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Great Grandma did what?
The latest stories found hiding in trees, research techniques, and a little bit of history too
Ancestry Hints MAY BE Hiding Family Secrets. Here's How.
When an Ancestry hint mentioned my happily-married great-grandfather in a 1920 divorce case, I knew something was off. Clicking deeper, I discovered names I didn't recognize, roles that didn't make sense, and questions piling up faster than answers. Turns out, hidden beneath that innocent little leaf was a family secret waiting patiently for a hundred years to be uncovered.
Colorizing History: How I Used ChatGPT to Breathe Life into My Ancestor’s 1903 Obituary Photo
Ever wish you could bring an old family photo to life?
I just used ChatGPT and a smart AI genealogy prompt to colorize my 2nd great-grandfather’s 1903 obituary photo, and wow. It felt like meeting him for the first time.
I’ll show you exactly how I did it, step by step, no extra tools needed. Just your image, a reference photo, and the right words.
Ready to try it with your own ancestors?
Genealogy Tourism: How to Plan Your Ancestral Return Trip
Your ancestors lived real lives. They laughed, got married, argued over laundry, maybe “ran away” when they didn’t want to sweep the floors. Ancestry travel is your chance to stand where all that happened. But first, we find the records that get you there.
How to Trace Family Members Using Death Certificates & Cemetery Records
Discover how to use death certificates to trace family members in cemetery records. This step-by-step guide shows how to locate burial plots, search Find A Grave, and uncover possible relatives using real genealogy research methods.
History Repeats in Family Trees
You may think you are the first but the patterns in family trees is absolutely mind blowing. A specific date is often repeated across generations as a milestone. It may be the day your 5th great grandparents arrived in America and, unbeknownst to you, it is the same date your selected for your wedding day. A funny coincidence or something much more?
Making Friends with Genealogy Party tricks
I’m a nerd. A big one. I willingly received degrees in biology and chemistry b/c I liked doing research. I hated balancing chemical equations, but I loved researching to prove a hypothesis. While I no longer work in a lab, I do occasionally don a pocket protector and tapped up blue-light blocking glasses. That’s b/c all of my time is spent looking at my monitor, pouring over online archives and databases of historic records. I really love it. If I have free time, that’s what I’m doing.
When looking at an old painting
Have you ever looked at an old painting or drawing and wondered who the people are in the artwork? Sometimes they are famous people, like George Washington or Napoleon Bonapart, but often times those famous historic figures are surrounded by others. Who are those people exactly?
Finding Royalty in your family tree
Recently Bob Odenkirk discovered his connection to the Royal family. Read more to learn which of his ancestor was from the royal family and the fascinating love story that accompanies it.. Do you ever wonder if there is Royalty in your tree?
Ashkenazi Jewish Family Names from the Russian Empire
Ashkenazi Jewish Family Names from the Russian Empire. In the late 1800’s Russia was the largest country in the world. It extended from modern day Asia all the way over to Poland.