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How to Search for Your Ancestors’ Other Children or Spouses: Genealogy Research Strategy
The records we find don’t always mention every child or spouse of an ancestor. Use this genealogy research strategy to find “missing relatives.”
In the recent Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast episode 133, I had the opportunity to chat with the wonderful Peggy Lauritzen, AG, about strategies for finding female ancestors. Peggy mentioned using “Parent Search” at FamilySearch.org to find dozens of previously-unknown children born to her ancestors. It’s a terrific strategy that you can start using right away.
Here’s a quick step-by-step tutorial for using “Parent Search” at FamilySearch.org. You can adapt this strategy for searching for additional spouses or other family members.
1. Go to FamilySearch.org and click Search, then Records. Or go directly to the main search page at https://familysearch.org/search/
2. In the main Search box, leave the name of the deceased ancestor blank.Scroll down to where it says “Search with a Relationship.” Click parents.
3. Enter the name of at least one parent.
4. Click “Search.”
Here’s what that search screen will look like:
It works just as slick in Ancestry. Here’s an example of searching only on the parent’s names:
And here are the results:
You can catch the entire conversation with Peggy Lauritzen, AG–including another great genealogy research strategy for finding female ancestors in records if you’re a Genealogy Gems Premium Member. Just click on the episode link above. Not a member yet? Don’t miss out on any more great search strategies like this! Click here to learn more Genealogy Gems Premium website membership’s one low annual fee–and the hundreds of hours of use-them-now tips and inspiring stories you’ll get during that year!
More Gems for Finding Your Missing Ancestors (and their Records)
6 Sources That May Name Your Ancestors’ Parents
The Case of the Missing Parents Continues: 2 Powerful Research Strategies
Got Old Northwest Territory Ancestors?
Those whose ancestors lived in the Old Northwest Territory of the U.S. are eligible to join a new lineage society.
The Ohio Genealogical Society, one of the largest state societies in the country, recently began accepting applicants for its new lineage society, Society of Families of the Old Northwest Territory. Here’s a quick Q & A with OGS president Margaret Cheney:
Q: Why did you create a Northwest Territory lineage society?
A:“The Northwest Territory was an important part of the history of the mid-western states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi River. [This lineage society allows] more people to honor those ancestors of British, French and Native American heritage who were in the Northwest Territory before states were formed. Many of those individuals created lasting legacies that should be recognized….This will be a unique society honoring the very earliest of residents in the Northwest Territory.
Q: Why should Ohio host it?
A: Ohio was the first state formed from the Northwest Territory in 1803. It seemed fitting that the Ohio Genealogical Society form this lineage society.
Q: Is this society open to those who aren’t members of the Ohio Genealogical Society?
A: Yes.
Q: Some people may think of lineage societies as elitist and perhaps outdated. What would you say to that?
A: All of our ancestors made a contribution to the growth of their communities whether it was at a local, state, or national level. We do our genealogical research to remember our ancestors and learn their stories in addition to knowing who our ancestors were. The lineage societies of the Ohio Genealogical Society encourage these stories to be told and preserved. To respond to the idea that lineage societies are outdated: the society roster will contain a crowd-sourced, richly-documented database of Northwest Territory residents and their descendants. That actually sounds pretty cutting-edge to me.
Q: What are the benefits of applying for a lineage society membership?
A: You are telling the story of your ancestors. You are preserving their history and contributions to the society and culture of their times. This is your lasting legacy to future generations. By having your application approved, it is saying you have done your research, you have documented your research, and you have sourced your research. There can be no question that your ancestors are yours. It is knowing that you did your research the right way. In addition, you are presented with a certificate for the lineage society you are joining along with a medal or pin. And, it is knowing that the past is secure for the future.
More Old Northwest Ohio Territory Gems
3 Sparkling Ohio Research Gems
A New Index to Milwaukee Journal Obituaries
Forts in New France and Michigan Death Records
5 Dutch Genealogy Tips: Family History in the Netherlands
A Dutch genealogy researcher writes in with tips and encouragement for finding your family history in The Netherlands.
Niek in Arnhem, The Netherlands recently wrote in with 5 excellent and enthusiastic tips for exploring your Dutch family history. Here’s what he had to say about the civil registry, surnames, church records, land records and royal lineages:
“About three years ago my father got diagnosed with skin cancer and to help him get his mind of things I opened up an account on MyHeritage for us, so we could start working on our family tree together. Maybe I have some tips that could be of some value for your listeners with roots in The Netherlands:
1. Civil registry. In 1811, the civil registry was introduced by the French, who ruled the country. This meant that municipalities were obliged to keep the records (marriage, death and birth) of their citizens. That system hasn’t changed much since 1811 and most of the information can be found online on websites like www.wiewaswie.nl and www.geneaknowhow.net (the latter has some English translations as well). It’s very easy to find your Dutch ancestors [back] to 1811. For example, I know the names and most of the date of births and deaths of 60 of my 64 four-times great-grandfather who lived during the introduction of the civil registry.
For me, the most exciting thing about these post-1811 documents is that they were often signed by the father of the newborn or by the bride and groom. To see the 200 year-old signature of your ancestor can really send shivers down the spine! [Click here to read more about Dutch civil registration on the FamilySearch wiki.]
2. Surnames. The introduction of the civil registry also meant that citizens had to have a last name. Up to then last names were used, but not mandatory. It could be that last names would change after a generation. For example, my last name, Lucassen means Son of Lucas, my oldest paternal ancestor I could find was named Lucas Jans, which means Lucas, son of Jan. And his son was called Jan Lucassen, and this last name was passed down the generations (although some of his children had Janssen, son of Jan, as a last name).
3. Catholic church records. I am from the province of Brabant, which was a Catholic province. Before 1811, records were kept by the church. The Catholic church was particularly skilled at keeping records and information. Although they unfortunately don’t have dates of birth and dates of death, they used to register the dates of baptism and burial. (A baptism date isn’t the same as a a date of birth, although, in the civil registry marriage certificates, the date of birth is the same as the date of baptism.) [Click here for a FamilySearch wiki article on Dutch church records.]
4. Land records. Apart from the church the municipalities kept records of sales of land and property, which is a great way to find out more about the family relations of your ancestors, and about the houses they may have owned. For many parts of the country, these records can easily go back to the 17th century. [This FamilySearch wiki article tells you more about Dutch land and property records.]
5. Royal lineages. If you’re lucky you’re able to connect one of the branches of your family tree to nobility, as many parts of The Netherlands and the rest of Europe were ruled by knights and viscounts. If this is the case in your family, you can easily climb up in your family tree for several centuries because the family relationships of nobility is very well documented and an important part of their heritage (like the story you told about your visit to Windsor Castle) because of the possession of land over which they ruled. Sometimes you do hit a dead-end when a parent of one of your ancestors isn’t known, or isn’t known for certain. But some of the lines travel back really, really far! [Click here for a FamilySearch Wiki article with more on researching noble lines.]
More Dutch Genealogy Gems
“Exercise Field Artillery Corps” album, image AKL092038, Netherlands Institute of Military History uploads at Flickr Creative Commons, https://www.flickr.com/photos/nimhimages/16026248719/.
Dutch Reformed Church Records (U.S.) on Ancestry.com
Europeana Digital Archive: World War I Collection
Netherlands Military Institute of History has Flickr Photostream
