Rick T. Wilson, Ph.D.
Genealogical pattern recognition is about attending to the small details found in every record, such as an unfamiliar name or location and then correlating it with known information. It’s about understanding early migration routes and historical context and then finding patterns within DNA matches that are more nuanced than familiar surnames. This is what a Genealogy Patternologist™ does. This is what I do.
Using a case study approach, I write blogs, create tutorial videos, and offer coaching services to help you find your family’s pattern.
I have 30+ years of genealogical research experience, and I am professionally trained in the scientific research method.
Research Presentations
- Podcast: “Identifying John Wilson, Part 1 DNA Evidence and Part 2 Documentary Evidence,” Research Like A Pro Genealogy Podcast, April-May 2022.
- Webinar: “A Father for William Boyd: A Case Study Using 18th Century Indirect Evidence,” Research Like A Pro Webinar Series, October 2023.
DNA Research Tool Expertise
- Testing Websites: Ancestry.com, FamilyTreeDNA.com, 23andMe.com, MyHeritage.com
- Processes: Leeds Clustering Method
- Tools: Gedmatch.com, DNApainter.com
Record Groups / Database Expertise
- Online: Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Newspapers.com, Fold3.com, FindAGrave.com
- Offline: U.S. County Courthouses; national, state, and local archives; local libraries; historical socieities
- Specialized Software: Gephi Visualization, Lucidchart App
Further Areas of Expertise
- U.S. States: Pennsylvania and Ohio
- Northern Ireland: County Fermanagh
- Religious Groups: Quaker Church records