Census Records, a Genealogical Gold Mine (Part 1)

Census records are wonderful finding tools and provide research building blocks, allowing one to confirm information and learn much more. They also help the family historian find the place where an ancestor lived.

Federal Population Census Schedules are one of the most frequently used data sources for genealogists researching their U…

Surname Indexes: A Genealogist’s Best Friend (Part 2)

This is the second and final installment of a series about surname indexes.

It may take time, imagination and concentration to find your family in an index. Have patience, be creative and don’t give up too soon. Never conclude that an ancestor’s record did not exist simply because his name does not appear in index.

Sometimes records don’t ma…