4 Ways to Research Your Family Ancestry

At some point during your ancestry research, you will hit a brick wall. It might seem as if everything is going well; prospective relatives are responding to your calls and emails. Then, unexpectedly, the trail goes cold. Soon you realize the records you were so confident about are either unreliable or do not exist. Just when you thought you are about to unravel your family ancestry, your research comes to a dead-end.

This is not the time to give up your ancestry research. There are creative and innovative ways of solving your ancestry research.

Below are a few tips to get you started on the challenging journey of finding your ancestry.

1. Consider Indirect Evidence

As noted above, at some point records will be in plenty. It is when the records well dry up that things get a bit more challenging. However, the absence of records does not mean all is lost. There are alternative sources such as indirect evidence you can pursue. Indirect evidence includes everything with relevant information, even where primary records are not available.

For instance, although a birth record may be missing, you can still establish someone’s year of birth by consulting other resources such as a marriage or death certificate, the census, etc. The key is to gather as many records as possible that could support your hypothesis.

2. You can Solve Research Problems by Using Historical Maps

To find a missing ancestor, start from their last known location. By looking at the historical maps, you can trace where the ancestors are likely to have originated from to where their descendants settled? It might also be possible the ancestor you are tracing sojourned somewhere in between for a number of years before moving on to their ultimate destination.

By following these historical routes, you get a good idea of where to look for local records that could shed definitive light on your quest. Such maps can also help you separate two people sharing a name based on their location.

3. Use Timelines

To establish gaps in records, use genealogy software and timeliness from your online trees. However, do not just rely on individual timelines. Compare them with those of other relatives to establish new lines of investigation. Identify local and global events that could shed more light on your research.

For instance, wars result in new community events and jobs that could hint at where your ancestor was at the time. Other important events include holidays, especially where parades, dances, charity events, and church services are listed in newspapers and church bulletins. You might also want to visit local libraries, which have focused collections on their community’s history.

4. Think Creatively

A bit of creativity will serve you well during your ancestry research. Besides using timelines as potent leads, think of other records that might shed light on the ancestor you are interested in. You can also apply mind mapping through visual aids to establish new leads and clues. An example of creative thinking during ancestry research is where you imagine being in your ancestor’s shoes. What would your typical day involve?

Imagine the route you would take to school or work. Think of the songs they are likely to have heard on the radio (that is if the radio was in existence). Try to picture where they may have gone shopping or to socialize. Concisely, think their thoughts based on events surrounding them and their age. By sneaking into their minds and allowing yourself to feel and think their thoughts, you can come up with a clear picture of what their experiences might have been, and where they may have taken them. Soon you will start breaking down those inscrutable dead-ends and create a coherent direction for your ancestry research.