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Tracing English Immigrants From Abroad: Difference between revisions
Tracing English Immigrants From Abroad (view source)
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Likewise, you should thoroughly seek to locate compiled sources on your ancestral lines. By doing your due diligence in locating and searching compiled sources you will come to know where you are on the ‘research map’ so that you'll know where you want to go. In other words, you will know a more precise place to start conducting original research in the actual vital and other records of a specific locale. | Likewise, you should thoroughly seek to locate compiled sources on your ancestral lines. By doing your due diligence in locating and searching compiled sources you will come to know where you are on the ‘research map’ so that you'll know where you want to go. In other words, you will know a more precise place to start conducting original research in the actual vital and other records of a specific locale. | ||
A word of “caution” for using compiled sources to assist in helping you build your family pedigree: Compiled sources are notorious for containing mistakes, omissions, in-complete data, half-truths or prejudicial nuances in the information cited! Always take the information and consider it wisely and objectively and then weigh it against bed-rock documentary,and when available,statutory (certified) records such as a birth certificate. (For an extensive list of compiled sources to search, see the Appendix.) | A word of “caution” for using compiled sources to assist in helping you build your family pedigree: Compiled sources are notorious for containing mistakes, omissions, in-complete data, half-truths or prejudicial nuances in the information cited! Always take the information and consider it wisely and objectively and then weigh it against bed-rock documentary,and when available, statutory (certified) records such as a birth certificate. (For an extensive list of compiled sources to search, see the Appendix.) | ||
Compiled family history sources include published or manuscript family histories, family pedigrees, local and community histories (especially in U.S.),and donated family research files,biographies and autobiographies. Online archival and (research) library catalogs and inventories grant researchers convenience in determining availability of these local history sources in their collections. Some of these institutions also have additional databases available online for free searches. These institutions and societies may include: | Compiled family history sources include published or manuscript family histories, family pedigrees, local and community histories (especially in U.S.), and donated family research files, biographies and autobiographies. Online archival and (research) library catalogs and inventories grant researchers convenience in determining availability of these local history sources in their collections. Some of these institutions also have additional databases available online for free searches. These institutions and societies may include: | ||
* Local - city/township/county archives | |||
* State archives | |||
* National archives | |||
* State historical societies | |||
* County historical societies | |||
* Research libraries, i.e. Newberry Library (Chicago, IL), Allen Co. IN Public Library, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Society of Genealogists, London, Genealogical Research Library, Bampton, Ontario, Society Genealogists in both Australia & New Zealand | |||
* Library of Congress, Washington DC, | |||
* National Libraries, i.e. New Zealand, Australia & Canada | |||
* British Library, London | |||
* City [public] libraries with genealogical sections: ie. Houston, or Dallas TX public libraries, Birmingham, Manchester Central Libraries | |||
* Academic libraries: major university & college libraries have archival sections | |||
* Societies: Archaeological, local history societies or local studies reading rooms | |||
* Googling the Internet for websites: by 1) family surname, 2) place-name—both city and/or county names and 3) “genealogy” (or “family history” in quotation marks)<br> | |||
Learning what critical databases and/or indexes are available allows you to more quickly find helpful details of your ancestor. Then you can gain access, via in-house staff or a record agent/searcher; or, through the services of a local volunteer to provide you with the critical search or lookup services. Contact the local archives or repository/library via e-mail for their fees, or for a list of searchers to get the lookup service you want. Here are some helpful websites for finding local volunteers to do a free “lookup” service: | Learning what critical databases and/or indexes are available allows you to more quickly find helpful details of your ancestor. Then you can gain access, via in-house staff or a record agent/searcher; or, through the services of a local volunteer to provide you with the critical search or lookup services. Contact the local archives or repository/library via e-mail for their fees, or for a list of searchers to get the lookup service you want. Here are some helpful websites for finding local volunteers to do a free “lookup” service: | ||
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Example of an Uncommon Surname - Example 1: Let’s say that Florence Beatrice Bradsell Dunn, came to the United States in the year 1946 but all that’s known is that she was born in “London" but it’s not known precisely where in London. Let’s also suppose you’ve just searched through your family records, and those of extended family members but your searches provide no solution to the precise place of birth. As you search your list of compiled sources, you discover in the www.FamilySearch.org website an entry from one of the databases called Ancestral File, possible clues suggesting her birth could have occurred at Hampstead in the year 1884. With an open mind and using this tidbit of birth data, you directly focus your research now in England’s civil registration indexes and certificates for a possible birth for Florence in the years roughly 1875 to 1895. With such an uncommon surname, you find only one likely birth registered—in the whole of England in the 4th Quarter of 1884 and order her birth certificate. The certificate is hers and it reveals and confirms that Hampstead was in fact her place of birth. The names of parents match that which was already known among living descendants and that which appeared in the compiled source. Thus, this single birthplace clue from compiled sources in the country of settlement (i.e. a source within www.familysearch.org), led your search directly to not only a “London” birth entry, but it helped you verify and confirm her precise birthplace in primary records, and narrowed your search from the whole of “London” with its 28-plus registration districts which comprise Greater London—and quickly helped you locate her precise birth place, birth date and parentage. | Example of an Uncommon Surname - Example 1: Let’s say that Florence Beatrice Bradsell Dunn, came to the United States in the year 1946 but all that’s known is that she was born in “London" but it’s not known precisely where in London. Let’s also suppose you’ve just searched through your family records, and those of extended family members but your searches provide no solution to the precise place of birth. As you search your list of compiled sources, you discover in the www.FamilySearch.org website an entry from one of the databases called Ancestral File, possible clues suggesting her birth could have occurred at Hampstead in the year 1884. With an open mind and using this tidbit of birth data, you directly focus your research now in England’s civil registration indexes and certificates for a possible birth for Florence in the years roughly 1875 to 1895. With such an uncommon surname, you find only one likely birth registered—in the whole of England in the 4th Quarter of 1884 and order her birth certificate. The certificate is hers and it reveals and confirms that Hampstead was in fact her place of birth. The names of parents match that which was already known among living descendants and that which appeared in the compiled source. Thus, this single birthplace clue from compiled sources in the country of settlement (i.e. a source within www.familysearch.org), led your search directly to not only a “London” birth entry, but it helped you verify and confirm her precise birthplace in primary records, and narrowed your search from the whole of “London” with its 28-plus registration districts which comprise Greater London—and quickly helped you locate her precise birth place, birth date and parentage. | ||
This is very possible to do when you have the benefit of researching an ancestor with an unusual or uncommon surname; it can save you the time necessary to search in any or all sources in any country-- indexed records or not! | This is very possible to do when you have the benefit of researching an ancestor with an unusual or uncommon surname; it can save you the time necessary to search in any or all sources in any country-- indexed records or not! | ||
==== Step 3: Search Indexes: Key to Finding Immigrants' Specific Place of Birth ==== | ==== Step 3: Search Indexes: Key to Finding Immigrants' Specific Place of Birth ==== | ||