The Blog
Guides, tutorials, and deep dives into genealogy research, DNA testing, and family history.
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Research Skills
87 Genealogists Reveal What They Wish They Knew Before Starting
Look, I get it. You just discovered your great-great-grandmother's maiden name and you're ready to trace your lineage back to...
Genealogy Life
The Ghost in Your DNA: Why You Feel Connected to Ancestors You’ve Never Met
It's 2 AM. Again. You're hunched over your laptop, squinting at a baptism record from 1847. Your eyes are wet....
Research Skills
8 Census Records That Hide Extra Information in Plain Sight
Let me show you something most newbies completely miss. Right there, in plain sight, in some census records, there's hidden...
Latest Posts
Genealogy Life
The Secrets Hiding in Your Ancestor’s Old Letters That Could Change Everything You Thought You Knew About Them
Your family’s old letters aren’t just sentimental keepsakes—they’re untapped goldmines of secrets that could completely flip the way you see...
Tools & Resources
The Best Free Places to Preserve and Share Family Photos for Future Generations
Look, I'm going to be straight with you. Your family photos are disappearing. Right now. This second. Those precious memories?...
Genealogy Life
Pharrell Williams Discovers His Ancestor’s Voice: A Heart-Wrenching Moment That Changes Everything
Most of us can only imagine what our great-great-grandparents were like. But what if you could actually read their words?...
Genealogy Life
Two Brothers, Two Destinies: The Hidden Family Story That Left Scarlett Johansson in Tears
Every name in our family tree was once a beating heart, a living soul who loved, dreamed, and faced choices...
Genealogy Life
When Family History Reveals Dark Secrets: How to Handle Difficult Discoveries
A practical guide for genealogists facing uncomfortable truths Look, I get it. You're digging through records, excited to uncover your...
DNA
DNA Myths Busted: What You Think You Know Might Be Wrong
Let's talk DNA myths. You know the ones I mean - those "facts" about genetic genealogy that everyone seems to...
Genealogy Life
Browser Tabs Every Genealogist Has Open Right Now (And Why We Need Them All)
Look, I get it. Your computer's running slower than a pension office bureaucrat on a Monday morning. Those 147 open...
History & Heritage
What My Ancestors’ Thanksgivings Can Teach Us About Family (And Why I’m Grateful for DoorDash)
I'll never forget the moment it hit me. There I was, standing in my kitchen at 6 AM on Thanksgiving...
Genealogy Life
Weird Things You’ve Inherited That Actually Tell Amazing Stories (Yes, That Rusty Old Key IS Worth Keeping)
Look, I get it. You're the family member with four banker's boxes of "historical documents" under your bed. The one...
Genealogy Life
Margin Notes and Meatballs: The Genealogy Hiding in Grandma’s Recipe Cards
Last night, I found a piece of my family's history that no ancestry website will ever digitize. It was tucked...
Research Skills
The Power of Writing Research Reports to Yourself
I just finished watching an incredible webinar from Legacy Family Tree Webinars that's going to transform how you do genealogy....
DNA
How Your DNA Could Catch a Killer
True crime shows love to talk about DNA solving cold cases. They make it sound like magic - a drop...