: 19:00 UTC
We are so busy searching and documenting the past and our ancestors, but don’t stop to think that someday we will be the ancestors of someone. What are we leaving behind besides the genealogical legacy? Will our descendants know who WE really were? our unique voice, our feelings and experiences, what messages and lessons do we leave behind?
We are so busy searching and documenting the past and our ancestors, but don’t stop to think that someday we will be the ancestors of someone. What are we leaving behind besides the genealogical legacy? Will our descendants know who WE really were? our unique voice, our feelings and experiences, what messages and lessons do we leave behind?
Tue, February 24 2026: 19:00 UTC
Wed, February 25 2026: 19:00 UTC
50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2026
Wed, February 25 2026: 19:00 UTC
Confusion. Too many “favorites” lists. Too many “Top 100” lists. Too many opinions. Indeed, that’s just what the myriads of “top website” lists are: somebody’s opinion. Well, it’s time to make a better and truly useful list! Based on an extensive study of genealogical web traffic, here are the 50 most visited real genealogy websites. Since these are the most visited sites, they must be doing something right and providing some value to their visitors. Count them down, and learn what you’ve been missing!
Confusion. Too many “favorites” lists. Too many “Top 100” lists. Too many opinions. Indeed, that’s just what the myriads of “top website” lists are: somebody’s opinion. Well, it’s time to make a better and truly useful list! Based on an extensive study of genealogical web traffic, here are the 50 most visited real genealogy websites. Since these are the most visited sites, they must be doing something right and providing some value to their visitors. Count them down, and learn what you’ve been missing!
Wed, February 25 2026: 19:00 UTC
Foundations in AI for Family History 5 of 5: Building Your AI Workflow and Digital Crew
Thu, February 26 2026: 1:00 UTC
Learn the principles, tools, and responsible practices for using AI in your genealogical research.
Learn the principles, tools, and responsible practices for using AI in your genealogical research.
Thu, February 26 2026: 1:00 UTC
Thu, February 26 2026: 14:00 UTC
French
Les 10 bases de données les plus utiles pour la recherche sur l’Europe de l’Est
Thu, February 26 2026: 14:00 UTC
Grâce à la multitude d’informations disponibles en ligne, il est souvent possible de trouver des documents clés concernant vos ancêtres d’Europe de l’Est dans des bases de données gratuites ou payantes. Découvrez les différents types de documents disponibles, comment y accéder et comment surmonter les problèmes liés à la confidentialité, à la langue et autres obstacles à la recherche. Les sous-titres et la voix de cette vidéo ont été doublés en français à l’aide de l’IA.
Grâce à la multitude d’informations disponibles en ligne, il est souvent possible de trouver des documents clés concernant vos ancêtres d’Europe de l’Est dans des bases de données gratuites ou payantes. Découvrez les différents types de documents disponibles, comment y accéder et comment surmonter les problèmes liés à la confidentialité, à la langue et autres obstacles à la recherche. Les sous-titres et la voix de cette vidéo ont été doublés en français à l’aide de l’IA.
Thu, February 26 2026: 14:00 UTC