Ancestral Discovery
Ancestral given (first) names
Mark FearerMay 05, 2022
When doing family research, first — or given — names can also be perplexing.
Name that ancestor
Mark FearerMar 31, 2022
For Jewish genealogists, names are one of the most challenging aspects of finding our ancestors.
Genealogy software helps organize your work
Mark FearerMar 03, 2022
About creating online family trees: genealogy software can be a tremendous help in keeping your work organized.
Planting your family tree
Mark FearerFeb 03, 2022
Previously, I talked about organizing your genealogical documents, photos, stories and other materials and passing them on to future generations. One of the most...
Making sure your family history survives
Mark FearerJan 06, 2022
As I watched the horrific Marshall Fire spread just five miles from me, I couldn’t help but think not only of the human suffering, but also those irreplaceable pieces...
Don’t agonize — organize!
Mark FearerDec 02, 2021
There’s a political adage: “Don’t agonize — organize!” This applies to genealogy, too. We often agonize over our unorganized, growing mountain of “stuff,”...
Getting those records is a journey
Mark FearerNov 04, 2021
I previously presented the different kinds of documents that might have captured your ancestors, and where you might find them.
Deciphering census records
Mark FearerOct 07, 2021
First a correction: Last month I implied that immigrants who didn’t want to become citizens don’t have immigration records. Actually, ship manifests — which are...
From whence came our ancestors?
Mark FearerSep 10, 2021
I will not address the politics of immigration here, although there are intersections of Jewish immigration and politics. Instead, I’ll focus on our ancestors’...
DNA testing — the best part
Mark FearerAug 05, 2021
Recap: Part 1 discussed why to do a DNA test. Part 2 about how and where to test. Part 3 delved who to test and the two other genealogical DNA […]