Expert Genealogy Tips with Legacy Tree Genealogists

Episode #17: Secrets of Murder: Uncovering a Family History Mystery

Have you ever found out something shocking about your family? Something that was kept secret for decades? In this weeks episode we share a story of murder and intrigue discovered in the history one of our own researchers family trees. And you won't believe the plot twist. 
Do you have your own family mysteries to discover and need some help?
 
The experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
 
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
 
May your week be full of discoveries.

Episode #16: How to Hire and Work with a Professional Genealogist

Have you ever needed a professional genealogist to help you with your family history research? Or do you wonder what it would be like to work with a professional?
How do you choose a professional genealogist and what certifications and experience should they have?
In this episode we discuss how to hire a genealogist as well as what to expect when working with a professional. We cover the different types of accreditations and what your role is in providing information about your family to the researcher. 
If you need help with your research, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.

Episode #15: Beginner's Guide to Tracing British Ancestry

Are you part of the large group of Americans who trace their ancestry across the pond? In this episode we help you understand the geography of the area and key records and sources to help search on your mission to discover your English ancestors. 
Resources:
Free BMD
FamilySearch
MyHeritage
FindMyPast
Ancestry
If you have English ancestors and need help gathering documentation and vital records, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
 
May your week be full of discoveries.
 
 
 

Episode #14: Genealogy Research for Irish Dual Citizenship

Are you wondering how or if you qualify for Irish dual citizenship? Have you received your DNA test ethnicity results and verified you have a little or quite a bit of Irish ancestry? Or perhaps you are one generation removed from gaining Irish citizenship through descent—in other words, through one of your ancestors?
While Legacy Tree Genealogists cannot assist with the legal aspects of applying for dual citizenship, and we recommend you contact an attorney or consulate for your application, we are able to help you gather the vital records for your ancestors to help you prepare to apply. 
Resources in this episode:
Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs
Ireland's Citizen Information
 
If you have Irish ancestors and need help gathering documentation and vital records, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.
 

Episode #13: How to Use AncestryDNA ThruLines®

ThruLines is an AncestryDNA technology that utilizes your DNA matches and the trees of those matches to identify your common ancestors. It will give you hints to help you connect to cousins and relatives in other trees through a common ancestor.
In this episode we explore the best practices when using ThruLines and some things to be cautious about to avoid adding members to your tree who are not actually related to you.
AncestryDNA ThruLines 
If you are searching for ancestors using DNA and have hit a brick wall in your research, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.

Episode #12: Key Resources and Tips for Polish Genealogy Research

Genealogy research in Poland can be challenging and rewarding when you know where to search for Polish records. In this episode we share online record portals that can help to speed up your Polish genealogy efforts. 
We also discuss the 100 year privacy rule and share a few tips on finding Polish ancestors prior to the 1600s. 
Resources:
Search the Archives 
Geneteka
Polish State Archive of Przemyśl
FamilySearch
 
If you have Polish ancestors and have hit a brick wall in your research, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.
 
 

Episode 11: A Genealogy Guide to Dutch Surnames

Do you have family from the Netherlands? Have you ever been baffled by the surnames and tried to make sense of why some family members have different surnames? Or why there might be so many common surnames in a specific village or community? And how did Napolean impact the surnames for Dutch ancestors?
In this weeks episode we cover all of this and more. 
A few surname tips to have on hand during your research:
The -sen suffix could also be shortened to sz, z, se, and x (e.g., Dirks, Dirkse, Dirkx, etc.). Likewise, a woman would be called Dirksdochter, meaning daughter of Dirk, but could also use the abbreviated suffixes d, dr, s, se, sen, sens, and x (e.g., Dirks, Dirkse, Dirksdr, etc.).
Dutch surnames based on locations usually include prefixes like de (the), van (from), van de, van der, van den (from the), or te, ter, ten (on).
If you have Dutch ancestors and have hit a brick wall in your research, the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help.
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.
 

Episode 10: All About Immigration and 4 Tips to Finding Immigrant Ancestors

Immigration has once again become a hot topic in the United States lately, but this isn’t the first time. In fact, it has been a common part of the historical and political discourse since the founding of the nation, largely because immigrants make up such an enormous part of our history and heritage as Americans.
In this episode we share four tips and strategies you can use to find your immigrant ancestors, no matter what country they came from. 
Resources:
Immigrant Ancestors Project http://immigrants.byu.edu/main_page
MyHeritage.com
Ancestry.com
Google Books
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.

Episode 9: 3 Essential Website for German Family History Research

Finding family in Germany can be challenging, as you need to first find the specific town or city where your family lived, and also usually the parish they attended. To help you with this goal, in this episode we share the three essential websites you can access from home to help with your German research. 
1. Meyers or Meyer's Gazetteer of the German Empires: MeyersGaz.org
2. Kartenmeister
3. Gov Geschichtliche Ortsverzeichnis (Historic Gazetter)
Listen to this episode to get more information about what you will find on each website and how best to use these resources. 
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries. 
 

Episode 8: What are the Best Family Tree Websites and How to Format Your Data

When you are new to genealogy, knowing which family tree website to use can be a challenge. In this episode we share tips on choosing your platform and what to watch out for.
We also share how to properly format your data for sharing and ease of use. 
Finally, we answer the question, "When should you hire a professional genealogist?"
Want to learn more about hiring a professional genealogist to assist with your family history research?
Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists by visiting https://www.legacytree.com to request a free quote and learn more about what it's like to work with a professional genealogy firm.
May your week be full of discoveries.