366 Days of Genealogy

366 Days of Genealogy – March

Once a day on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page a new post is shared. There is a theme for each month and March’s was Ireland. You will get bonus posts relating to the theme but only on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page these will not be posted on the monthly blog review.

March 1

Do you have Irish ancestors? Have you mapped out where they lived in Ireland? Check out my 366 Days of Family History posts for February 1-4 and create your maps.

March 2

A great book for mapping your Irish Ancestors is “A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland” by Brian Mitchell.

March 3

You must have a good gazetteer in your library. I use “Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland” which is dated 1851.

March 4

Two books that are invaluable to the Irish researcher are: “Irish Record Sources for Family and Local History” by James Ryan and “Tracing Your Irish Ancestors” (all three editions) by John Grenham. John Grenham is about to release the fourth edition of “Tracing Your Irish Ancestors.”

March 5

Researching church records? Then I would recommend “Irish Church Records” by James G Ryan.

March 6

Are you just beginning your Irish research or have you been doing it for a while? Either way it is a good idea to attend conferences and lectures on the topic. If you can’t attend conferences then FamilySearch has an online learning centre with free webinars relating to Ireland.

March 7

Another great resource at FamilySearch is the Wiki. They have informative pages relating to Irish research on their Wiki. If there is a record group you are interested in learning more about you can find out more on the Wiki. There are pages that relate to counties, history and many others.

March 8

If you are not familiar with Irish history then it is a good idea to read up on the subject. The history of Ireland affected its record keeping and it is important to know how and when events happened.

Robert Kee has written “Ireland A History” and the three volume set called the Green Flag series. F.S.L. Lyons is the author of “Ireland Since the Famine” which will give you a good overview of the time period.

March 9

Read as much as possible about Ireland’s history, people and keep up to date with the availability of records. A good way to do this is to read blogs. I like The Irish Story blog for information on history. To keep up with record availability try the British & Irish Genealogy blog and Irish Genealogy News. Don’t forget to follow The Passionate Genealogist.

March 10

If your ancestors worked for a large estate in Ireland you may find them in the estate records. A good book on the subject is “The Big Houses and Landed Estates of Ireland” by Terrance Dooley.

March 11

H.V. Morton wrote a book called “In Search of Ireland” which was published in 1930. The book chronicles his first trip through Ireland. It is an interesting read.

March 12

Have you ever browsed the Eneclann website? They are a Dublin based company and they digitize records and items relating to Ireland. Some of their information can be found on Origins and FindMyPast Ireland. They have digitized journals such as The Irish Ancestor and The Irish Genealogist.

March 13

A useful book is “A Visitors’ Guide Irish Libraries Archives, Museums & Genealogical Centres” by Robert K. O’Neill. It lists institutions found in the 32 counties and provides information under the headings: contact information, hours, access and services, contact, description, holdings and location. You may find a small museum that can help you break down that brick wall.

March 14

Do you belong to a genealogical society in Ireland? I highly recommend joining one to help you keep up to date with new information and to learn more about researching in Ireland. You never know you might find a new cousin.

March 15

Are you looking for Irish maps? A good online source is Past Homes. They have a searchable database of Irish Townland maps that were surveyed between 1829 and 1843. They are in colour and show houses, churches, shops, woodlands and other things. It costs $25.00 US to subscribe for one year and then to download or order other forms of the maps costs extra.

March 16

A real treasure for the Irish researcher is Hayes Manuscript which has been available in large university libraries but is now online and searchable for free. The National Library of Ireland has put this publication online, including all the supplements. You can search by name, place and subject.

March 17

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Do you have an ancestor who worked for Guinness? You can read more about the history of Guinness and their archives on their website. There is a section called genealogy where you can fill out a form to search their employee database. It is a transcription with basic details and provides descriptions of what your ancestor did for a living at Guinness.

March 18

Have you visited the Irish government website called Irish Genealogy? You can search transcriptions of parish registers for Dublin City, Carlow, Cork and Kerry. These records include Roman Catholic parish registers. They will soon be putting Roman Catholic records for County Monaghan (Diocese of Clogher) online.

March 19

The 1901 and 1911 Irish census records have been available since the 1960s. A few years ago the National Archives of Ireland, with the help of Library and Archives Canada, digitized and indexed the census records and put them online for free.

March 20

Have you ever visited the Library and Archives Canada website “The Shamrock and the Maple Leaf?” It provides online access to essays, music and a gallery relating to the “Irish-Canadian documentary heritage held by Library and Archives Canada.” They provide a list of published resources to help you with further research.

March 21

You can find more Irish-Canadian resources at Early Canadiana Online.

March 22

The IreAtlas Townland Database can help you find out more about the townland where your ancestors lived. It will provide you with the townland, what other name it might be known as, acreage, county, barony, civil parish, poor law union and province.

March 23

You can search Griffith’s Valuation online for free at Ask about Ireland.

March 24

The Registry of Deeds project is a work in progress. You can browse by many different categories to see if you can find information on your ancestors land holdings. Remember it is an ongoing project so if you don’t find something go back later. You can help by contributing to the project.

March 25

Findmypast Ireland has been in operation for about a year and they have many unique records on their website. They are a pay per view website. One year costs €59.95 and you can also purchase Pay as you go credits. The rumour is that some time this year you will be able to buy a world package from Findmypast similar to Ancestry.

March 26

Ireland Genealogical Project has been putting free information online. They are organized by county and provide links to many useful websites.

March 27

The Irish Genealogical Project Archives are listed by county and have listings of records available to search. These records are put online by volunteers so some might only have one record in the record source. It is still worth going in and seeing what you can find.

March 28

In the Irish Genealogical Project Archives there is a section called cemetery records. Here you will find a transcript of the monument inscriptions in the cemetery. These are still a work in progress. You can also find pictures of some of the grave stones under the title headstones.

March 29

Don’t forget to check out the Ireland GenWeb Project to see what new information they have.

March 30

Do you have Quakers in your Irish ancestry? Then check out Quakers in Ireland and learn more about their beliefs and their history in Ireland.

March 31

Are you planning a genealogical research trip to Ireland? Then my book “Planning a Genealogical Research Trip to Ireland: The Research Trail in Dublin” can help you prepare for your journey and provides some tips on using the repositories in Dublin. You can purchase a copy at the Genealogy Store. You can also sign up for my research trip to Ireland. There is only space for 7 and you can stop at Who Do You Think You Are? Live on the way to Dublin.

To get a new tip each day all you have to do is “Like” Blair Archival Research.

©2012 – Blair Archival Research All Rights Reserved

366 Days of Genealogy – February

Once a day on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page a new post is shared. There is a theme for each month and February’s was maps. You will get bonus posts relating to the theme but only on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page these will not be posted on the monthly blog review.

February 1

Do you have a file containing maps for each family group representing each place the family lived? Write down the place names where your family lived. Include the parishes, civil districts, ecclesiastical districts, town, townland, township, city, county, province, state, and country.

February 2

Draw a map for each jurisdiction found in the area where your family lived. You can draw the maps on a single page and use different coloured pencils to differentiate the jurisdictions. On the side create an index to show the jurisdiction each colour represents.

February 3

You have created a map for a specific place where your ancestors have lived. Now write a list of the names for jurisdictions surrounding the place where your ancestors lived.

February 4

Draw a map for the surrounding jurisdictions that relate to the place where your ancestors lived.

February 5

You have created two maps to be used as a resource to help you with your research. Now go and see what records are available for each jurisdiction and look at each level.

February 6

Add your maps and record lists to your research plan as references to help you while you are doing research.

February 7

Do you have printed maps of the areas in which your ancestors lived? Buying an old map can be a useful tool in your research since the boundaries could have changed over the years.

February 8

Look at the areas where your ancestors lived on a modern day map. Google maps are a good resource for this as you can see what the area looks like today. Don’t forget that some road names and house numbers could have changed over the years.

February 9

If you have English ancestors then check out the England Jurisdictions 1851 map at FamilySearch. You can narrow the search down to a town or parish. You can take the search further to see the different jurisdictions related to a parish. Then you can see if there are any church records available through the Family History Library.

February 10

Have you tried Ancestral Atlas? You can sign up for free and can upgrade to a subscription for £20.00. Users add family history events to the map. You can attach your family information to a place where it happened and decide to share it or keep it private. If you find a pin in an area of interest then click on it to see who else has added information. This covers the world and you never know what you may find.

February 11

If you have Irish ancestors then check out Ordnance Survey Ireland. You can browse their maps or look at a PDF version of Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary. There are two series of maps which date from 1837-1842 and 1888-1913. You can browse the maps online or you can purchase them.

February 12

You can find Irish County Maps at the London Ancestor website. They also have maps for London, England, Scotland and Wales.

February 13

Looking for maps of Scotland? Then check out The National Library of Scotland website. They have maps ranging from 1538 through to the modern day.

February 14

There is a Gazetteer for Scotland online and you can find details of towns and villages throughout Scotland.

February 15

If you have ancestors that are from Canada or some who passed through you can find some maps at The Atlas of Canada website. There is a link to historical maps.

February 16

The National Archives of England have a website called Labs where you will find links to the Valuation Office Map Finder and the Doomsday map which allows you to search for some of the places mentioned in the Doomsday book.

February 17

If you are looking for maps of the United States of America there is a site called Atlas of Historical County Boundaries that could be useful.

February 18

Another source for maps for the United States is the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library. They have a collection of maps that are available online.

February 19

A resource for world maps is The Map as History website.

February 20

Maps are a great resource to help you figure out the migration pattern of your ancestors. The New World Encyclopedia has a section on Human Migration that is interesting.

February 21

If you have connections to Australia the National Library of Australia has an online digitized map collection.

February 22

Those with New Zealand connections may want to check out the digitized map collection at Christchurch City Libraries.

February 23

Christchurch City Libraries also have an online collection of digitized maps from around the world.

February 24

For those who have a military ancestor and are interested in find out more about where they fought then a battlefield map would be the place to start. You can find a World War II Military Situation Map for Western Europe at the Library of Congress American Memory Project website.

February 25

Do you have an ANZAC in your family? Then check out the Mapping Gallipoli page on the Australian War Memorial website.

February 26

Firstworldwar.com has a collection of battlefield maps and others that cover all the countries affected by the First World War. It is a good site to find out more about the First World War.

February 27

To learn about reading maps you can read the about.com guide to map reading or download a PDF file of “Map Reading Guide: How to Use Topographical Maps.” I recommend downloading the PDF file as it is easy to understand and covers most points.

February 28

You can find a broad range of historic maps at the British Library website.

February 29

For more links check out Cyndi’s List “Maps & Geography.”

To get a new tip each day all you have to do is “Like” Blair Archival Research.

©2012 – Blair Archival Research All Rights Reserved

366 Days of Genealogy – January

Once a day on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page a new post is shared. There is a theme for each month and January’s was organization. You will get bonus posts relating to the theme but only on the Blair Archival Research Facebook page these will not be posted on the monthly blog review.

To get a new tip each day all you have to do is “Like” the Blair Archival Research page.

January 1

Start the year by updating your database. Add information that might be missing from the database but that is in your files.

January 2

Are you finding that your organizational method is not working for you? Check out the Family Roots Organizer to see if they can help.

January 3

Go through your family history files and see what is in there. When was the last time you did this? You never know what you may find. There might be a bit of information in there that is the key to something you have been researching.

January 4

Only have five minutes to spare today then check out FamilySearch. They have a webinar called “5 Minute Genealogy Episode 14: Organize Your Records.”

January 5

Do you have a pile of paper that needs to go into your family files or be scanned into your computer? Spend the day sorting it into piles that relate to your filing system of choice. This might be surnames, place names, or family groups.

January 6

Today let’s file those papers that you started to organize yesterday.

January 7

How is your filing system set up on your computer? Are you finding the files easily? Are there files you are not using or maybe some that are so full you can’t find anything? Take one of those files and organize them today.

January 8

Have you got loose photographs floating around in the albums? Then organize them in the album and don’t forget to label them.

January 9

Do you have a box of pictures that are of unknown souls? Pick one picture and spend the day trying to find out who it is.

January 10

If you weren’t able to find out much about your unknown family photograph see if Dead Fred can help.

January 11

Still having difficulty with that photograph then see what Cyndi’s List has to offer under Photographs & Memories.

January 12

Have you got those digital files backed up? Is a duplicate copy held off site? Spend today backing up your digital files and sending a copy to a family member for safe keeping.

January 13

Did you know that in a fire a wooden file cabinet has a better chance of preserving your family history than a metal one? The metal file cabinet absorbs the heat and while it may still be standing the paper inside is ash. A wooden one takes longer to burn so there is a better chance of the files surviving.

January 14

Are you using archival materials to preserve your family treasures? Spend today looking for a local supplier of archival material to preserve your items. Shop around for a price that suits your budget.

Some sources are: Genealogy Store and Global Genealogy.

January 15

While protecting your family treasures why not write a note to go with them so that your family knows where the item came from and the family to which it is connected.

January 16

Take a digital photograph of the family heirloom. Create a book of family treasures which includes the photograph and the history of the item. This could be a lovely gift to give family members.

January 17

We talked about organizing your family history database on January 1st now lets create your research plan for the coming year. Go through your database and see where the blanks are found. Write a list of the records you need to find and a list of where you might find them. Your family history program may have a section that will help you collect all this information in one place.

January 18

While you are going through your database to create your research plan make a note of the places where your source citations need improving.

January 19

Take the time today to improve the source citations in your database.

January 20

Do you have a long list of genealogy bookmarks? See if the categories need to be expanded upon or maybe you can consolidate them. The Tech Tips FamilySearch blog has a post about Diigo. Would this work for you?

January 21

While you are organizing your bookmarks don’t forget to click on each link to make sure it is still valid.

January 22

Sometimes when you save a link to your bookmarks the title is not very descriptive. Edit the titles on your bookmarks so that it makes it easier to find websites.

January 23

Do you have a library of books that relate to your family history research? Go through your library and check to see if the books are still in good condition. Is there a note or page corner turned down with something you were once going back to check? Make a note and add it to your research plan.

January 24

Have you got duplicate books? Donate them to a local library, genealogy society or historical society.

January 25

Are there books or other related items that are on your wish list? Create the list and take it with you to conferences.

January 26

Have you ever used Library Thing? Why not add your library to this online catalogue. If you are away and find a book but are not sure if you already have it you can check the catalogue at the nearest online computer. You can add 200 books for free or as many as you like for a year ($10) or life ($25).

January 27

Have you searched Google Books or Internet Archive to see if any of the books you are looking for are available for free digitally? You can create a catalogue in your bookmarks for books you have found online. You can also keep a written catalogue in a word processing program.

January 28

How many CDs and DVDs do you have in your library? How are they stored? You can store them in a container specifically for CDs. Do you know what is on them? If not then go in and see what they contain and create an index for the CDs in your library. If the CD is not of use then donate it. If it doesn’t work on your system anymore then destroy it.

January 29

Create a catalogue for your CDs and DVDs in a word processing program. You can add it to the same catalogue you created for your books or keep the two separate.

January 30

Do you know what is on all your thumb drives? Label each drive with a letter or number and then create an index in a word processing program. If there is nothing on the drive that is useful then clean the drive off and have it ready for your next research adventure.

January 31

Looking for more tips on organizing your family history? Check out Cyndi’s List Organizing Your Research.