Do You Make a Living as a Genealogist? Share Your Story!

pHow did you turn your passion for a href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/od/genealogists/a/business.htmgenealogy into a business/a? How did you first get started? How did you find clients? Set your rates? Keep things organized?/p pa href=http://genealogy.about.com/u/sty/genealogists/genealogy-business-tips/form.htmstrongShare your experience and tips/strong/a for those who are either considering or just getting started with genealogy as a profession. A little free publicity is okay here too! You're invited to share a little about your genealogy business (including URL) as well./p

New Online Index to Nearly 15 Million Australian Births, Marriages & Deaths

pAncestry.au launched a huge new index this week to Australian BMDs, comprising nearly 15 million records between the years 1787 and 1985 (births only to 1922 and marriages only to 1949). The searchable database was compiled from microfilmed birth, marriage and death indexes taken from record offices and registries from across Australia, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory. While some of these indexes and/or the original records are already available online, this is the first database that combines birth, marriage and death data from across all Australian states in one place and format./p...pa href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/b/2010/07/16/new-online-index-to-nearly-15-million-australian-births-marriages-deaths.htmRead Full Post/a/p

10 Questions to Ask Before You Visit a Research Facility

pIt's fun to sit on my couch in my pjs and search for my ancestors, but when I can find the time I always prefer the firsthand thrill of the hunt - talking to relatives, poking around in cemeteries and courthouses, and walking the streets and land where my ancestors once stood. Before planning a trip to the State Historical Society, the Family History Library, the National Archives or the local courthouse, however, I always do my homework. There is nothing more frustrating as a genealogist than to drive two hours for a day at the State Archives only to find out they are closed this week for renovations, or that the records you need are in off-site storage and can't be retrieved for at least 3 days (yes, I learned this the hard way!). Prepare for your genealogy research trip in advance with these a href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/od/basics/a/onsite_research.htm10 Tips for On-Site Genealogy Research/a. In addition, checking off these stronga href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/od/libraries/a/questions.htm10 Questions to Ask Before You Visit a Research Facility/a/strong...pa href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/b/2010/07/12/10-questions-to-ask-before-you-visit-a-research-facility.htmRead Full Post/a/p

Understanding Dit names

pFound primarily in France, New France (French-Canada, Louisiana, etc.), and Scotland, strongdit names/strong are essentially an alias tacked on to a family name or surname. emDit/em in French is a form of the word emdire/em, which means to say, and in the case of dit names is translated loosely as that is to say, or called. Therefore, the first name is the family's original surname, passed down to them by an ancestor, while the dit name is the name the person/family is actually called or known as. Dit names are used by families, not specific individuals, and are usually passed down to future generations, either in place of the orginal surname, or in addition to it./p...pa href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/b/2010/07/08/understanding-dit-names.htmRead Full Post/a/p

Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestor

pemWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.../em/p...pa href=http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc#038;zu=http://genealogy.about.com/b/2010/07/04/researching-your-revolutionary-war-ancestor.htmRead Full Post/a/p