Family History and Genealogy

Everyone has a story to tell, your ancestors included. But if you're one of the millions of Americans who want to know those stories, you’ll need to connect with your inner genealogist. When my brother decided to wade through centuries of the p...

Genealogy and family history have become hot topics for many families thanks to affordable and easy ways to test your DNA. These tests allow us to do everything from discovering how prone we are to like a certain ice cream flavor to learning impo...

Use this family tree form to keep genealogical information organized. ...

As parents, we want our children to have it all. We bend over backwards researching the best of everything, feeding them healthy foods, shuttling them to activities; yet for many of us, we stop short of truly providing our kids with it all as we ...

When you decide to try for a new baby, consider doing a bit of research into your family history. Why? You will want to know whether your future child is disposed to any illnesses or genetic abnormalities, so you can best prepare.  More: Should...

It was 9:02 am on September 11, 2001, when I watched United Airlines 175, the second plane, fly into the World Trade Center’s south tower. The scenes from the flames, flying debris, and desperate jumpers are indescribable. My first thoughts soa...

Pedigree or Family Tree Charts The family tree form you begin with is a pedigree chart, an ascendant chart. On it you start with yourself and work back in time, generation by generation, filling in your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents,...

Looking at old baby books may be a good place to learn more about your family and its history.  Many people seek to learn more about their family history. Some wish to preserve this information for future generations, while others may want to r...

Archive It! 5 Key Questions & Tips to Preserve Your Family History Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of managing your old family photos, VHS tapes, slides, and film reels? You're not alone. Less than 5 percent of American families have scann...

Exploring History: My Life Timeline Activity One of the hardest things for a child to grasp about history is that at some time or another, all those historical events were the present. Not to mention that at the time, people probably didn't kno...

Genealogy: Recording Names and Places If someone is known by more than one name, put the alternate name or names in parentheses after the surname, preceded by “a.k.a.” (also known as). As an example, John Smith (a.k.a. John Taylor). This sit...

Are you curious about your ancestors? Exploring your family history can take some work, but with a little digging, you can uncover a goldmine of information. Try these tips to help uncover information and interesting facts about your family tree....

Who Do You Think You Are? For many, the first instinct is to jump on the computer, but if you can discipline yourself to do a little offline sleuthing beforehand, you'll ultimately go a lot further a lot faster. Investigate the clues you've prob...

Get Hooked on Your Family History We recently spoke with Megan Smolenyak, the author of the book Who Do You Think You Are?, the companion to the NBC television series by the same name. A sixth-grade family history project hooked Megan Smolenyak i...

Family Artifacts and GenealogyRemember those old trunks and boxes you saw when playing around the attic and basement as a child? When you asked, Mom said they were just “family things.” Ask Mom to go through the attic with you. Make sure you...

What's in a name? Find out by taking our trivia quiz. Learn all about the art of the alias, the history of a handle, and the making of a moniker. ...

How has the family unit changed in the past 100 years? Take our quiz and find out! ...

Genealogy Activities for Thanksgiving Giving Thanks for the Family Tree When the extended family comes together for the Thanksgiving holiday, it's the perfect opportunity to help your kids begin some genealogy research. Children love to hear abo...