You want to know where your last name came from. You want to know what secrets it may hold about your family, about your ancestors’ lives or at least where they lived. You can certainly find out much interesting information about your ancestors from tracing the origin of your surname. There is a good chance your surname indicates where your family originally lived. Or it may tell you what one of your male ancestor’s names was. It may also tell you what your ancestor did for a living. However, it is not as straightforward as it sounds. There are many pitfalls to encounter when tracing the origin of your surname. First, the spelling of surnames... 

When we think of tracing our family history, very often surnames are what come to mind first. We tend to think of our last name and wonder what kind of a history our family had with that surname, where it came from. It is certainly true that surnames are surrounded with history and maybe a little mystery. Surnames were first used by those people who gathered in large numbers to engage in trade because there was a need for more specific identification. Over time, the use of surnames filtered down to the agricultural communities, which had less of a need for such extensive identification of their people. Surnames generally stem from one of four... 

Do you know where your ancestors lived? Do you know how your family came to be where they are? Have they lived in the same place for a long time? What kind of a life did your ancestors lead? These are all questions most of us have asked ourselves at one time or another. These questions stem from our need to feel a sense of history and a sense of where we have come from, a sense of who we are. While tracing your family tree is a hobby, it is possibly the most meaningful hobby in which you will ever engage. It is not an inexpensive hobby. Although there are free resources that you can take advantage of to accomplish the goal of tracing your family... 

Yes, court records can hold valuable information for the person on the genealogical quest. Court records do not necessarily mean that your relatives or ancestors actually had to attend criminal court. It merely means that there are certain proceedings that must be signed by a judge. There are four types of court documentation that is relevant to a genealogical search. These are: 1. Adoption records – These records are very difficult to access, although useful if you can gain that access. They contain the full name of the adoptee, the names of the birth parents, and the names of the adopting parents. This gives an adopted person two families... 

If it has been filled out properly, a birth certificate can contain an incredible amount of information. Even if you think you already know everything you need to know about an individual, it is still wise to get a copy of the birth certificate. You may have gotten information about your grandfather second-hand from your aunt and there may be holes in what she knows. Maybe she knew your grandfather’s mother’s maiden name, but the spelling was wrong. The point is, it never hurts to at least verify the information you have been given. There are generally three types of birth certificates: 1. Original – this is the record filed at the time... 

When working on your genealogy, sometimes the most difficult obstacle to overcome is that of finding the maiden names of female ancestors. However, by finding this information you can be lead to an entirely new branch of your family tree and a whole new set of information and history to explore. To get to that point, though, you do have to find the maiden names in the first place. How do you do it? Here are eight tips on where to look for such information in your genealogy quest. First of all, as obvious as it may seem, check with marriage records. The bride’s maiden name is always listed on her marriage record. If you can’t find a license,...