Tax records have three distinct advantages compared with pre-1850 U.S. census records. Many tax records: Are produced annually; Predate the 1790 census; and Possess more than a list of names. Tax records are often sidelined in our genealogy research because censuses are more widely available and have been popularized because of their availability. Compared toContinue reading “Tax Records are Better than Early Census Records”
Author Archives: Rick T. Wilson, Ph.D.
3 Tips to Improve Your Y-DNA Age Estimates (TMRCA)
I recently stumbled across a 2022 FamilyTreeDNA blog post offering suggestions to improve your Y-DNA age estimates for the time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA). I was intrigued and decided to give the recommendations a try. Some of their suggestions produced a more immediate change, while others were a bit more difficult to discernContinue reading “3 Tips to Improve Your Y-DNA Age Estimates (TMRCA)”
New Full-Text Search at FamilySearch Uses Artificial Intelligence
Last week at Rootstech, FamilySearch announced a new experimental feature to search several unindexed collections. This enhancement harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) and optical character recognition (OCR) to quickly search several valuable record collections. It has the potential to not only drastically cut search time, but it may also help break through brick walls. Full-text SearchContinue reading “New Full-Text Search at FamilySearch Uses Artificial Intelligence”
A Big Y-700 DNA Experiment
Have you received your Y-DNA test results but don’t feel like you learned as much as you thought you would? This is how I felt, too, until I immersed myself into the scientific details of FamilyTreeDNA’s Big Y-DNA test and designed an “experiment” to refine my test results. The experiment is replicable and can helpContinue reading “A Big Y-700 DNA Experiment”
Fewer DNA Matches in the Future
For genetic genealogists, the promise of new DNA matches is both exciting and a necessary component of our research strategy. However, a recent demographic study finds that the number of living kin for the average person will reduce by 38% in the future suggesting we may have fewer DNA matches. The demographic shifts are notContinue reading “Fewer DNA Matches in the Future”
Genealogical New Year’s Resolutions
We are all used to making New Year’s resolutions, but what about genealogical New Year’s resolutions? Can we set ourselves up for being more productive in 2024? To make good genealogical resolutions, we need to approach the process from an informed position keeping in mind the skills and personality traits that make for good researchersContinue reading “Genealogical New Year’s Resolutions”
“Y” Gift DNA? Unwrapping Paternal Ancestry
We’re all looking for the perfect holiday gift for our loved ones, but what if the gift could be enjoyed by you as much as by them and perhaps others as well? A Y-DNA paternal line ancestry test is the perfect gift for someone who has everything – and by everything, I mean they alreadyContinue reading ““Y” Gift DNA? Unwrapping Paternal Ancestry”
Small DNA Matches as a Compass in Genetic Networks
We’ve been told not to rely on segments/matches having small amounts of shared DNA. This warning is true, but in genetic networks, small matches can act like a compass and direct us where to research. I’m not talking about small matches below 6 to 8 cM in length. Testing companies like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, and 23andMeContinue reading “Small DNA Matches as a Compass in Genetic Networks”
Genealogy Ping Pong: Alternating Between Documentary Research and DNA
Ping Pong is the perfect metaphor to describe how to use both documentary records and DNA to break down genealogy brick walls. The strategy begins by analyzing evidence from documentary records and then using your findings here to guide the analysis of your DNA matches. Next, use the patterns observed within your DNA matches toContinue reading “Genealogy Ping Pong: Alternating Between Documentary Research and DNA”
Create Genealogy Maps Using PowerPoint
Have you ever wanted to create a map for your genealogy research but been overwhelmed by the process? Did you find a software program to help you but found it expensive or difficult to use? I’ve discovered an affordable and easy way to create your own customized maps using Microsoft’s PowerPoint. Yes, PowerPoint. In myContinue reading “Create Genealogy Maps Using PowerPoint”
Ancestry Travel Debrief: My Visit to Northern Ireland
Last month, I visited County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland to discover more about my Wilson ancestry. I’m still on a high having exceeded my ancestry travel goals. I met my Wilson cousins who still farm the same land from 400 years ago. I visited 17th century castles, 18th century estates, and ate like a king. IContinue reading “Ancestry Travel Debrief: My Visit to Northern Ireland”
Ancestry Travel: Preparing to Visit Northern Ireland
Have you ever wanted to visit the ancestral homeland for one of your ancestors? Not sure where or how to begin? Engaging in ancestry travel, or what the industry also calls heritage travel, can be daunting. For one, it can be expensive. It also takes years of genealogy and DNA research to identify the actualContinue reading “Ancestry Travel: Preparing to Visit Northern Ireland”
Scottish Migration within Colonial New Jersey: A Book Review
Even if you do not have Scottish ancestors who spent time in New Jersey, you’ll enjoy this book review. It will help you understand why and when your Scottish ancestors moved from town to town and with whom they did so. While researching my own Scottish ancestors, who lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania inContinue reading “Scottish Migration within Colonial New Jersey: A Book Review”
Why Create a Location Guide for Genealogical Research?
For some reading this post, its title may seem rhetorical – a forgone conclusion. Of course, genealogists create location guides. But why don’t more of us do it? I consider myself a “good” genealogist. I’ve broken down many brick walls, but I’m also impatient and easily excitable. I’m perhaps too quick in following newly discoveredContinue reading “Why Create a Location Guide for Genealogical Research?”
How to Use City Directories to Resolve Genealogical Questions
If you’re like me, you probably know what city directories are but couldn’t imagine how to really use them in your genealogical research. Sure, city directories list a person’s name, occupation, and address, which we can trace annually through time. But what else can we do with that information? Can you use it solve challengingContinue reading “How to Use City Directories to Resolve Genealogical Questions”
Don’t Trust Derivative Records for Genealogical Research
Errors in transcripted records can cause us to miss relevant documents or send us on an eroneous search. This post exemplifies the importance in locating original records #ancestry #familyhistory #genealogy
DNA and Google Maps: Breaking Through Brick Walls to Reveal a Love Story
Our DNA holds the answers to many of our family history mysteries, and simple tools like Google Maps can help make the task of breaking through these brick walls easier. See how my cousin learned the identity of his great grandfather.
#ancestry #familyhistory #ancestrydna #genealogy #ancestors @ancestry
Crowdsourced Genealogy
Crowdsourcing is an under utilized family history research tool. Social media tools can make it difficult to search and archive information. Other tools fail to reach large numbers of people online. A research problem is presented for crowdsourced assistance as inspiration for the capabilities of true crowdsourcing.
Finding Your Ancestors in Thrift Stores
We spend so much time searching for our ancestors online that we sometimes forget to visit thrift stores for lost family heirlooms. #ancestry #familyhistory #genealogy
Genealogical Evidentiary Networks: A Tool for Presenting Indirect Evidence
Organizing and presenting indirect evidence can be a challenge. Using the Genealogical Evidentiary Network diagram can help you write overcome these challenges. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory