There is no danger of anyone in the family tree having their identity revealed however, as Erlich and his team will conceal the identities of those involved. Unfortunately that means you won’t know if you and your family line are among those included, but if you have ever participated in genetic research, and that includes having had a DNA test to trace your ancestry, there is a good chance that you are.

Fortunately all of that information will be put to good use, even providing valuable information on population expansion and demographics. The best part of course if that the data may one day be able to provide important medical information.

Digging Deep

Your pedigree can provide valuable clues about your genetic inheritance. The farther down your family line your DNA is compared to that of one of your ancestors, the more accurately scientists can determine just how deeply rooted in your DNA your genetic traits are based. They can even determine whether those traits are dictated by a few genes that are extremely influential, or by many smaller genes that have a minor influence.

Because it would take decades to assemble so much data from so many individuals, Erlich and his team “borrowed” the data from over forty million profiles on the Geni.com website. All of the information they gathered was in individual profiles, and included birth and death dates, event locations, and even the occasional photograph. That data was then formed into family trees, some only containing a few thousand individuals, the largest thirteen million.

The exact use of all of this genetic and genealogical information has not yet been determined, though it is enthusiastically supported by members of the scientific community. The marriage of genealogy and genetics is still in the infant stage, but as more and more people become willing to share their genealogical data and their DNA, the possibilities are tremendous!

You will have the clearest notes if you follow a particular method of writing down the information. There are a number of ways you can do this, but the most effective methods for genealogists are transcripts, extracts, and abstracts. Those words may intimidate a beginner, but they are really not as complicated as they sound.

• Transcripts are simply word for word copies of the information in an original document. Everything is copied exactly how it appears, including punctuation and abbreviations. Keep in mind that if the document you are transcribing is itself a transcription, it may contain errors. This is largely due to human error such as misspellings or miscopying dates. It is thus important to verify any information you find in transcriptions with other sources. If you want to add comments or your own notes to a transcription, you can either use an asterisk (*) at the beginning of the paragraph or sentence you wish to comment on and place it at the bottom of your transcription, or you can use brackets ( ) to include your comments at the end of the text you are commenting on. If using an asterisk to comment on more than one item, add another asterisk for each point, i.e. * first topic, ** second topic, *** third topic, and so on.
• Abstracts are summaries taken from the essential details in the document or record. They generally include names, dates, location names, and life events such as birth, death or marriage. Non-essential words are left out, and only the important details recorded. Again, copy the data exactly as it appears in the original document.
• Extracts are similar to abstracts in that they only include the vital details of a document. Rather than summarizing however, the section of the document you are recording is written exactly as it appears in the original. It is essentially a word-for-word copy of particular sections of a document. Generally extracts are included along with or as part of an abstract to highlight vital elements of a document.

You will most likely use all three methods in your note taking over the course of your research. It often helps to make full transcriptions of documents such as land deeds and wills though, as often they contain clues that may lead you to other records down the road. Transcriptions and abstracts are especially useful when you are not able to make a copy of the original, but make sure you copy them carefully and accurately. Erroneous transcriptions have often, and still are, a source of frustration for many genealogists.

• Other relatives
• Where they worked
• Where they went to school
• Where they lived
• Where they may have immigrated from or to
• Clubs and Organizations they may have been members of
• Friends who may be able to provide additional information about them
• Religious affiliation
• Military service

Obituaries are found in newspapers, so you need to investigate every likely newspaper. Many cities boast more than one newspaper, and an obituary for someone could appear in an obituary for a neighbouring town or city as well. When you search for an obituary, you should include the name of the city where the individual died and any locations where they may have lived during the course of their life.

Often relatives will publish an obituary in a former place of residence so that old friends and relatives there may know of their passing. Some obituaries may have more information than others, so be sure to check them all. Keep your search to within a week or two of the death date, sometimes obituaries are delayed a bit before they are published, sometimes they are published within a day or two of the person’s death. Don’t get obituaries mixed up with death notices which only mentioned that the person is deceased, and contain very little info. If you come across a death notice, check the paper a couple of days later for the full obituary.

Modern obituaries are generally more detailed than those from the past, and are also easier to find online. If you are searching older obituaries, you may have to request a copy from the newspaper that published it. Keep in mind though, that it may well be worth the effort, as some obituaries contain a gold mine of genealogical data that could keep you going for months, even years in your genealogical research.

Be prepared to read between the lines in obituaries. Keep in mind that they are secondary sources of information normally provided by surviving family members. Those persons are not always close relatives, and may unwittingly provide wrong or inaccurate information. The greatest value of obituaries is that they can point you towards primary sources, and any information found within them should be verified by such.

If you wish to begin your research, we provide access to a nationwide database of Newspaper Obituaries that you can search by state. Keep in mind the points and strategies we’ve mentioned, and you’ll be finding your ancestors in no time!

You might wonder why you should care when your great-grandfather died, when what you really want to know is who your great-great grandparents were. Well, death records can provide exactly the information you are looking for, as your great-grandfather’s death certificate may reveal the maiden name of your great-great grandmother. That particular information may not be known by living relatives, so finding it is a genealogical coup! Death records also include funeral home records, obituaries, and tombstone inscriptions, and none of these sources should be overlooked when tracing an ancestor.

Obituaries often mention a number of relatives, and can include cousins, aunts, uncles, step-children or step-parents, foster children and parents and much more. They may reveal relatives that you didn’t know existed, and can mention friends who may be able to tell you more about your relative. Tombstone inscriptions can lead you to organizations or clubs they may have been a member of such as Sons of the American Revolution, who may be able to provide you with military records. Funeral home records often record the exact date, time, and location of death.

As I mentioned, death records are also one of the most easily accessible records for genealogists. Because the individual is dead, there is not so much concern over privacy as there might be with other documentation. All of this is not to say that you should begin a search with death records, only that they are an excellent starting point if you have no other documents or records concerning your ancestor. You can just as easily begin with a marriage certificate or census report. Once you have gathered as much information from your own home and your living relatives however, it generally makes sense to make death records the next place you go to to continue your genealogical quest.

If you’re unsure of where to look for death records, the Social Security Death Index is a good place to begin. It is compiled by the United States Social Security Administration, and contains vital data on approximately 90 million individuals. If you are searching an individual from the United Kingdom or whose death record is there, the UK National Archives, or the UKBMD (United Kingdom Birth, Deaths, and Marriages) websites are good places to begin. In Canada, Library and Archives Canada can help you.

1. Decide What You Want to Find Out First - Once you have gathered some basic family data; review it to determine what you already know and what you need to find out. Once that is sorted, pick a particular fact that you want to uncover and begin researching it.
2. Identify a Possible Source of the Information You Seek – Different genealogical records reveal particular information about relatives. If you are seeking a birth date, search for birth certificates, if it’s the name of the children of an individual, try census records.
3. Locate the Record or Source – Once you decide on the type of record or other source you need, find out where and how it can be found. Can you search it online, or do you need to visit an archive or library? Once you locate the record or database, search for your ancestor within it.
4. Record What You Find or Don’t Find – It’s as important to record what you don’t find as what you do. If you do find important information, make a copy of it if possible, if not write the information down yourself in a notebook. If it’s a photo you find, try to print or download a copy. If you don’t find any info on your relative, take note of that as well so you don’t forget to pursue that information in the future.
5. Assess Your Position – If you found the information you were looking for, continue onto the next step. If not, go back to step 2 and try to find another possible source of it. You may need to go back and forth between these two steps a few times, as you don’t always uncover information on the first attempt.
6. Analyze the Information You Found – Did the information you found match the facts you already have about your ancestor? Is the record a primary source that can be validated, or is it a secondary source that needs to be verified. Asking such questions will help you to determine what you need to do next.
7. Organize, Organize, Organize – It is critical that you record everything you find in a manner that you can easily refer to later. If you don’t keep track of your data in an organized manner, you will become confused and frustrated later in your research. If you need help with organization, have a look through our Free Genealogy Forms, there is one for every stage of research, and they are completely free and easy to download.

These are basic research steps that even professional genealogists use. Following this basic format throughout your research will ensure you maximize your chances of a successful ancestors search. Happy Ancestor Hunting!

Of course there is the drawback that the majority are written in French. I of course had the benefit of being able to consult with “mon ami”, but with the help of a good French genealogy word list and online translation tools such as Google Translate, you should be able to find your way through French records. Many departmental archives in France have had their civil, parish and census records digitized and made available online for free. The Archives of France maintains a complete and current listing of records that are available online and the departments that manage them. The page is in French, but if you use Google Chrome’s automatically translate option, you can clearly see what sort of resources are available.

Defining your Search Strategy

Before you even begin searching for French genealogical records, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the country’s geopolitical divisions. Rather than counties, France is divided into régions which are similar to states. Within those “states” you’ll find further division into départments, which are the equivalent of counties. Notice that the French spellings are identical to the English regions and departments. You’ll be able to understand quite a few French words due to their similarity to English ones. Once you move below department level however, you’ll encounter what are known as les mairies which is a collective name for the towns, villages and cities found within the départments.

You’ll generally find archives at the departmental level in France, while local records are held by les mairies. Each department in France is assigned a number, so in order to access appropriate records; you’ll need both the number and the name of the department where those records are kept. A good place to begin your research of French records is on one of the genealogy communities for publishing and sharing family trees. You’ll be able to find a group that focuses on French ancestry, and there avail yourself of the help of other genealogists, and the resources that most of the sites provide. A quick way to connect with such a group is to do as search of your surname. This will provide you with a selection of groups or individuals who are researching your surname, some of whom may be relatives.

French Civil Registration Records

France boasts an excellent system of civil registration records that date back to1792. Before that time, civil registrations were recorded by the Catholic Church and information regarding baptisms, marriages and funerals can be found in those records. These early parish registers date back to 1334, though the majority date from the mid seventeenth century. Both the civil and parish records are constantly being transcribed, digitized and made available online at a rapid rate, mostly on the websites of the departmental archives.

French Census Reports

The French began taking Census Reports in 1836, and these are also excellent records for tracing your French Ancestors. The major drawback of the French census records is that they are not indexed, and so it can be difficult to locate your relatives in the larger cities. The key in such cases is to exercise patience and persevere. A well thought out and executed process of elimination will surely reveal your ancestor. Occasionally you can find digitized images of French census records on the departmental website; they will be indexed as recensements du population.

Once you locate you ancestor in the census or other genealogical records you’ll want to record that information in a clear, concise way before entering it into your family tree. We have designed some Free Downloadable Genealogy Forms for such occasions, and encourage you to download one now before you begin your research. This way you can enter the information directly into your census form, saving you valuable time, and making it easier to store in your family group record. Remember to verify all the information you find before entering into your family tree, and double check spellings and accuracies of dates as well. This way you’ll ensure that your French family is both interesting and accurate.

Hanging your family tree on the wall turns it into a piece of art — perhaps the most personal art that could adorn a home.

As such, you probably want to treat that tree just as you’d treat an expensive print or painting, by matting and framing it with care and precision. Framing a piece provides protection from the environment, and matting it provides protection from the frame — especially in humid climates, the framed piece can adhere to the glass, causing permanent damage. A mat provides separation, preventing that damage.

Choosing a frame is usually a straight-forward process — matching it to your décor is often as simple as just looking at your furniture for reference. On the other hand, the creative reasons for choosing a mat are not always as conveniently obvious.

When picking a mat for a family tree, your primary goal is to help maintain color continuity and coordination in the room. Effectively, it transitions the color of the tree to the color of the wall.

How much “transition” is needed is an aesthetic decision regulated primarily by your taste and by the circumstances of the space and the piece you’re working with. For example, if your family tree’s appearance and color already coordinate well with the rest of your décor, you might choose to use a mat that is simply white, or that matches or complements the wall. However, if your family tree’s appearance does not match the surrounds, you probably will want to choose a mat color that complements both the décor and the tree, thereby visually drawing the two together.

Some other points to consider:

The color of the mat should be different than the color of the frame, which should be different than the color of the wall. Contrast is good. Think of the mat as part of the art — you want the frame to showcase both.

If your wall is significantly lighter than your family tree or vice versa, then you probably want a mat that splits the difference. For example, if your tree is dense and therefore, as a whole, gives a dark appearance, and you’re hanging it on a white wall, you probably want to use a medium-gray mat.

Core Color

One part of choosing a mat that many people overlook is the color of the core. The core is the inside of the board, which is exposed when the hole is cut. It becomes the element of the mat that lies directly adjacent to the print, so its appearance is important and can be used creatively.

Most cores are either the same color as the mat surface, or they’re white. But many other options are also available. For instance, you can use a blue mat with a white core, or a white mat with a black core, and so on. Choosing a high-contrast combination can create a stunning visual effect. Just be careful that the core color does not introduce a new aesthetic element to the décor. For example, if your décor is dim and understated, then using a dark mat with a bright white core could have a distracting appearance.

The Standards

Just because you have creative options does not mean you need to get fancy with them. When it comes to matting, choosing white and off-white is common for a reason: It works. Remember, a mat provides an area of neutral space between the image and the frame and the décor. White does this well because it coordinates with everything.

In fact, if your family tree is all black on a white background, a perfect mat combination could be white with a black core (a favorite choice among photographers and collectors who exhibit black-and-white images). Not only does the combination provide neutral space and a sharp outline for your family tree, but it also fits in the color scheme of just about any room.

On the other hand, if you have no black or dark gray in your tree, you will probably want to avoid black mats and cores, as then they would detract from — rather than complement —your showpiece.

Work with an Expert

If you have any doubts about choosing a mat, bring your family tree to a local framer and ask his or her opinion. If you can, bring a paint swatch or a photo of the room. Professional framers tend to be excellent judges of matching frames, mats and décor.

Working with a professional will also give you the option of having a frame custom-made for your family tree. Custom frames are generally stronger, provide a tighter seal, and can be cut to the exact proportion of the piece you’re framing.

If you prefer to use a store-bought frame, that’s fine. Plenty of quality frames are available. Then, using a mat will help you fit your family tree into the predetermined sizes of a mass-market frame. Just bring whatever you choose to your framer, who will be happy to make a coordinated mat.

The collection includes:

• Griffith’s Valuation – A collection of over two and a half million property records from Ireland covering the period 1847 – 1864.
• The Tithe Applotment Books – Contains over 600,000 records of land holders who paid a tax in the form of a tithe to the Church of Ireland (regardless of religious affiliation) between 1824 and 1837. Details of property acreage, names of tenants and land owners, and the amount of their tithe are included.
• Ordnance Survey Maps – The very first maps detailing Ireland during the peak of the Great Famine from 1824 – 1846.
• The Lawrence Collection – Contains twenty thousand images and photos from the albums of William Lawrence and cover the entire country from east too west and north to south.

The collection which can be viewed at Ancestry.com is comprehensive and cross-referenced so that subject matter such as photographs and other records can be viewed in relation to specific names. Some of the data regarding famous personalities that can be viewed is:

• John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy rented a home in County Wexford.
• President Obama’s great-grandfather Fulmuth Donavan was living in Tipperary in 1829.
• Conan O’Brien’s great-grandfather Daniel O’Brien had both a residence and a business in County Limerick.
• The great-grandfather of Walt Disney – Arundel Disney – had several residences in Kilkenny and Rathbeagh in County Kilkenny and Clone in County Tipperary.

These records are especially useful to genealogist searching their Irish ancestry as they may provide the earliest records of their ancestors which can be used to trace forward to establish current connections. Nearly 100 million people around the world claim Irish ancestry, and this collection is a valuable resource for those doing so. Why not read some of our informative articles on tracing your Irish ancestry in our section for Searching Ancestors to get started in tracing your own Irish ancestors.

For those of you that may have missed the previous posts, we’ve previous discussed the types of paper that should be used for a high quality family tree chart along with the type of ink that will not fade over a period of time. If this project is important to you, I’d give those posts a quick read as well.

The 5 Main Reasons for Picking a High Quality Matting

- A nice matting enhances the appearance of your family tree to make it look like a high quality piece of art.

- Properly chosen matting can actually draw the person’s eyes towards the artwork and highlight the family tree itself.

- A high quality mat lets you add your own “flavour” to tree chart art piece.  This personalizes the piece even more.

- High quality matting is much more resilient to the earth’s elements and won’t degrade as much over a period of time.

- The average height of a typical high quality matting is around 1/16th of an inch tick; the height of the matting actually helps to separate your art piece from the glass that will cover it.  Over time, art pieces that come in contact with the glass tend to stick together. This would ruin your family tree template.

Two Types of Mat Material

Generally speaking, just like with paper, there are two types of mat material; acidic and acid-free.  It’s absolutely imperative that you demand that your framer/printing service uses an acid-free paper and acid-free matting.  As previously mentioned in my paper selection post, lingin-free paper is far more robust and not as susceptible to the elements of humidity and UV light.  I personally believe that another advantage to acid-free matting is that if your family in future decides to change the matting, you’re almost guaranteed that the piece can be disassembled without any pieces sticking together avoiding damage to your tree template.

Acid-Free Mat Boards

Depending on who you speak to, you’re probably going to get a lot of opinions about the type of matting that you should use for your family tree.  Let me give you my personal opinion; if the family tree is important to you, (which it should be if you’re going through the exercise of framing it) spend the extra money and purchase a museum board quality mat.  What’s the point of framing a family tree if it doesn’t endure the test of time?  I equate a long lasting framed family tree to a strong family with a rich heritage.  If you’re reading this post, I think you understand that sentiment.  Here are the different acid-free choices available:

Museum Board

As mentioned before, spending the extra money on a museum board quality mat is an excellent investment in your family tree chart.   Museum board is made of 100% cotton fiber; I previously blogged about the huge advantages of using a high quality cotton fiber paper. You’re guaranteeing that your piece will look great for literally hundreds of years into the future.  Sounds crazy doesn’t it?

Wouldn’t it be neat to have a high quality family tree chart from your descendants in the 1600′s?  If the technology existed at the time and they were willing to spend the money on a museum board mat, your current family would still be enjoying the quality of your descendant’s framed family tree.  I don’t know about you, but I find it exciting to know that at the end of this series of posts on this subject, you’ll actually be able to create a high quality framed family tree that will last hundreds of years.

Museum Mat

This is also a good choice and this quality of board is recommended for high quality protection of your tree chart.  Many museums and libraries use this sort of quality matting to preserve the look of their valuable art pieces.  Museum matting is usually constructed of cotton liners and a cellulose (wood pulp) insert/middle.  Cellulose tends to be cheaper than the material used in museum board but in my opinion, it’s not worth taking a step down to this level because a museum board isn’t that much more expensive.  Why chance it?

Archival Mat Board

Once again, this is a pretty good choice but the board is constructed of 100% pure cellulose.  The cellulose is usually treated with UV resistant treatment to allow the mat to look great for many years.  Personally I’m not a fan of this sort of board because if there is any error with regards to the treatment of the board, the mat board will damage your family tree chart.  Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the risk considering the pricing of higher quality matting choices.

Acid-Free Lined Board

This acid-free material is usually internally lined with a wood based liner.  That liner usually has been treated to prevent it from breaking down due to the elements.  I would strongly recommend that you avoid using this sort of matting; the internet is littered with forum posts of individuals that have used this sort of matting only to find out much later that the matting actually damaged their art pieces. It’s not worth the risk especially when you consider the value of your family’s legacy.

This is a Living Memorial of Your Ancestors to your Descendants, Do it Right the First Time

Call around and ask potential printers or framers if they’re familiar with these products.  Ask lots of questions on the phone or e-mail before you spend valuable time visiting any printing service in person.  It’s been my experience that most good framers and printing services are more than happy to answer any of your questions regarding the type of choices available for your art piece.  If they’re not willing to answer your questions properly; move on. There’s  lots of choices out there so you don’t have to settle.  And if you look around and speak to people in your neighbourhood, you should be able to find or be referred to a high quality framer and printing service.

Remember that if you choose the wrong quality, the printer will probably be long gone once the damage is realized.  If they’re still around, they may not be willing to compensate you for the damage.  So your loved ones will be left with a damaged family tree chart that can’t be salvaged.  The lesson here is to preserve your family’s legacy by choosing the best materials.

Look for my next post which will address how to choose the proper mat colour for your family tree template.

If you have any suggestions or experiences that you would like to contribute with regards to this project, please share and comment below.

Getting back to my analogy of building a house.  Now that you’ve got a good foundation by choosing the best paper for the job, you need to start building the part of the house that defines the space and protects the contents.  The walls.  The walls of your house protect you just like the ink for your family tree protects your research and family history from fading.  And just like the walls of your house, you need the ink to stand up to the elements. The ink is the part of your family tree that people will be looking at all the time.  You don’t want the ink to run or fade.    Pick the right ink and your family tree will last for generations.

Make Sure You Choose UV Resistant Ink

Ink is an often overlooked but important component of any quality art piece.  In researching this post, I discovered that the technicalities of UV resistant ink and UV resistant laminates can be quite a detailed subject.  So I’m not going to go into a long discussion explaining how ink is made and what materials are used to make a UV resistant laminate.  The most important issue that you need to concern yourself with is that the ink is UV resistant.

A great printed family tree is an art piece that should be enjoyed for many years to come.  To protect your investment, it’s absolutely imperative that you advise your printing service that the image must be printed with a UV resistant ink.  As the name implies, UV resistant ink is designed to combat the UV elements that so often break down inferior printed items.

Reduce Fading with UV Resistant Ink

Now some of you might be thinking that you could save a little money on the cost of UV resistant ink and just hang your family tree in a room with no windows.  But that is not going to save your ink from fading.  Without UV protection, any light will destroy the ink, making it fade and over time, unreadable.  Lightbulbs, sunlight and any other source of light in the room will cause the ink to fade.  It is truly essential to choose UV resistant ink.

UV Protectant Sealant

To further protect your investment, it would be a great idea to have your printing service apply a matt UV protectant sealant to your family tree piece.  This protectant will act as a further defence against the sun’s harmful rays, and other sources of light.  Most printing services will have a choice of UV sealants and they will be available in various finishes such as semi-matt, matt and so on.  My suggestion would be to go with a matt finish because it will make the ink easier to read and will cut down on glare.  You want your family tree to look good and to invite people to read it, so a matt finish will ensure that it will be protected and easy to read.

Coming up soon, A Surefire Way to Choose the Right Matting