Behind your Name
These sites can be used to discover the meaning and history of your name.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name - Full Names
- http://www.behindthename.com/ - Given Names
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Given_name - Wikipedia definition of Given Name
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surname - Surname
Personalized Maps
Just discovered this map-making gadget & couldn't resist showing our travels, mostly in the U.S., Mexico & Canada and UK with some Caribbean. The web site, bighugelabs.com has ALL KINDS of artsy craftsy web pages like this, from calendar makers to comic book captions.
|
Travels of Bill & Diane to date |
| Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com/map.php |
TNG - The next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding (version 8)
After being shown some TNG web sites recently, I became very interested in the software, even to the point of BUYING it. It appears to be a very flexible way to put your personal genealogy on the Web so that potential collaborators will see it and contact you with a wealth of new information. It has been installed successfully in August, 2011 and my wife and I are experimenting with it. Some example sites are: Lisa and Roger, Author's TNG Site (Darrin Lithgoe), Linda's Genealogyand the Kloosterman family. It is very cool software, only costs $30 and has a review of an earlier version by Dick Eastman. See also a TNG web page I'm using to accumulate information about it.
Gedcom Issues
There appears to be a dearth of good information about the Gedcom format used to transfer genealogy data between computer programs. Maybe there's a book or web site that's so good, nobody needs to publish anything else! Well, I think that people concentrate so much on their own genealogy programs that they don't share data with other programs. So they don't have issues of sharing files between genealogy programs. I noticed a couple blog entries from geneamusings.com blog dealing with this very issue and I hunted down a couple other web sites that talk about Gedcom issues.
- Geneamusings Blog Entries
- The Seaver Source Citation Saga Compendium
- Feb 17, 2011 post about Family Tree, Legacy and Roots Magic genealogy programs and Gedcom
- FTM 2011 ==> Roots Magic and Legacy - Geneamusings Blog about inputtng sources into FTM 2011 and then attempting to export via Gedcom to Roots Magic4 and Legacy 7 databases.
- Family Treemaker Source Citations in Gedcom Files - Geneamusings Blog entry from January 24, 2011
- Wikipedia Gedcom Entry
- Wikipedia Gedcom Data Validation
- Gedcom from Cindi's List
- Gedcom 101 from About.com
Find Cities and Towns - from Rootsweb
- Rootsweb Town Search - Submit the name of a town and all States and Counties in the U.S. will be displayed.
- County Formation Maps - An excellent resource is the N2Genealogy web site by Brian Nichols. It shows when counties were formed.
Publish Free Genealogy Web Sites and Files
Browser Access Web Sites
- Google Sites - See my Example
- Tribalpages.com - See my Example
- Yahoo Groups - They do, unfortunately, have a lot of advertising
Free Sites to save file
- Free FTP Web Space at Rootsweb - See my example and a local genealogy group's site I maintain.
- Skydrive.com from Microsoft - 25gb of free storage. Just need to get a hotmail account
- Box.net - Free 2gb of storage to access on your desktop
Research Tools
County Formation Maps - This is an excellent resource that used to be called Familyhistory101.com but is now known as N2Genealogy.com. It was produced using the Animap program. It is a very useful tool to find out when a county in the U.S. was formed. The Web Site registered to a Brian Nichols.
Newspaper Research
- Chronicling America, from Library of Congress - Listing of Newspapers all over the country. Useful just to figure out what newspapers existed in certain time periods in certain cities.
- Newspaper Library (Pay Site) - http://www.newslibrary.com
- Sutro Library of California - http://www.library.ca.gov
History - Growth of a Nation and World
- Growth of a Nation - Ten minute Flash "Movie" on how the country was formed from 1789 to present. Gives good overview of when states were admitted to theunion and the big battles of the day.
- Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - Four and a half minute video of how health and wealth has grown and redistributed in the last 200 years. Very instructive
Finding People
I'm using this web page as a place to accumulate my favorite "live people" search sites. If you REALLY want to find out about someone, you can find an awful lot by using any/all of these sites. The latest one I added is http://www.zillow.com that estimates your home's worth if you supply the address. I read about it on Dick Eastman's Blog http://www.eogn.com.
- http://www.spokeo.com - finds people all over the country
- http://www.peoplesmart.com
- http://www.peoplefinders.com
- http://www.zabasearch.com
- http://www.switchboard.com
- http://www.411.com
- http://www.whitepages.com
- http://www.peoplesearch.com
- http://www.whowhere.com
- http://www.peekyou.com
- http://www.pipl.com
- http://www.zoominfo.com
- http://www.radaris.com
- http://www.intellius.com
- http://www.zillow.com - Provides real estate values.
Ancestry Magazine Back Issues
Ancestry has ceased publishing the Ancestry Magazine. But all back issues are available from Google Books.
Genealogy Event Calendars
The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)
This is an authoritative approach to genealogy research that is approved by Board of Certification of Genealogists. It has been documented by the Thinkgenealogy.com web site and in a Lisa Cooke Episode 20 interview of Mark Tucker. Thinkgenealogy.com has a process map and a PowerPoint explanation to demonstrate the GPS. Tip: The thinkgenealogy.com uses Web 2.0 free slideshare technology to display the PowerPoint file.
The GPS is like a Process Map. The process map outlines the steps needed to meet standards and starts with defining your research goal or step and then follow the GPS.
- Conduct a reasonably exhaustive search.
- Need a complete and accurate source citation.
- Do analysis and correlation of what you've found so that all facts correlate with each other.
- Work to resolve conflicting evidence. Use additional resources to resolve conflicts.
- Write sound, reasoned, coherent conclusions .
After using this process, when you talk to a genealogy professional about your work, you will be talking the same "language".
The Genealogy Research Plan
To do family history research, you need to have goals and a plan.
- A good place to start learning about this is at an About.com web page, about the "Genealogy Research Plan" - http://genealogy.about.com/od/basics/a/research_plan.htm
- A Canadian web site addresses the subject at http://www.afhs.ab.ca/aids/starting/bhplan.html
Research Assistance
- Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness- Volunteers help you.
- Family History Expos - Find one near you and they usually have volunteers providing expert help.
Search Your Family Tree Using Google
- There's a poplular book out, for $34.95 by Dan Lynch called "Google Your Family Tree"
Supporting Sites with ordering or interviews: World Vital Records | Dear Myrtle | Table of Contents | Mattatuck | Dan Lynch | Genea Musings | - Other Google Family Tree Search Links
Macintosh Genealogy Resourse
- MacGen Group
- Pat Burrow Genealogy Notes http://www.reunionnotes.com (part of her web site http://www.plumlady.com). Her group is a sub-group of the Silicon Valley Genealogy Group
- Diablo Valley Macintosh User Group, Genealogy SIG
TV Programs about Genealogy:
- Who do you think you are - NBC Friday night, 8pm.
- Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr.
- Roots Television - http://www.rootstelevision.com/
- BYU - Family History Television - http://www.byub.org/ancestors/
Local (to Castro Valley, California) Genealogy groups:
- California Historical and Genealogical Society List
- California Genealogical Society - Transferred from San Francisco to Oakland
- Contra Costa County Genealogical Society meets the second Thurday of each month (except Aug) at 7pm in Concord.
- East Bay Genealogical Society of Oakland | Meetings
- 2nd Wed., 10am, Family History Center, 4766 Lincoln Avenue Oakland, CA 94602 510-531-3905 - Hayward Area Genealogical Society
| Meetings
- 3rd & 4th Tues., San Lorenzo Library, 6:30pm, 395 Paseo Grande. San Lorenzo, CA 94580, 510-670-6283 - Livermore-Amador Valley Genealological Society
| Meetings
- 2nd Tues., 7:30pm, 3400 Nevada St., Pleasanton, 94566 - Macintosh & Genealogy (MacGen.org) - User Group started by Bill George in April 2009
- 4th Sat., 1:30pm Family History Center, 4766 Lincoln Avenue Oakland, CA 94602 510-531-3905 - San Mateo Genealogical Society | Meetings
- Third Wed. or Third Sat., Silicon Valley Community Foundation at 1700 South El Camino,San Mateo - San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society
-3rd Tues 10am-12 Danville FHC, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo - Silicon Valley Computer Genealogy Group | Meetings
- 2nd Sat 9-11am, 875 Quince Avenue Santa Clara, California, USA (Used to be Silicon Valley PAF User Group
Regional and National and Regional Genealogy Groups
- Association of Professional Genealogists
- Board for Certification of Genealogists
- California Genealogical Society - Free Beginning Genealogy Lessons, 1st Saturday of the month.
- Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference
- International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists
- National Genealogical Society - Subscription to Magazine. They Have National Conference
- New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
- Southern California Genealogical Society
Census Analysis Tools
Very Helpful Tools when analyzing Census Records
- Census Tools - http://www.censustools.com - This one is EXCELLENT
- Census Analysis - http://www.svcgg.org (Click on Census Analysis Form)
- Census Images from Ancestry.Com - http://www.ancestry.com/charts/census.aspx
Wikis
Eastman Online Genealogy Newsletter Entry describes Wikis
- Encyclopedia of Genealogy (sponsored by eogn.com)
- One page article on every human being on earth (in development) werelate.org
- Family Search Wiki
Genealogy Research Libraries - Bay Area
- Oakland Regional Family History Center (with list of 12 Bay Area FHCs)
http://www.oaklandfhc.org
4766 Lincoln Avenue
Oakland, Alameda, California, United States
Phone: 510-531-3905
Hours: T, W 10am-9pm; Th, F, S 10am-4pm
- National Archives Pacific Region
http://www.archives.gov/pacific/san-francisco/index.html
1000 Commodore Drive
San Bruno, California 94066-2350
Phone: 650-238-3500
Fax: 650-238-3511 - Sutro Library
http://www.library.ca.gov/collections/
480 Winston Drive
San Francisco, CA 94132
Phone: (415) 731-4477
Fax: (415) 557-9325
E-Mail: sutro@library.ca.gov - Santa Clara Central Park Library
Genealogy Collection in Heritage Pavilion
http://library.santaclaraca.gov (search for Central Park Library)
2635 Homestead Road
Santa Clara, CA 95051
408-615-2900 Reference Desk
Genealogy Lineage Software
Linux
- Free - Ftree
- Free - Genes (from Sourceforge.net)
- Free - Gramps (Review by EOGN)
Macintosh
PC
- Free - Personal Ancestral File (PAF) |
- $29 - Ancestral Quest | Demo (Same author as PAF)
- Free - Legacy 7.0 Standard
- $29 - Legacy 7.0 Deluxe | Demo
- $29 - Family Tree Maker
- $59 - The Master Genealogist | Demo
- $29 - Roots Magic | Demo
Research Web Sites
- Free - FamilySearch (LDS)
- Free - Rootsweb
- $29/yr - MyFamily.com
- $50/2 yrs - World Vital Records
- $59/yr - Footnote
- $240/yr US - Ancestry.com
- $360/yr US+World - Ancestry.com
Charts for Genealogy
- Family Graphics - Specializes in printing charts from Mac pgm, Reunion. Excellent site, good prices
- Generation Maps - The Chart Chick likes this site
- About.com Chart Printing
- Wholly Genes Charting - From the publishers of The Master Genealogist Softwaree
- Reunion - Leisterpro.com has Message Boards with Charting Topics
- The Chart Chick
- Misbach - PDF Forms for Manual Charts
- Shoestring Genealogy Free Genealogy Logs, charts and forms
Books (free)
- Project Gutenberg | Wikipedia especially Thomas Darcy McGee's "The history of Ireland"
- Oreston Brownson Writings| especially a review of Thomas D'arcy McGee's "History of Irish Settlersin North America..."
- "A History of the Irish Settlers in North America from the Earliest Period to the Census of 1850" by Thomas D'Arcy McGee
Common Genealogical Data Format
- Definition of Gedcom from EOGEN Encyclopedia
- Gedcom to HTML Program Misbach
Popular SF Bay Area Libraries
- Alameda County Library System - Genealogy | Main Site
- City Libraries | Example Pleasanton has genealogy docents
- World Catalog - World Wide Library Catalog
Photography Sites useful to Genealogists
- Whatsasthere - http://www.whatwasthere.com/. Historical photos contributed by users
- Shutterfly - http://www.shutterfly.com I like this site because their prices are competitive and they print the file name of the picture in light blue on the back of each picture. They also have gifts for family, to print your photos on, like coffee mugs. They also allow you to create multiple free web gallery-oriented web sites. Examples are my George Campout and Pardee Picnic photo gallery web sites.
- Flickr - http://www.flickr.com - This site lets you upload your photos to their website for others to view.
Genealogy Blogs
There are some very informative Genealogy Blogs. A couple noteworthy ones are Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy, Genea Musings, the Genealogy Bank Blog and a terrific Resource, a genealogy blog finder.
- Ancestry Insider
- About.Com - Kimberly Powell - Outstanding!
- Chart Chick Her specialty is Charting
- Dear Myrtle of the Dear Myrtle Blog
- Dick Eastman of Eastman's Genealogy Newsletter
- Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
- Geneablogger - Contains a list of HUNDREDS of genealogy blogs
- Genealogue
- Genealogy Bank Blog
- Genealogy Blog Finder
- Genea Musings - Randy Seaver's great Blog
- Genroots - Colorado Blogger, note his humor
- ION Genealogy by Brian Nichols. Also MyNicholsFamily.com. Good Blog associated with N2Genealogy.com
- Juliana Smith of Ancestry.com's 24/7 Family History Circle,
- Megan Smolenyak of Roots Television and Ancestry
- Steven J Danko's Genealogy Blog
Lattitude Longitude
Genealogy programs are becomming able to track lattitude/longitudes (l/l). Newer cameras can provide l/l in pictures. This web site lets you determine the l/l of your adress and look up a l/l. http://www.getlatlon.com/
Podcasts
Podcasts are very helpful. You can play them on your mp3 player (iPod or equivalent) and learn when you have downtime traveling or waiting. You just downlod the podcasts (mp3 files) and upload to your music player. iPods and iPhones make it very easy to automatically choose and get new podcasts using iTunes.
- Cyndi's List - Podcasts
- Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
- Family Roots Radio Genealogy Hour
- Genealogy Gems - Lisa Louise Cooke Interview of Lisa
- Irish Roots Cafe - Mike O'Laughlin (Recommended by Lisa Louise Cooke)
- Genealogy Guys - George C. Morgan and Drew Smith
- Genealogy Made Easy - Lisa Louise Cooke
- Genealogy on Demand
- Genealogy Today - Genealogy Podcasts and Audio
- National Archives Podcast Series
- Roots Television | Randy Seaver 29 Sep 2009, blog entry about Roots Television
Webcasts
- MySociety - FGS Podcast Series
Ancestry.com
Research Tools
County Formation Maps - See also their list of county formation maps of most states. This is an excellent resource at Familyhistory101.com.
Some Interesting Genealogy Sites:
- Family History 101 - Great Genealogy site http://familyhistory101.com/index.html - Contains much information including a nice selection of genealogy forms and how county map boundary formations evolved.
- Shoestring Genealogy - Save Money! - http://shoestringgenealogy.com/
- Genealogy for Librarians - General genealogy site, some good links
- Geni.com - Very compelling way to share your family tree and motivate relatives to provide biographical information.
- Genetic Genealogist web site - 28 page excellent booklet "I have The Results of My Genetic Genealogy Test, Now What?
- Surname Distribution in the U.S. - Census Data that shows where people with your same last name are living in the U.S.
- Free Genealogy Program, PAF (Personal Ancestral File) - This is an excellent, free Genealogy program from LDS. There also are help files and frequently asked questions available.
- Cyndi's List is a tremendous resource, at http://www.cyndislist.com/.
- Google Genealogy Search - There is also a clever genealogy search page using Google technology that's quite helpful at http://www.genealogy-search-help.com/index.html.
- Family Tree Searcher - This is a Multi-Site Genealogy Search utility that lets you search eight genealogy sites at once. It may save you some time. http://www.familytreesearcher.com/
- About.com. A good free resource for beginning genealogists is http://genealogy.about.com. They have podcasts and frequent email updates available as well as the web site itself.
- If you want the ultimate genealogy reference book, try http://www.everton.com, the home of the "Handybook for Genealogists, 11th edition". The book + CD is $60 plus shipping and handling.
- A free picture organizing and editing program Picassa (from Google), is available at http://www.get-picassa.com
- History of the Census
- Self-publishing site - books all by yourself at lulu.com
- Facebook.com Millions of users - Do a search on "Genealogy" to find friends, blogs, podcasts and web sites. Maybe get lucky and run into relatives (and maybe not).
- Self-publishing site for people who want to publish their blogs. http://www.blurb.com
Maps
- Ani-Map generated Maps from Familyhistory101 (Click on MAPS) Examples: PA Census Map | PA County Formation Maps| Antique Maps
- Google Maps - The most incredible current-day map resource on the internet
- Perry-Casteneda Map Collection - Large collection of maps from the Univ. of Texas including many from the CIA
George Genealogy Research
I am working on a brick wall, trying to locate any information about my third great grandfather. I have information about my second great grandfather Samuel George, b. 1815 Indiana cty, PA, d. 1889 Mercer Cty, PA. An 1880 census record indicates that Samuel's father is from Ireland. That's all I know about him. So I'm looking into immigration from Ireland to the U.S. before 1815 and families that existed in nearby Indiana, PA. I located a William George born in Ireland, who lived close to Indiana, PA and am tracing his family. Update 13 Oct 2009. Fairly likely guess at given name for 2nd ggf is "William" according to Irish family naming conventions. So I'm on the trail of William George, in early Pennsylvania (1810-1830), and before. My aunt and I commissioned some work by Salt Lake City LDS Researchers and found some additional information including a will, where a William George left Samuel Geore land and a home in Pennsylvania. It's looking like William George is our man.
I'm also researching the George line using Ancestry, Rootsweb and Family History Center sites.
- George Surname Origin & Last Name Meaning
- George Study
- George DNA Surname Project
- Rootsweb George Surname Mail List
- Memorabilia - Crests & gifts
- George Surname web sites on Genealogy.com
- My family is connected to Sir Godfrey Kneller, it is thought through family lore - But it isn't clear how, at the moment. To find out more Google Godfrey Kneller and visit this web site http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=62 and the Wikipedia Page on him at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_Kneller.
