Family Statistics on MyHeritage

Slavery existed in some northern states well into the 19th century. Learn about the motives for gradual emancipation, how it affected enslaved African Americans and enslavers at this time, the state laws surrounding slavery, and the records that it created.

There are many examples of Unknown Parentage cases in Ireland - illegal adoptees, a foundling grandparent, or simply an Irish Brick Wall. This talk explores the approach to solving these cases, the challenges faced with Irish records, and some hints & tips to overcome them.

Cette session offre un récapitulatif des outils et ressources généalogiques fournis par MyHeritage au cours des derniers mois. Que ce soit pour votre arbre généalogique, vos photos de famille ou vos recherches dans les documents d’archives, MyHeritage vous aide à découvrir et préserver votre histoire familiale en ajoutant constamment de nouvelles fonctionnalités et en agrandissant sa base de données.

As our family tree branches develop, we come across locations we haven't researched before. Michelle shares her tips for how to find the sorts of records you will need, what information they contain and where best to find them, when a place is new to you.

Most Canadians have connections to the three Prairie provinces, through cousins if not through ancestors. Researching those Prairie families can be rewarding, although it is important to note which sources are common to all three provinces, and which ones are unique to each province. Using examples from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, this session looks at a variety of resources, and offers tips to help you learn more about your families on the Prairies.

We often talk about historical context like a side dish: it adds color and life to our narratives and deepens the analysis in our client reports. Rarely, however, do we think of historical research as a main course, a proactive strategy. This case study demonstrates not only the potential of historical research as a tool, but how that tool can be effective in the most challenging cases. Thomas Chapman wasn’t typical of New York City immigrants at the turn of the nineteenth century. His reported birthplace of Bengal prompted more questions than answers, and FAN searches in New York produced no leads. Ultimately, a combination of historical research, DNA evidence, and traditional genealogical methods across three continents revealed the identities of his parents.

Charles Olin disappeared from his Nebraska roots about 1908. The DNA in the descendant of an out-of-wedlock child born in 1919 point to Charles as the father, but no records place him there. This case study proves the alternate identity Charles used for 40 years.

“Identity theft” happens easily with common-name families. This session uses two case studies from two different societies—a Jones family from the Northern U.S. and a Smith family from the South—to demonstrate how to work safely with common-name families. The first ten minutes ground the audience in four problem-solving models. On that foundation, Mills then walks her class through sources and strategies that are often overlooked amid today’s reliance upon database searches, provider hints, and crowd-sourcing. *** This class requires a password and an active webinar membership to attend. On the day of the webinar, obtain the password (located at the top of FamilyTreeWebinars.com when logged in as a member). Then click the Join Webinar link in your confirmation/reminder email, and enter the password when prompted. ***

The probate system in England and Wales changed significantly in 1858. Learn how the English probate system worked before and after that change, see what records are available and why they are of value. Learn tips and tools for procedures which will simplify the search process, whether the ancestor’s location in England is known or unknown.