Genealogy and Family History Stack Exchange
Genealogy and Family History Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [research-methods]

For questions about how to conduct genealogy research and best practices for genealogy research.

175 questions
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How do you record a person you know existed, but with no (or limited) other details?

The Census of England and Wales 1911 asked for each married woman -- the number of children born alive to this marriage, and the number still living. This information can reveal the existence of children (living in 1911 or not) in addition to those…
Fortiter
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Finding living relative in Victoria, Australia?

I only have their first names, maiden names, and know that they were born in Victoria, Australia. What is a way to locate these relatives?
Charles
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Which individual in family tree to research first?

I am helping a friend start his family tree. Which individual do I start with to achieve results to keep him interested?
Garry
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Recording details of records about 'same name' or unrelated individuals?

I often come across data on what could be a relative, only to find the record belongs to someone who is not related, or was not the person I was looking for. Where do I record this information, so I do not research the same person again but keep it…
Darren
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How can I get others excited about an aspect of my family history without gloating?

For example, one of the major battles of the Revolutionary War was fought on my [several-]great-grandfather's farm grounds. Without sounding like I'm gloating when talking about the event, how can I get folks outside my family excited about the…
warren
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How can I track down back issues of a family history newsletter from the 1980's?

When I started asking my parents about family history in 2008, my mother gave me a copy of a "Burbank Family News" newsletter of the Burbank-Burbanck family edited by John R. Burbank in St. Albans, Vermont. I only have one issue, #21 from January…
BennyMcBenBen
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What are some strategies for limiting the expenses involved in genealogical research?

This is a community Q&A that came out of the Genealogy.SE Weekly Chat from 30 November 2013 Canadian Girl Scout has previously noted how quickly the expenses can add up when you are serious about your genealogical research. There are online site…
Verbeia
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How can I estimate which of my ancestors were literate?

For the vast majority of my ancestors, when going back in time the sociocultural level gradually decreases until I end up having poor farmers. The rate at which the level decreases depends on the branch, but this pattern is globally universal. I'd…
Bregalad
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Approaching relatives with dementia about family history?

It is important to write down or record the memories of elderly relatives while we still have the opportunity. However, I find it difficult to know how to best approach this subject even with close family members with dementia or Alzheimer's…
Harry V.
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What are ways to collaborate with other Genealogists?

Many times I've wanted to trade off research with other genealogists--those not related to me. I live in Florida. Say I need a record from a repository in Tennessee and another Genealogist needs a record from a repository in Florida. At least in…
Ezri Rediker
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Need more strategies for meeting "collaborative cousins"

There are some lines in my ‘”tree” that contain few confirmed ancestors. One of the ways I’ve found people and information is by connecting to “cousins”. I’ve done this through: a public online tree at Ancestry.com communicating with my known…
Jeni
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How would a genealogist utilize Cyndi's List?

What is the purpose and value of Cyndi's List to an entry or intermediate level genealogist? It simply seems like an endless listing of data without any segmentation. Don't mean to knock the site - this clearly is an issue of the user - me - not…
Hausa Mann
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How do I Keep my Public Tree right sized to meet my own high quality standards?

One of the reasons my Ancestry.com tree is public is so that I can make connections to “cousins” I don’t know. The relatives I have connected with have been a fantastic help in researching our common ancestors. What is a reasonable way to determine…
Jeni
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How to encourage higher standards of genealogical research on a message board?

Everybody is entitled to pursue a hobby like genealogy the way he or she wants to. A lot of genealogist also know: “Genealogy without proof is Mythology.” (attributed to Mary L. Henke) With this being said: I am a member of a genealogy message…
lejonet
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Ways to index a family history collection?

My personal family history collection consists of correspondence, photographs, historical documents and family papers, family tree compilations and genealogies, research logs and reports. I've probably downloaded and/or obtained print copies of…
Ezri Rediker
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