Technology & Tools
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The Revolutionary Impact of AI on Genealogy and Historical Research
Introduction By way of full disclosure, I have created this paper using various AI models to provide information, context, and source citations. In a sense, that makes this work self-referential. Clearly, this paper is one which will require re-working as time, events, and progress proceed. The information in this field/realm is not stagnant. In fact, it is quite dynamic. In recent years, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the fields of genealogy and historical research has brought about transformative changes. AI-powered tools are enabling researchers to tackle challenges that were previously daunting due to the vastness and complexity of historical records. This paper explores the current applications of AI…
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Prune & Share Family Tree Branches
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Prune & Share Family Tree Branches
Introduction Genealogists and family historians often need to extract specific branches from their Ancestry family tree for research, collaboration, or sharing with relatives. Unfortunately, Ancestry does not provide built-in tools to easily extract partial branches/limbs of their online trees into GEDCOM files. However, by using GRAMPS, a powerful free genealogy software, users can effectively prune family trees and extract specific branches. Additionally, Family Echo provides a simple way to view and share these extracted sections. This approach is simple, cost-free, and helps genealogists manage their data more effectively. The Process Step 1: Export the Full GEDCOM from Ancestry Step 2: Prune and Extract a Branch Using GRAMPS Step 3: Upload…
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Are you new to GEDmatch?
If you are like many family genealogists and historians, you are likely involved in analyzing the potential of using DNA for your research. As you may have read, here or elsewhere, my wife and I have both ‘taken’ 23andme and AncestryDNA ‘tests’. We obtained some useful and interesting information; I even solved one small mystery using DNA. But for all that, I’d have to say the whole DNA thing seemed overblown and over valued to me. That is until now. This last week a friend strongly suggested I use GEDmatch. I dutifully downloaded one of my DNA test results (the one from AncestryDNA because it was newest and I only…
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Surname Searches
Hunting for places where surnames are prevalent can provide and set of useful start locations from which to start a genealogical search. But before you start here are a couple of points worth considering… Remember most, if not all, surname search tools use current data. So you need to know whether a location has been through major population shifts since your family was ‘there’ (where ever that might be)? If like me, your family came from an area that was ethnically cleansed, a surname search may not be very useful. Consider whether your family surname may be mis-spelled using local standards versus original location standards. Does the name end in…
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Anabaptist-Mennonite DNA project participation
As many of you may have already guessed, our families and ancestries are crowded with Mennonite and Amish peoples- Anabaptists. For years, we knew of the Rich (Henss Family Branch) connections to the Swiss- Elsass/Alsace, Montbeliard/ Bern communities. More recently, we have come to understand quite a bit of the Senger (Rabideau Family Branch) connections to the West Prussian / East Prussian Mennonite communities. Because of the smallish nature of these original communities, we (Becky, my wife, and I) have elected to purchase DNA tests from 23andMe and submit our DNA test results for inclusion in the Mennonite DNA Project. This past weekend our 23andme DNA test kits arrived! Now…
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Prussian Mennonite Research Materials
As many of you may know, my Recht family line (Hermann Recht’s family) has strong roots within what was once the Mennonite Community resident near the former Elbing and Marienburg, Westpreussen. As I conduct my Prussian Mennonite family genealogical research, this page will evolve and develop into something a bit more robust. I am using Mendeley to gather and manage my research findings and source materials (I am also using the tool in an effort to evaluate its effectiveness for genealogy work.) If I end up writing something profound, perhaps Mendeley will also manage my writings. In any event for those interested in viewing and accessing most of my source…
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Presenting family genealogies on the web
Presenting readable, genealogical information, data, and stories is a complex challenge. It seems to me that people’s lives ought to be expressed as more than family trees, dates, and lineages. I have been struggling with this problem for quite a while. Perhaps you have as well. Over the years, I have noticed a few ‘special’ difficulties in making this type of information, useful, accessible, easy to find not to mention human. The major problem areas, for me, have centered around the following: genealogical data & stories can run deep & wide (they may, and often do, involve a lot of data from many locations, sources, and media) genealogical data/ information…
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New FamilySearch Film Ordering
This week I used the new FamilySearch.org microfilm (microfiche) ordering system for the first time. As you might expect, like any new service there are a few wrinkles but overall the new system is simply a magnificent advancement. Here’s what I learned with my orders. NOTE: If you did not already know, recently FamilySearch.org placed a new online ordering mechanism on their site. According to their site this offering is being rolled out across the world and is currently available in my area (Colorado). Click this link to read the complete announcement. As most of you know, I do a lot of Prussian research (which means I order quite a…
- Ancestry.com Thoughts, German Genealogy Pointers, Quebec Genealogy Pointers, Search Tricks & Tips, Technology & Tools
Kick-starting your genealogy efforts
I have put this little reminder checklist together to help me and others quickly examine our obvious options when we either are stuck or just getting started. This list is hardly exhaustive and if you try everything here without success you should not feel like you have to throw your hands up in despair, there are still many avenues to examine. Hopefully though, using these tools will prove useful and productive and fun. Enjoy! Have you checked? For basic name searches try these out. Not all of these tools are genealogy focused but they are all quite robust and helpful. Google Mocavo FamilySearch Ancestry If the above hasn’t provided you…
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Polish Archives
For those interested in such things, a number of ‘online’ Polish Archives have recently come to my attention. They include: Archiwa Panstwowe- State Archive in Poznan Archiwum Archidiecezjalne w Poznaniu (Archidiocese of Poznan Archive) Genealogical Society of Great Poland “Gniazdo” Although many of these site pages offer English translations, I find the translated documents to be only marginally easier to use than the Polish original pages (and my Polish is limited to the ever present and marginally accurate Google Translate). Nonetheless, these archives look to be a very positive resource and representative of a very hopeful trend! Should you know of other online Polish Archives you believe we should share,…
