Ancestry Academy  > Education  >  Finding Non-U.S. Ancestors

 

In this virtual event Crista Cowan gives the best tips for finding non-U.S. ancestors. The webinar's core objective is to provide crucial strategies for overcoming common brick walls encountered when researching immigrant ancestors or family lines in countries like Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Germany, by offering both specific record insights and universal genealogical methodologies.

 

The session thoroughly outlines foundational principles, beginning with the importance of knowing the exact place of origin for an ancestor, not just the country, as most historical records are locally held. Crista elaborates on the necessity of understanding geopolitical changes and evolving national and local borders in regions such as Germany, Italy, and Ireland, highlighting how these shifts influence record availability and place names over time. A significant portion of this virtual event is dedicated to demonstrating the powerful utility of Ancestry's Card Catalog for locating historical maps, atlases, and gazetteers, which are invaluable for comprehending geographical context, historical boundaries, topography, and even local communities to guide record searches and interpret ancestral choices. Crista also emphasizes broader genealogical best practices, such as researching entire families, critically evaluating Ancestry hints, and proactively searching beyond hinted records using the Card Catalog to discover newspapers, electoral registers, city directories, and local history books to add rich detail and context to ancestral stories, ensuring accuracy in family tree building.

 

Chapters:

- Introduction & Welcome

- The Fundamental Principle: Knowing Exact Orgins

- Utilizing Ancestr's Card Catalog: Maps, Gazetteers & Context

- Country Specific Record Dive: Censuses

- Country Specific Record Dive: Civil & Church Records

- Going Deeper: Beyond Core Records for Stories & Accuracy

- Q&A

 

Leverage Ancestry's Card Catalog to explore historical maps and gazetteers, and dive into country specific censuses and church reconrds on Ancestry to discover your ancestor's unique story!