Brothers and Sisters!

 

If you are looking through vital records and cannot find information you thought should be there, do not despair! Not finding the place of birth or parent's names  in the records of your direct ancestor, then find those same records for any brothers and sisters. If your great-grandmother's parents are not listed on her death certificate, find the death certificate for her brother or sister and it may be there. Different people know different bits of information at different times! This research method is often called cluster genealogy.

Good luck with your research!

March is Irish-American Heritage month. Surprised?  Over 7 million Irish immigrants have come to America since the 1600s, so you might be able to really celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

The American Foundation for Irish Heritage is a good place to start  looking for your Irish roots. You can also go to Cyndi's List and then go to Ireland to get other sources for searching for your Irish ancestors. There may be a pot of gold and the end of the rainbow waiting for you!

I recently attended the Du Page County Genealogical Society annual conference and came back with a lot of new ideas. Six speakers presented very interesting programs including research strategies and ethnic groups. There were also several vendors and societies offering books, maps, memberships and lots of genealogy information. I encourage you to attend a conference. Check with your local library or genealogy society for upcoming events. It's a great way to learn about genealogy and share ideas with fellow family history researchers. 

 When you are looking for your family name in the census or a court index and cannot find it, what do you do ? Try using the soundex system. This system is based on how the name sounds and not the way it is spelled. For example Miller, Muller, and Mueller. Use this soundex converter to see other similar names, Then look at that census or court index again. You just might find your name!