surnames

  • Surnames for African-Americans – Former Slaves

    Sep 24

    Prior to the emancipation of the American slaves in 1863, those African-Americans held in bondage had usually just one or two given names. One given name the child's family selected and kept secret and one the child was known by given by the slave owner. If a surname was needed, the slave owner's family name might be used. Once the slaves were free...

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  • Ideas to Help Search Names

    Jun 6

    So you have hit the 'brick wall' in your family research. Here are a few suggestions to possibility spark some new and untried methods. First examine the family surname. If it is a rather common name, focus on family individuals who you found to have more unusual given names. Even if such a person is a 3rd great granduncle and not direct lineage, i...

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  • Ideas for Searching the Census

    Jan 13

    With the 1940 US Federal Census it has been fun trying to locate our family members and even family friends on that census from over 72 years ago. However, have you also been a bit frustrated when you can not locate a person? It has happened to all of us and not just on the 1940 census, but any from 1790 to 1930, there is bound to be one or more in...

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  • Finding Maiden Names

    Oct 26

    Unfortunately history and record keeping have not always been kind to the female population. There were times they were even considered 'second-class' citizens. That was not necessarily true in all ethnic or cultural groups, but in some. So it can pose a 'tall brick wall' to knock down locating the family name (surname) for a female ancestors. Y...

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  • Missed Someone in the US 1940 Census?

    Sep 17

    If you have a large database of ancestors, you can easily overlook a relative who might appear in the 1940 census. Since there is so much information on this newest census, you will want to check for every person. I found a second cousin I did not have on a list. It turns out he was a young man of 18 years old living with an aunt and uncle lear...

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  • Google Alerts and Reader

    Jan 30

    With so much digital information available these days we have to stay organized or we could miss out on some new and worthwhile information. The Google search engine offers Google Alerts, an efficient method of being reminded when a topic, a surname, an article, a keyword of interest becomes available on the Internet. Instead of you taking time onc...

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  • Getting the Most from the U. S. 1880 Federal Census

    Oct 5

    The 1880 U.S. Federal Census, under U.S. President was Rutherford B. Hayes, was the tenth enumeration of the United States population and represented more than a 30% growth in the country compared to the 1870 census. Many of our ancestors came from Europe, Canada, South America or Asia during the 1860s and 1870s, so it is understandable the nation�...

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  • Searching for Living Relatives

    Jul 1

    A family researcher spends a great deal of time looking for primary vital documents to learn about those relatives who have passed away.  However, one of the aspects of looking for those who have died, are also finding living relatives. By learning of a cousin or an aunt, previously unknown to the researcher and who could still be alive is just as...

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  • Your Ancestors Did What for a Living??

    Jun 13

    That can be the immediate response when someone learns your great grandfather was an ‘amanuensis’ or a ‘colporteur.’  There are numerous occupations our ancestors did that had some strange and unusual names.  Many of those jobs do not even exist anymore. The ‘amanuensis’ is what a secretary was referred to as a profession.  The te...

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  • Family History Research With Google Part One

    Oct 18

    Google as a search engine on the Internet has become an invaluable tool for family history researchers. This powerful search engine produces accurate and relevant search results, plus being particularly flexible. The key is the search keywords that are placed in the search box. You want the words that are most likely to appear on the web page yo...

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