” … researching genealogical records (e.g., examining census records) is associated with greater self-esteem and reduced anxiety but that posting memories about families and expanding one’s family tree do not have the same relation with measures of psychological well-being.”
This is from the article Improving Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults by Conducting Family History Research at a Religious University (BrighamYoung University) published in The Journal of Genealogy and Family History
FEATURES
Discover Wills
Katherine Cobb reveals everything you need to know about English and Welsh wills and probate records.
Irisn Surnames
Nicola Morris explains the origin of common Irsh family names, and how they have evolved.
Costermongers
Prof Victoria Kelley explores the lives of the street traders
who sold goods to generations of Londoners.
RESEARCH ADVICE
Focus On
Paul Blake shares his tips for using the range of records
that early convict transportation to America left behind.
Best Websites
Jonathan Scott picks the top sites to research Canadian
kin ahead of the release of the 1931 census on 1 June.
Record Masterclass
Chris Paton describes how property valuation rolls can
help you to track down elusive Scottish relations.
Tech Tips
Nick Peers reveals how to create and share memories
using Ancestry’s new Storymaker Studio.
If you think ChatGPT and its artificial intelligence cousins have no role in genealogy, think again. Keep an open mind. Think not what it can’t do, and the blatant errors, but how it can help.
This video by Blaine Bettinger, courtesy of Findmypast, carefully explains where it can be helpful and gives explicit examples of the 10 ways Blaine selected. Recommended. Blaine’s presentation starts around 4:50.
There’s a previous Findmypast video Unlocking Family Secrets with AI if you want to take a step back.
Who knew that Statistics Canada keeps track of the popularity of baby names. The record goes back to 1991.
For 2021, the latest available, Olivia takes top where it has been for all but two years since 2010. In 1991 it was 64th.
Noah takes top spot for boys in 2021. It’s been in the top ten since 2005 having rocketed up the chart from 322nd in 1991.
What goes up must come down. Jessica and Michael, which were the most popular in 1991, are 313th and 59th respectively in 2021.
Check names of interest in Canada’s Baby Name Observatory at https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2023021-eng.htm
Free, MyHeritage has added index records of 571,917 crew members of the United Kingdom Merchant Navy. Records typically include the name of the seaman, date and place of birth, and the service number. The forename(s) is often just the initials.
While there are scattered entries for births from the 1820s the major part is for births from the 1870s to the 1960s.
The records in this collection were sourced from The National Archives which has an extensive merchant navy collection found by searching TNA’s research guides.
A few days ago, I wrote to Library and Archives Canada asking how one submits a suggestion for a fond to be digitized, and how the person can be sure that appropriate consideration is given to the suggestion.
The response came promptly.
Unfortunately, we do not have a formal procedure for receiving suggestions from the public for the digitization of our collection.
Apparently LAC does not value input and feedback from the public.
Peer organizations, the National Archives of Australia, and the British Library (newspapers) have established mechanisms for engaging with the public and soliciting their suggestions. However, LAC’s present procedure, or lack of procedure, means it does not presently meet state of the art internationally.
The remainder of the response from LAC held out some hope.
However, our digitization policy is under review. I’ll verify if there are any provisions in the new version for collecting suggestions from the public. As soon as I have more information on that aspect, I’ll email you.
I’m looking forward to hearing more and will share it on the blog.
In the meantime, I understand some digitization of frequently consulted materials is underway in preparation for the move to the Ādisōke building in 2026.
Choose from selected free online events in the next five days. All times are ET except as noted. Those in red are Canadian, bolded if local to Ottawa or recommended. Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed. Additional mainly US events are listed at https://conferencekeeper.org/virtual.
Tuesday, 9 May
2 pm: The Latest Mobile Features on the MyHeritage App, by Gilad Katz for MyHeritage/Lagacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/the-latest-mobile-features-on-the-myheritage-app/
7 pm: The Verschoyle Phillip Cronyn Memorial Archives, by Dez Nacario for OGS Lambton Branch.
http://www.lambton.ogs.on.ca
Wednesday, 10 May
2:30 pm: The Mount Stewart Murder of 1866, Scotland’s oldest official cold case, Chris Paton for the Guild of One-Name Studies.
https://one-name.org/mtstewart1866/
7pm: (V) She Came From Nowhere: A Case Study Approach to Finding Hidden Female Ancestors, by Katharine Korte Andrew for Allen County Genealogical Society and the Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library/
https://www.acgsi.org/meetings.php
8 pm: A military heritage: Finding your British army lineage in pre-20th century records, by Cathie Sherwood for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/a-military-heritage-finding-your-british-army-lineage-in-pre-20th-century-records/
Thursday, 11 May
9 am: Tracing First World War Ancestors, by the Norfolk (UK) Record Office.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tracing-first-world-war-ancestors-online-workshop-tickets-564228000137
1 pm: Dementia: A Cultural History, by Joanna Bourke for Gresham College.
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/dementia-history
Friday, 12 May
2 pm: Spies, Slackers, and Aliens: Records of the American Protective League, by Michael L. Strauss for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/spies-slackers-and-aliens-records-of-the-american-protective-league/
Saturday, 13 May
9 am: Zotero – Reasons Why You Need It While Doing Your Family History Research, by Dena Palamedes for BIFHSGO
https://www.bifhsgo.ca/events
10 am: New Netherland Roots of Canadians, by Brian Laurie-Beaumont for BIFHSGO
https://www.bifhsgo.ca/events
1 pm: Discover the Digital Collections of the National Library of Scotland, by Christine Woodcock for OGS Ottawa Branch.
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/discover-the-digital-collections-of-the-national-library-of-scotland-ott/
England and Wales, Metropolitan Police Register of Habitual Criminals, contains 135,646 prisoner records from various gaols in England and Wales between the years 1881 and 1925. Records typically include the name of the prisoner, year and place of birth, date and place of conviction, and where incarcerated. Some of the records also contain a physical description of the prisoner.
Scotland, War Memorials, 194,117 death records from a virtual memorial of Scottish Individuals who have died during or as a result of their service either during WWI, WWII, and other conflicts since. Records typically include the name of the soldier, place of birth, date and place of death, and some records may also include the military unit.
I always smile when seeing the line-up of personalities to be featured in Who Do You Think You Are? which returns to BBC in June. They mostly comprise people previously unknown to me, showing how out of touch I am with British popular culture. It also shows how, if you take a tortuous enough route into anyone’s ancestry, you’ll find interesting stories.
This year’s “star-studded line-up” is Andrew Lloyd Webber, Claire Foy, Emily Atack, Bear Grylls, Chris Ramsey, Kevin Clifton, Dev Griffin, Chris & Xand van Tulleken and Lesley Manville.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/who-do-you-think-you-are-return?s=03
Sadly, we’re unlikely to see these on Canadian TV with CBC prefering British cooking show reruns.
This collection contains index records of various documents relating to 405,923 naturalisations in the United Kingdom from the year 1801 onwards. The documents, free to search, are denization and naturalisation papers, declarations of British Nationality, and declarations of alienage. Records typically contain the name of the individual, residence, date and place of birth, the origin place and the issue date.
This index leads to a file that is a rich resource for the person’s history, not online, that may be consulted at TNA – the UK National Archives.
Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.
The thinking error that makes people susceptible to climate change denial
Some deniers won’t even read the article!
What do historians lose with the decline of local news?
History of Barts, Britain’s Oldest Hospital
Video (Starts at 4:23)
Solving a Climate Puzzle, One Tree Ring at a Time
Thanks to this week’s contributors: Ann Burns, Anonymous, Ardelle Holden, Dianne, gail benjafield, Glenn Wright, Judy Thames, Ken McKinlay, Nick McDonald, Sunday Thompson, Teresa, Unknown.
Now on Ancestry, this collection contains genealogical records between the years 1600 and 1939 of many of Scotland’s families that are of importance nationally and locally, compiled by Gordon McGregor in 10 volumes.
Records in the collection may include name; birth date and place; baptism date and place; marriage date and place; death date and place; burial date and place; names of family members.
