Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the essential questions to ask before you start researching your Irish immigrant ancestor in Ireland. The first questions have to do with learning about an Irish ancestor’s birth year range, year of immigration, friends and family, and county of origin. Finding these details will help you know where to focus once you begin researching in Ireland. Join our Irish research expert, Jessica Morgan, AG, as she teaches us about this important step in Irish research. Links Tracing your Irish Ancestors Part 1: Ask the Right Questions https://familylocket.com/tracing-your-irish-ancestors-part-1/ Tracing Your Irish Ancestors...
This is part 2 in a six-part series on tracing your Irish ancestor back to Ireland. In the last post, we discussed the critical questions to ask before conducting research (when your ancestor immigrated, what was their religion, their birth date, and names of Irish-born relatives, which county they came from in Ireland). Now, we’ll discuss which resources will help you find the answers to these questions. The resources discussed here are U.S. based; given the scarcity of Irish records (which will be discussed in a later post), it’s essential to find as many of your answers as possible in...
Discovering you have Irish ancestors can be very exciting. Where in Ireland did they come from? Is there a tombstone or an ancestral farm you can visit on your next vacation? Before you start googling, know that accurately tracing an ancestor from America to Ireland isn’t easy; in fact, it’s one of the hardest fields in genealogy. Irish immigrants were often illiterate, and many key records in both America and Ireland have been lost. But rather than feel overwhelmed, take comfort in knowing the journey is not impossible. This is the first of a six-part series that will help you...
Do you have ancestors who immigrated to the United States since 1790? Have you discovered their village, town, or even country of origin? Family stories or census records might give clues, but often give conflicting information. Is there another record type that could give additional hints to your ancestors homeland? Naturalization records might provide important details but what are these records and how do you find them? This three-part series will address those questions and give you a foundation in this sometimes confusing record set. Why Use Naturalization Records Many record collections are now easily searched online and because we...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Alice Childs. Alice is a professional genealogist and recent graduate of our Research Like a Pro with DNA study group. She is sharing the DNA research process she used to discover a client’s immigrant ancestors’ origins. She is also sharing the full report, so scroll down to find the link to her services pages where it’s listed as a work sample! We are also giving away a DNA kit to one lucky winner in conjunction with today’s episode, so check out how to enter below. Ancestry DNA Kit Giveaway...
Kids Book Club – October “Always remember you are the son of two proud nations, whose roots are as sturdy and deep as this oak tree,” a mother tells her son in Elan, Son of Two Peoples. In this captivating children’s story, which is based on true events, reader’s learn about a 13 year old boy coming of age through the traditions of two different cultures – the Jewish bar mitzvah and Acoma Pueblo manhood ceremony. This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission but it doesn’t change the price of the item. Thanks for your support!...
My Grandfather’s Coat by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock, teaches about the hard work, thrift and conservation of our ancestors. This book club post will share discussion questions, family story ideas, and an activity you can do with your own kids to teach about these important values. This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission but it doesn’t change the price of the item. Thank you! Story Summary My Grandfather’s Coat is based on the Yiddish song, “I had a Little Overcoat.” The author says the story is an ode to immigrants...
Do you need a laugh-out-loud kind of book for your summer reading? You might want to give Funny in Farsi: A Memoir about Growing up Iranian in America a try. In honor of fathers everywhere, this Family Locket Book Club selection for June is a hilarious look at author Firoozeh Dumas’ Iranian family and their adventures adjusting to the culture of southern California. (This post contains affiliate links. if you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission, but it doesn’t change the price of the item. Thank you!) Firoozeh didn’t set out to write a humorous memoir....
St. Patrick’s Day is only a few days away! Here are some ways that we’ve been celebrating our Irish Heritage: Learn about your Irish Heritage Did you know that 3.7 million American residents claim Irish ancestry? According to this graphic, that’s more than 7X the population of Ireland. Between 1830 and 1940, nearly 4.5 million Irish immigrants arrived in the United States. Do you have any Irish immigrants in your family tree? If so, here’s an article about how to find more records about them from the FindMyPast blog: I know my ancestors are from Ireland, what do I do next? Decorate with...
