Basic Skills
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Centimorgans and Segments
In my post DNA in a Nutshell I mentioned that centimorgans (cM) are a unit of measurement used to measure the amount of DNA you have. The more centimorgans you share with someone, the closer you are related to them. For example, you share around 3500cM with your parents, but only around 880cM with your great-grandparents.…
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Genealogy Abbreviations and Terms for Beginners
This post is not intended to be comprehensive, but as a starting point for people just getting into genealogy. If you want a more comprehensive list of abbreviations and terms, I highly recommend checking out this page on Rootsweb for genealogy terms and this page on DNA Geek for genetic genealogy terms. 1C1R – first…
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Book Review: Organize Your Genealogy
I watched Thomas McEntee’s webinar “Genealogy Pit Stop: Research in 15 Minute Increments” and (spoiler alert) the secret to doing genealogy in 15 minute increments is to be extremely organized. Since then, I have been trying to figure out the best way to get organized. I decided to read “Organize Your Genealogy” by Drew Smith…
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Sources, Evidence and Proof
I’ve been reading the Genealogy Standards (1) put out by the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and I’ve come upon an analogy that I think will help people understand the differences between the terms Sources, Evidence and Proof. While one could easily check the dictionary definition for these words they are technical terms that come…
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Tips For Using Facebook
This post is not strictly about genealogy, but will definitely be helpful for those following genealogy groups on Facebook. My personal favourites are Genetic Genealogy Tips and Tricks and The Genealogy Squad, but I also follow a number of groups for the geographical and cultural areas of my genealogical research. There are a lot of…
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Canadian Naturalization Records
Did you know that up until January 1, 1947, everyone who was born in Canada was considered a British subject? The history of naturalization in Canada begins in 1868, one year after Canada becomes a country. Despite no longer being a colony, one did not naturalize to become a citizen of Canada but to become…
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Making Photo Requests of Cemetery Monuments
It’s that time of year! Time for genealogists to uncramp themselves from their hunched over postions at their computers and go enjoy the beautiful weather. Doesn’t mean you have to stop your genealogy work, though. You can enjoy the great outdoors by going for a walk in a cemetery! Maybe it’s just me, since I…
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Cite Your Sources
I just joined a new Facebook group called The Genealogy Squad whose focus is non-DNA related genealogy questions (as opposed to Genetic Genealogy Tips and Techniques, which is only DNA related). Someone posted something which spurred an interesting question about citations, plagiarism, copyright and terms of service. These are really important questions to ask even…
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Did Your Ancestors Survive The Halifax Explosion?
On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax harbour. Unfortunately, one of those ships was carrying TNT and exploded. The explosion was the worst man-made disaster in the history of the world, only eclipsed by the dropping of atomic bombs decades later. Almost 2000 people died, and around 9000 were injured. If you’re researching…
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1940 National Registration File
Are you researching someone who lived in Canada and was 16 years or older in 1940? If so, you need to know about the 1940 Registration File. This record provides all kinds of information about a person in 1940. You can learn about their job, jobs they are qualified to do, dependents and health. Click…
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