How to search and trace your family's LGBTQ history.

How to search and trace your family’s LGBTQ history.

Today, LGBTQ family members are finally able to enjoy the same open life that straight family members have enjoyed throughout modern history. However, this was not always the case: in the past, LGBTQ family members often had to hide their sexual orientation due to the stigma—social and in some cases, legal—against LGBTQ people throughout history. In some cases, we can catch glimpses of past LGBTQ family history through old family photographs, old letters, and even family memories. Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to preserve the memory of LGBTQ family history in your family’s history.

Why Has Tracing and Recording LGBTQ Family History Been Historically Difficult?

Since LGBTQ people have not been able to enjoy the same rights, privileges, and acceptance as straight people until relatively modern times—remember that it is only in the past 10 years that same-sex marriage has become legal in many countries—historically, many LGBTQ people were not able to be open regarding their lives. This means that there are gaps and misinformation in family history, particularly regarding LGBTQ family members. For instance, you might remember an uncle who lived with a friend—they were lovers, but to the outside world, they had to present themselves as “bachelor friends.” 

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

How You Can Start Preserving the History of LGBTQ Family Members

It is important to preserve family memories and family history for future generations, and part of that preservation should include LGBTQ family history that has been long overlooked or even forgotten. You can start preserving the history of LGBTQ family memories in many ways, including:

Researching family documents for more information about LGBTQ family members

This can include looking for old family letters where mentions of their relationships may have been written down, looking for documents regarding family members who may have lived less than openly with their spouses during a time period, and so on.

To learn how to share your old family films safely click here.

Collect old family photographs relevant to LGBTQ family history

You can also start looking for old family photographs that are related to LGBTQ family history.

For instance, look for old photographs of relatives who were unable to be open about themselves during their lifetime.

To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.

Do they have any photos with their spouse, who was at the time portrayed as a “friend” of the family member? In some cases, there may be old family photographs that were kept hidden that show LGBTQ family members having (“unofficial”) weddings or engaged in intimacy such as hugging their same-sex spouse.

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

Preserve the history through digitization

Whenever you find documents and photos related to gay family history, it’s important to preserve them so that they can be passed down to later generations and shared among current family members. The best way to preserve these documents and photos is through digitization, such as scanning or photographing the documents with a high quality camera. The digital files can then be copied to hard drives, disc and the cloud so that they can be shared with the future generation of the family down the line.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

Five things you should do with your DNA results.

Five things you should do with your DNA results.

The advent of DNA testing sites has made it easier than ever for people to find out information about their DNA, including where their family comes from, medical history and much more. Family history and DNA are naturally linked together, but what should you do with your DNA test results once you receive them? The following are 5 things that you should be doing with your DNA results, especially if you are planning on preserving family history. 

#1: Make a hard copy of your DNA results (along with several backups)

The first thing you need to do is make a hard copy of all your DNA results. A hard copy should be a printed copy on paper, which you should then store in an archival-safe material in a secure location. You should also make several other backups, including both digital and hard copies, just in case something happens to your results. These copies will ensure that your DNA results can always be accessed. 

Click here to learn how to upload DVD family videos to the cloud.

#2: Include them in your family history documentation

Your DNA results can add interesting information to your overall family history, so you should include your DNA results with the rest of your family history documentation. If more than one person in your family has received DNA results, ask them for copies so that their information can be included as well. 

Click here to find out how to organize your family history paperwork.

#3: Share them with your relatives (and compare!)

It’s undeniably fun to share your DNA results, so don’t forget to share them with your relatives and if possible, compare! It will be interesting to see how the different branches of the family compare, especially when it comes to the country of origin from their ancestors. If possible, have a little family party where everyone brings their results so you can discuss, compare and pass the results around the table. 

To learn how to share family history through social media click here.

#4: Make sure your privacy is protected

It’s very important that your DNA results are kept private, which is fairly easy to do on most DNA testing websites. Go into the settings of your account and make sure that the full results are not accessible to anyone except yourself. In some cases, you may want to share a limited amount of DNA information in case relatives try to contact you—but make sure you know what information is being shared and what you are agreeing to when you choose this type of option.

To learn how to share family videos online privately click here.

#5: Consider uploading them to legitimate family history sites

If you are doing dedicated research into your family history, then you may be able to incorporate your DNA results into certain family history sites. These sites may be able to connect you with other family members or otherwise provide relevant information that will help you explore and document your family history. Make sure that you only upload results to legitimate sites that are willing to protect your privacy.

To learn which are the best DNA test sites available in the UK click here.

If you have taken a DNA test and received the results, make sure you do the above 5 things to protect your privacy, back up your results and further explore your family history.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

How to search for your family's coat of arms or signet.

How to S

earch for your Family’s Coat of Arms or Signet

Passing down family history from generation to generation is important in order to preserve family memories. Everything from old family photographs to family videos to mementos can be used to create a comprehensive overview of your family’s history. One of the most interesting aspects of family history is the coat of arms or signet, which is a visual representation of your family’s legacy. Many families around the world have a family coat of arms—but not many people realize it! If you want to know how you can expand your family history by searching for a coat of arms or signet, take a look at the following how-to guide.

About Family Coat of Arms

A note on family crests, coat of arms and signets: in many cases, your family history may have more than one crest! This can occur when different lineages with coat of arms come together. You should take all of the information you can find regarding the history of your family’s coat of arms so you can get a better idea of the history behind them.

How to Search for Family Coat of Arms

It is thankfully easier than ever to search for family coat of arms, especially if you live in Europe and/or the UK. There are many books you can find which have countless pages of family coat of arms, but the simplest way for modern people to find out is to use online websites that allow you to search for family signets, coat of arms and crests. 

Best Websites to Use

The following are the most popular sites you can use that will help you on your quest. 

• MyFamilySilver

• HeraldryandCrests

• TheTreeMaker

• 4crests.com

All of these sites have some free options with regards to searching for family coat of arms, crests, signets, and similar visual identifiers from your family’s history. Some of these sites also have paid options that can allow you to access more detailed features, but for the purposes of simply finding the coat of arms in the first place, the free option will do fine.

Genealogists

If you are unable to find a family crest on your home, then you can hire a professional genealogist who will be able to research your family history and hopefully find a crest, signet or similar symbol for you. Genealogists may need access to family history records, such as any relevant documents or old family photographs.

To check out why you should hire a genealogist click here.

After You Find Your Family Coat of Arms

Once you find your family coat of arms, you should make sure to copy it digitally so that it can be shared with other family members. You can even have it professionally printed and framed so that it can be displayed in your home. Other options include printing it out on a historical-style banner so that you can share your crest as your ancestors might have shared it.

Remember to keep the above guidelines in mind when it’s time to find out more about your family coat of arms.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn which are the best DNA test sites available in the UK click here.

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smartphone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

How to organize family history paperwork.

How to organize family history paperwork.

Passing down family history to the next generation is important. Family memories can be preserved in all sorts of paperwork, whether it’s marriage certificates, birth certificates, death certificates—and even diaries, journals, and letters passed down from earlier generations. Family records can hold a vital key to unlocking and preserving family history, which is why it’s so important that family history paperwork is properly organized. If you want to make sure that your family records are organized in the right way, consider this guide that will help you learn the basics of organizing the family records.

How to Organize Your Family History Paperwork

Everyone may choose to organize their family records differently. The following are the most important factors that you’ll need to consider when you organize everything.

Sorting by type of paperwork

First, sort the records by the type of paperwork being handled. Types of certificates—birth, death, marriage, etc.—should be organized together; likewise, personal correspondence, notes, and diaries should be sorted together so that they don’t get scattered around. If there is more than one page in the record, such as a series of letters written by one family member, they should always be organized together. 

Protecting paperwork from damage

You will also need to consider how to protect the family records from being damaged, so that the family history isn’t lost due to accidents such as water damage or damaged due to exposure to sunlight or acidic materials. For any paperwork, especially older papers, purchase acid-free plastic sheets that are designed to keep paper from deteriorating. Don’t use standard plastic sheets you find at the supermarket, as these typically contain materials that will corrode paper over time.

To find out which are the best genealogy apps click here.

To find out how WorldCat can be useful for family history click here.

To find out how family history can help improve elder relatives self-esteem click here.

Storage options 

Before you can begin the final process of organization, you’ll need to decide on the storage options. Many people choose to store family history records in metal filing cabinets as these can typically be locked and they expose paper or other materials to sunlight. Other options include storage containers—though avoid plastics which can damage old materials—as well as wooden cabinets. 

Organizing paperwork

This is a relatively simple process once you get started. The simplest way to organize the paperwork is to sort everything by generation and then by last name. Most people prefer to start with records related to their immediate maternal and paternal line—such as mother, father, maternal grandparents, fraternal grandparents, etc.  Depending on the amount of family records you have, these records can either all be stored together to hey can be further sorted into categories such as “maternal grandparents,” “fraternal grandparents,” and so on, to be stored in a separate drawer of your storage cabinet.

You can also choose to sort items by the type of record. Letters, diaries, and personal objects can all be stored in their own category.

The most important thing to remember when organizing family records is this: keep it simple and efficient so that you can easily access family records when you need to do so later. 

To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.

To learn how to share your old family films safely click here.

To find out why you should hire a genealogist click here.

To find out how to record your families love stories click here.

Should we hire a genealogist?

Should we hire a genealogist?

If you have been trying to find out more about your family history in order to preserve family memories for future generations, then you’ve no doubt done the basics: compiled old family photographs, asked family members who know more about family history, and so on. But many families choose to take things a step further by hiring a genealogist to help them with their family history research. Should you hire a genealogist? The following guide will help you find the answer to this question.

Should You Hire a Genealogist?

Whether or not you should hire a genealogist for your family history research will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to find out who is in old family photographs, but you can’t track down living family members who might be able to help identify people in them? Are you trying to find out the former locations of family members but are having trouble for various reasons, such as the time period? If so, then you may benefit from hiring a genealogist who can do a lot of this work for you—and be able to do it to a more efficient degree.

Benefits of Hiring a Genealogist

There are many benefits to hiring a genealogist for your family history work. The following are the most notable benefits that you will be able to receive after hiring a genealogist.

Experience

A genealogist will have at minimum years of experience working in the field. This will give them a massive leg up on the process as they already know the ins-and-outs of researching family history. They will know which archives to check, which online databases are useful, how to connect the dots in research, and so on. This type of experience is truly invaluable and can really help you find out more about your family history.

Connections

A genealogist working in the field will have certain connections that you, as an ordinary layperson, simply won’t have. This can help a genealogist find out more information about your family history than you would be able to do on your own. 

Detailed Analysis

A genealogist will be able to provide a more interesting, professional detailed analysis of your family history than you would be able to create on your own. A professional analysis from a genealogist can be very beneficial for preserving your family history, especially when it comes to creating an analysis that can be shared and understood by future generations. 

Capable of Foreign Research

If your family history research would require foreign research, then the work of a genealogist will be invaluable. Genealogists will be able to do foreign research, including researching foreign archives, finding international birth and death receipts, and so on. If you aren’t bilingual or you don’t have access to international records, then the ability of a genealogist to do foreign search can mean the difference between finding out family history and it forever remaining hidden to you.

If you are interested in hiring a genealogist, make sure you keep the above benefits in mind.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn which are the best DNA test sites available in the UK click here.

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

Family history and medical history: How to find out more

Family history and medical history: How to find out more.

Your medical history is an important part of understanding your personal health. Family medical history can help you learn what types of genetic conditions run in your family and what types of diseases your family is prone to developing. But what happens when you don’t know enough about your family history to understand your family health dynamics? The following guide will help you understand how family history and family health are related and what you can do to find out more.

How Family history and Medical History Are Related

Your family  history and your health have a surprising relation: not only are these genetic diseases and conditions that run in families, but you may be able to tell whether or not your family has a predisposition to certain types of conditions (such as heart disease, strokes, etc.) based on their history. That is why it is so important to have at least a basic understanding of your family health.  

Genetic diseases

There are countless genetic diseases that may run in your family. Genetic diseases can include diseases such as cystic fibrosis, ALS, Marfan syndrome, Huntington’s disease and more. The fact that many genetic diseases are serious is the primary reason why it is vital that you know about your family health history. 

Pre-disposition to certain diseases

There are also many diseases that may not be directly genetic but can still be prevalent in a particular family line. These include an increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and so on. If you don’t know that you have a higher pre-disposition to developing these conditions, then you are missing out on a key element to preventing them: high-risk assessments from your doctor and increased vigilance regarding your health. 

How to Find Out More about Family Medical History 

Knowing your family history is essential when it comes to finding out more about your family’s medical history. There are several key ways that you can find out more about the medical history of your family.

Research your family tree

The first thing you need to do is have a basic understanding of who is in your family, particularly your aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents and anyone with a close genetic relation to yourself. If you need to do so, you can research your family tree to fill in as many gaps as possible. Once you know the basics about who is who in your family, you can move on to finding out details.

Look for death certificate and hospital records

After you have the names of people close to you in your family, start looking for death certificates and—if they are public—hospital records. You may find that multiple people in your family all died from the same genetic disease, indicating it runs in your family; or you may find a number of people in the family who died from heart disease. 

The more details you can find about your family health history, the more informed you will be about your own health.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

The importance of recording your family’s love stories!

The importance of recording your family’s love stories!

There is nothing nicer than listening to other couple’s love stories—but do you know your family’s love stories? Family memories about couples falling in love can be truly extraordinary, especially among family members who have been related for decades. Why not take the time to record your family’s love stories so that they can be passed down and shared with future generations? The following guide will help you learn how to turn family memories about love stories into recorded memories.

Do You Know Your Family’s Historical Love Stories?

First, how much do you really know about your family’s history in regards to love stories? Are there any special family memories you associate with love stories among your relatives, such as attending the wedding of an aunt and uncle who are truly in love or being there when your cousin proposed? Perhaps you’ve seen couples in old family photographs and wondered how they met. Whatever the case, you’ll want to read on to find out some great tips for preserving your family’s love stories by recording them for future generations.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

Tips for Preserving Your Family’s Love Stories by Recording Them

The following are some great tips you can follow to preserve your family’s love stories by recording them on camera. 

Tip: Find out which family members have or know interesting family history “love stories”

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

The first thing you should do in your quest to record family love stories is to find out who has the most interesting family history love stories to share. Grandparents? Parents? Cousins? Aunts? Uncles? Ask around to see who has been together the longest or who has the most interesting “first meeting” story. 

Tip: Ask family couples to come and record their story

You can also ask family couples to come and record their personal love stories. This is a great way to compile a lot of family history together since you will have the recorded stories of many different people in the family. You can go visit people in their homes and record them there, or ask them to come to your location in case you want a consistent background for the recorded stories. Remember to set up a tripod so that the camera doesn’t shake! 

Click here for tips on how to record a family interview with your smartphone.

Tip: Ask around for family members who can share older family love stories

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

There may be people in your family who have passed away and can no longer share their love stories. But as anyone who has seen a loving couple in old family photographs and wanted to know more can attest, their stories are still well worth sharing and preserving. You should ask around to find family members who can share love stories from your family’s history, in particular stories about people who are no longer with us. 

Tip: Back up the recordings in multiple locations 

After you’ve recorded family members talking about family love stories, make sure that you back up the recordings in multiple locations. This should include backing up the files on a digital cloud, along with physical discs or USB sticks.

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

Which Are the Best Genealogy Apps?

Whether you’re the designated family history historian or you’re simply someone who wants to turn decades of family memories into a wealth of information, you need to broaden your horizons to new and exciting genealogy apps. In addition to the standard genealogy websites, there are now dozens of family history related apps that can help you find personal records from your family’s history, find out more information about where your family lived or did for a living, and even create genealogy timelines based on your family data. The following guide will help you choose the best genealogy apps currently available today.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

MyHeritage

MyHeritage is one of the most popular family history related apps out there, thanks to its numerous tools and large user base. This app lets you access almost all of the features on the full MyHeritage website, including the ability to build a family tree, make connections with others who may be related to your family tree, create family ancestry profiles that include photos, and so on. 

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

FindMyPast

FindMyPast is one of the newer genealogy and family history related apps out there, as it was released in late 2018. The app allows you to create a family tree and review records that may be related to your family, such as birth and death records. You can add a limited number of photographs and connect with other users as well. Although this app is not as expansive as other options out there, it is a free app that shows plenty of promise and potential in the genealogy sector. 

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

FamilySearch Family Tree

FamilySearch has several genealogy-related apps, including the free Family Tree App. This app allows you to create a collaborative family tree using the Familysearch.org website. This site is ideal if you are looking to access and share more general information, such as your family's names, birth and death dates, and wedding records, and so on. You can even add photographs and other relevant information to records for your family. If you are interested in the more personal side of things, check out the related FamilySearch Family Memories app. This app is meant for the sharing of personal family stories, such as additional family photos, family videos, as well as quotes, and other personal memories related to or shared by the people in your family history. 

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

Ancestry

Ancestry actually has two apps: the standard Ancestry app and the AncestryDNA app, which is focused on DNA results. The standard Ancestry app allows you to create a family tree, check out related records that may be relevant to your family history interests, search for records using specific words and phrases, and more. You can even connect the app with a compatible device such as the Apple Watch, which allows you to easily use voice commands to respond to messages and comments or upload information.

If you are looking to explore your family history, create a family tree or share your family history with friends and family, consider downloading the above genealogy-related apps today.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

End of Life: Should I Record Myself?

End of Life: Should I Record Myself?

No one knows which day will be their last, which is why we must all embrace every day as if it would be our last one. Imagine that you passed away in your sleep tonight. What memories would you leave behind for your family? Some photos? A background presence in family films? One of the most common regrets that family members shared after a loved one has passed on is that they don’t have enough family movies of them or they never learned all about their personal family history which is now gone forever.

 If you are elderly or you simply want to prepare for the possibility of passing away unexpectedly, you can help preserve your legacy and memories for your family by recording unique family films that showcase your life, the family history you know about, and generally go a step beyond simply showing up now and then in regular family movies.

What Can You Record?

If you are considering making special family films about your family history, life or other information you want to pass on with your family, then you have many options regarding what you can record. Many people choose to record videos sharing as much information about their personal history as possible—including where they grew up, their father and mother’s names, any siblings names, what they did for a living, any places they moved, jobs they had, and so on. Anything that can be used to piece together your family history after your passing is information that your family will truly cherish.

If you have information about family members who are no longer alive, you can preserve their memory in family moves in a very unique way: record yourself holding up a photo of that person, and share as much information as you know about them. This can include name, when they were born, their parent’s names, relation to the family, where they lived, what they did, or anything else you can think of about them. This information will be extremely important when you pass on, as it will be the only record that your family has about certain people who are no longer with us.

More Than Just Memories

One of the great things about creating family movies before the end of your life is that they aren’t just memories that your family will cherish. They are a record of you, a record of your face and voice and smile and body language; something that you’re children or siblings or other loving relatives will be able to look back on and cherish for the rest of their lives. They are videos that they will be able to share with your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and anyone else who was too young to remember you or who wasn’t yet born when you passed on.

If you are ready to showcase your family history and preserve your memory through family movies, plan on creating unique family films highlighting your history, life and thoughts today.

To learn how to film your parents/grandparents with a smartphone click here.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

How family history can help improve elder relatives self-esteem

How family history can help improve elder relatives self-esteem.

Family history is something that can benefit the entire family. Younger generations can learn about where they came from and the people that came before them; this helps them think about who they are in their own lives and who they want to embody for the future. Older generations can benefit from sharing their own family memories in a highly unique way: namely by increasing their self-esteem in addition to other significant benefits. Let’s take a closer look at how sharing family history stories and going through old family photographs can benefit elderly relatives.

How Telling Family History Stories Benefits Elderly Relatives

The following are the most notable way that sharing family memories can benefit elderly relatives.

Boosts self esteem

Sharing family history helps boost the self-esteem of elderly relatives, who will feel that their input is being valued and that the wisdom, knowledge and memories they’ve created over the years have taken on significant meaning. And they have, since family history is incredibly important. Asking elderly relatives to share what they know really boosts their self-esteem and confidence, which is essential for people in the later stages of life.

To learn how to record your parent’s/family’s love stories click here.

Helps keep their memory sharper

People who share memories are likely to have a stronger memory overall. Elderly relatives who are asked to talk about family history and share who is in old family photographs are more likely to have a sharper, stronger memory than people who are never asked to remember the past.

Let’s them take part in preserving the past for future generations

It’s important that elderly relatives are allowed to be active members of the family. One of the best ways to do this is to allow them to take part in preserving the past for future generations, by sharing family memories, divulging family history, and labeling all the people they know in old family photographs. Preserving the family legacy for future generations is something that anyone, especially elderly relatives, will be proud to do. 

To learn how to film your family with a Smartphone click here.

Makes them smile by remembering people and memories past 

Finally, elderly relatives can benefit from sharing family history and talking about family memories because it will make them smile to remember all the people, places and things they have experienced during their lifetime. While they share memories, they may remember favorite games they played in their childhood or a favorite vacation they took with their mother; they could remember a dress they used to wear every Sunday to play in or a childhood dog that had been long forgotten. All of the pleasant memories will definitely help them feel happier, boost their mood—and improve their overall quality of life.

Remember, elderly relatives are often the last people who can share interesting and important information about the family—whether it’s the names of people on faded old family photographs or the jobs and former residence locations of great-great grandparents or great-uncles or something in between. Make sure that the elderly relatives in your family reap the benefits from sharing their family history, all the while preserving it for you and future generations.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

Self-isolating - opportunity to work on your family tree

Self-isolating - An opportunity to work on your family tree 

As people are instructed to stay safe by staying home during this pandemic, one question is on everyone’s minds: what do I do when I’m home? If you are someone who is interested in family history, you will never get bored—because now is the perfect opportunity to start working on your family tree! A family tree is a way to learn about those who came before you and to preserve their memory for the future. 

As the world changes day by day, it is more important than ever to preserve family history and take the time to appreciate the true nature of a family tree. The following guide will help you learn some great tips and tricks that will help you work on a family tree from home.

Working On Your Family Tree While in Lockdown: Tips and Tricks

If you plan on working on your family tree during your lockdown, consider the following tips and tricks that will help the process go more smoothly.

Create a goal for your lockdown family tree work

It’s important to stay focused, especially during this chaotic period when it is easy to get overwhelmed, distracted and otherwise find yourself being unproductive. When you work on your family tree during lockdown, it’s important to create a goal of series of goals. For example, “Find out when (2 family members) were born” or “Contact (family member) to find out if they know when (family member) died.” 

Explore family history that you’ve always been meaning to record

Now is the perfect time to start exploring a side of family history that you’ve always been meaning to research and record but simply haven’t had the time. Maybe you’ve been putting off researching a certain branch of the family, or you’ve had a few leads regarding older family history records but didn’t have the time to do the online research; whatever it is, there is no better time to start on an otherwise unexplored area of your family’s past. 

To learn how to record a virtual interview with an older family member click here.

Set aside time each day to work on your family tree

If you want to get the most work done on your family tree during this period of lockdown, then you should set aside time every day to work on your family tree. Remember to keep it reasonable—you probably won’t be able to stay productive for hours on end, but setting a goal of 1 hour a day to do family tree related work is more than reasonable. 

Connect with family on social media 

If you aren’t already connected with your family on social media sites like Facebook, now is the time to create an account. Not only will this help you stay in touch with family, but you will have access to family members who can help you with research questions, provide scanned photographs and other important information that you may need during your work on your family tree.

Family history and family trees are important, so don’t forget to spend some time during your self isolation working on your family tree. 

To discover what good things you have learned from your parents click here.

To discover whether we should record dark family histories click here.

To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.

To learn more about the Trafalgar Cemetery, Gibraltar, click here.

Ways to share family history through social media

Tips on ways to share family history through social media.

Sharing family history is more important than ever, as people are encouraged to self-isolate stay physically apart during this pandemic. However, just because you are staying safe by staying away from others doesn’t mean you can’t share your family history and family memories with one another. If you want to learn how you can share family history through social media, consider the following tips that will help you and your family share while on lockdown.

Sharing Family History on Lockdown: What Are Your Options?

There are a surprising number of options that will help you share family history while you are staying at home. The options you choose will depend on a few different factors: what you want to share and the number of people who want or need to access the information on a social media account. 

Private Facebook Groups

You can create a private Facebook group for your family so that family history information can be shared and accessed right on Facebook. The benefits of a private group are that only people who have access to the group will be able to see the information, post comments, etc., so you can limit this to family members or other exclusive groups. Another benefit of this option is that it’s likely that most of your family members have a Facebook account, so this is a very accessible social media site. Finally, the Facebook platform is ideal for sharing all types of files and documents—including photos, videos, and even scanned letters—so this is a one-size-fits-all option in terms of what you can share.

Instagram and Twitter 

Instagram and Twitter are both potential social media options that you should consider. Both of these social media platforms have options for private posting, but you cannot limit the content to specific groups. For instance, if you post something on your friends-only Twitter account, all of your Twitter friends—not just family members—will be able to see it. This option is best if you are going to post content that is not sensitive or private, such as your own personal family history photos that you don’t mind sharing with others; conversely, it’s not the best option for sharing personal or private information, particularly if it relates to other family members. 

Other Options

There are a few other options you may want to consider if the above two choices don’t work for your needs. There are other family history related websites, such as ancestry sites, where you can share and upload family history information; and you can also consider creating an online group on a messaging platform such as Skype or LINE, where you can chat with individuals or groups and share photos, links, and so on.

Remember, just because you are in lockdown doesn’t mean that your family history and family memories will need to go undiscussed! Just use the above social media options and you can share family history with your family in a matter of minutes.

To learn tips on how to record a virtual interview click here.

Click here to learn tips on how to interview an older family member remotely.

Click here for are a list of 10 questions to ask your parents!

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

Tips on how to interview an older family member remotely.

Tips on how to interview an older family member remotely.

Family history is something that should be preserved and cherish, and in a time where social distancing and lockdown procedures are encouraged to help slow down the spread of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to contact family members through remote means. Interviewing an older family member about their experiences and knowledge of family history can be done remotely. If you are a keeper of family history or simply want to make sure that your family history is recorded, and then read the following step by step guide that will help you learn how to interview a family member remotely while you are both in lockdown mode.

Step One: Set up a conference call that you can record

First, you must consider the type of conference call you want to set up with your older family member. If possible, a video conference call is best, since it will allow the family member being interviewed to feel more relaxed and it will give you a chance to record their expressions and any items they want to share as well. The important thing is to find a way to record the call, whether you have a recording program on your phone or you will record it via a separate camera from your computer or tablet.

To learn how to record a virtual interview with an older family member click here.

Step Two: Prepare a list of questions to ask them 

Before you make the call, make sure that you have a list of questions related to family history that you want to ask them during the remote interview. Having a list of questions prepared will help to ensure that you don’t forget to ask something important. It can also serve as a general outline for the conversation so that you don’t waste time or get off track.

The questions can be related to family history they may have learned from their parents or grandparents, asking about specific family films, or anything else you find interesting and worthy to include in your research. 

Click here for are a list of 10 questions to ask your parents!

Step Three: Encourage them to show photos, mementos and other personal items

If you are doing a video call, then you should encourage the older family member being interviewed to show off their photos, personal items and mementos from their life. If they are showing family films or photos, ask them to explain the person or people in the picture and tell you a bit about their life. This type of information is invaluable when it comes to preserving family history.

If you aren’t doing a video call, then consider an alternative to showing off items visually. For instance, you could ask them to tell you more about their family stories or family members that have passed on. 

Step Four: Back up the video or audio when you are done

When the remote interview is over, you should back up the file (whether it is audio or video) as soon as possible. Backup copies of important family history videos are essential, since your phone or original recording device may someday get lost or broken.

With the above guidelines in mind, interviewing a family member remotely will go much smoother.

To discover what good things you have learned from your parents click here.

To discover whether we should record dark family histories click here.

To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.

Why should you take pictures of your families death stones?

Why should you take pictures of your family death stones?

Family photographs are an integral part of our family history and even our family memories—but some people may shy away from taking family photographs of a more somber nature, such as photos of death stones. Should you take photos of your family’s death stones? The following are some of the key reasons why you should start taking photos of family death stones to preserve for future generations. 

Death stones are an important part of family history

Family history isn’t just about weddings or births or photos of family homes—death is just as much an important part of family history as people’s lives. Death stones provide key information regarding the year and usually the day and month that people died, along with their birth date; death stones can also provide information regarding where people died or where family plots are located. And in some cases, depending on the style of the stone itself, they can provide an interesting insight into family history. For instance, some death stones may contain quotes, poetry, or imagery that were important or relevant to a person in their life. 

Death stones may get moved or damaged and then be lost forever

Unfortunately, death stones can sometimes become damaged or moved over time. In some cases, death stones can get damaged during storms or due to the degradation of materials. And in other cases, stones are moved due to new developments on the land. This may not happen during your lifetime, but who knows what can happen a few decades down the line. If something does happen to the stone, your family will have a record of the death stone (along with its important family history related information) thanks to the preserved photographs. Make sure to always create back-ups of your family photographs as well.

Photographs of death stones can help with family research 

Death stones can help you or other members of your family if you are delving into family history research. Since death stones can provide a wealth of history related information, they can help people find out more about various family members. In fact, information provided by a death stone could be a useful “springboard” to finding more records and information about people in your family. 

They are a unique element of family history that future generations will be interested in

Death stones may be a reminder of mortality, but that doesn’t mean that they should be kept hidden away. Future generations of the family will likely take an interest in the family death stones if they are preserved through photographs. This may lead future generations of the family to take an interest in family history, and in learning the stories and family memories behind the names engraved on the stones.

Taking family photographs of your family’s death stones is important. The above reasons should help convince you to begin taking photos of the death stones in your family so that the current and future generations can preserve them.  

To discover what good things you have learned from your parents click here.

To discover whether we should record dark family histories click here.

To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.

To learn more about the Trafalgar Cemetery, Gibraltar, click here.

What good things have you learned from your parents?

What good things have you learned from your parents?

How much do you think you have learned from your parents? Most people learn more—and absorb more—from their parents and ancestors than they realize. There are probably small things you do and think now that you inherited from your parents without realizing it; even something as small as greetings or familiar tunes can all be things we learn from our parents.

Family history is something we all share—and something we all want to preserve, whether it’s through family photos, family movies or both. Let’s take a closer look at the good things you have likely learned from your parents; and remember, all of these important elements of family history can and should be preserved with family photos and family films so that future generations can learn them too.

Family ancestry and geographical history

Who were your grandparents? Great-grandparents? Great-great grandparents? And where did your family come from originally? Your parents have likely shared stories with you about their parents and grandparents, and may have even told you about where their family came from, whether it was one generation, two generation or eight generations ago.

Family anecdotes

Family anecdotes and family stories are an important part of family history because they are rarely written down. That is why it’s important to preserve them on video so that you and others in your family—along with future generations who may not be around to see your parents when they are alive—can remember them forever. Stories about important family events and even old time family gossip can be a way to cherish family history.

Family tree

A family tree is something to be cherished, and your parents are capable of helping you and future generations keep it up to date. Everyone from cousins to grandparents to second-cousins can be kept on a family tree so that you and your family will know who you are connected with in the past, who you are connected with now and who you may be connected with in the future.

Family wisdom

What have your parents learned throughout their lives? What wisdom can they share? There is likely so much that your parents can share with you that you’ve already begun passing down to your children or nieces and nephews. Wisdom can include everything from advice on finances to advice on love and relationships and even smaller things such as favorite recipes or tips and tricks for cleaning around the house.

Remember: all of this family history can be preserved through family videos and family photos. If you want to make sure that everything you’ve learned from your parents is preserved for yourself and future generations in your family, then it’s time to start recording so that what your parents have taught you will be remembered forever. You will even be able to pass down their lessons, wisdoms and personal stories to your children, grandchildren and even farther down the line of your future family tree.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late! 

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

How to research family history on Google for free.

How to research family history on Google for free.

If you have ever tried to research your family history, you may have felt blocked by a literal paywall; many family history programs and websites require you to pay money to use them, which can be limiting when you want to preserve and expand upon your family history without spending tons of money. Thankfully however, you don’t need to be stuck paying a lot of money to research your family history. The following guide suggests ways to search for your family history on Google without spending a penny.

Can Family History Be Researched for Free?

Yes! It can be a bit trickier than simply plugging in the first paid website you find, but you can research family history for free. The best way to do so at the moment is by using Google, which allows you access to millions of different sources that can be helpful on your quest to learn more about your family history. 

How to Research Family History on Google for Free

The following guide will help you learn more about how you can research your family history for free by using Google. 

Google Books

Google Books can be a treasure trove if you are looking to find out more about your family history—and no, your family ancestry doesn’t need to be related to anyone famous in order to show up on google Books. Google Books digitizes just about any and every archival source there is, so there are actually lots of census archives and published census information available through this resource. This can be especially helpful if your family lived in a small town where digital sources are more limited than those available for larger cities.

Family Trees

Another place to research your family history is by looking for public family trees. Many people publish online family trees in order to open up collaborative options for researching their own family history, and this type of open family tree can help you during your research as well! Some online family trees even offer the option of contacting the person who made them, which can be helpful if you need more detailed information than what’s provided on the family tree itself.  Many paying websites contains public family trees by users who have indicated that their tree can be viewed by all paying and non paying members. 

Free Ancestry Sites

This source can require a bit more work as you’ll need to determine which free ancestry sites are worth using and which are better left to the side, but when it comes to finding out more about your family history for free, free ancestry site options are definitely something to check out. You can find out information such as where people lived, their maiden and married names, and even more details such as professions, where they died, and so on.

Online National Archives

Some country’s national archives have been made public online. They are free to access and full of information. I recently found many of my ancestors on the Gibraltar National Archives website.

Other Options

Finally, if you live in the same general area as most of your family, you can consider heading to the local library to see if they have sources such as old newspapers, news reels and similar local archival information that may help you learn more about your family history.

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late!

To learn how to record your parent’s/family’s love stories click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to share your old family films safely click here.

The dilemma that is recording dark family history secrets.

Dark family history secrets.  Should we record them? 

The dilemma that is recording dark family history secrets. 

It’s important to preserve family history for future generations, so that they can share family memories and know about who they are and where they came from. But what do you do when the family history has some dark family secrets in its midst? Do you record and preserve them? Or keep them hidden? The following guide will take a closer look at what to do when your family history has some dark family secrets inside.

At the young age of 14, Henry Miller was charged with the theft of clothing and sentenced to 14 days hard labour for his crime

Family Secrets—The Darker Side of Family History

Not all family history and family memories are positive. Some family secrets may be dark or even painful. For instance, a beloved uncle may have cheated on his wife and had a secret love child; or another family member may have led a double life that no one knew about. Every family has its secrets, but the question remains: should these secrets be recorded or kept hidden until they eventually fade from collective memory?

Should We Record Darker Family History? Pros and Cons

There is no easy answer in regards to whether or not family secrets should be recorded. The following are the pros and cons of recording the darker side of family history. These pros and cons should help you to make an informed decision.

Ann Kirk was caught thieving money from people on several occasions, but this time in 1873, Ann was sentenced to 3 months in Newcastle City Gaol.

Yes, We Should Record Them

The argument for recording family secrets is that they are an important part of family history, and that future generations deserve to know the truth about their family members. In some cases, the family secrets may involve “hidden” family members (such as half-siblings from an affair, siblings who were adopted out, and so on) which can be important for family members to know. In other cases, the family secrets could have medical implications—such as a history of depression or even suicide in the family; if this is recorded, it can give future generations a heads-up in regards to keeping an eye on their mental health. 

No, We Shouldn’t Record Them

The argument against recording family secrets is that they were made secret for a reason and that recording them and drudging them up will only hurt people in the process. Dark family secrets may not have any benefit for the family, particularly in regards to some family members having affairs or double lives that don’t technically impact anyone else. In some cases, the secrets could even have consequences; for instance, “secret” children may have a claim to their parent’s estate or financial holdings after they pass.

If the secret is particularly dark, then it may be more harmful than helpful to record it and expose it for other family members (or even the world) to know.

Final Thoughts

There is no easy answer as to whether or not you should record dark family secrets and preserve them, or let them fade away with time. Hopefully, the above guide will give you some food for thought to consider when you (and/or your family) are considering recording those family secrets which might otherwise be kept hidden.

What good things have you learnt from your parents? Click here to find out more!

Check out our 10 questions to ask your parents before it's too late! 

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.

How can I restore old photos?

How can I restore old photos?

It’s not uncommon for old family photographs to take on wear and tear over the years. A crease here, a rip there—faded details from sunlight after being left in a picture frame by the windowsill. However, no one wants the family history kept in these photos to fade away; and there are few things that bring a smile to someone’s face than showing them restored old family photographs from their youth. If you want to restore the family memories kept in damaged old photos, take a look at this guide that will help you restore your old photos.

How to Restore Old Photos

There are several different options for restoring old photos, but the simplest way for the everyday person to restore them is through computer photo editing programs. There are both free and paid programs that can help you digitally restore old photos, which can then be printed out after they’re restored so you have a “clean” copy.

Scan and Digitally Restore

The first thing you need to do with your old family photographs is scan them. Use a good quality scanner so that the digital file is as high quality as possible, as this will make it easier to restore problems and result in a better looking finished restoration. 

Once you scan the file, you’ll need to open up a photo editing program. There are two primary options you’ll want to consider for restoration: Photoshop and Gimp.

Photoshop

Photoshop is a paid program which comes with countless features that can help you restore and edit your family history photos. Photoshop also comes with built-in tools that can help you quickly and easily restore many types of damage, include creases, missing segments of a photo, and even discoloration. If you are looking for a full-service photo editing program that really gets the job done, it may be worth it to buy Photoshop—especially if you plan on restoring lots of photos or you have other uses for a photo editing software program.

Gimp

Gimp is the most advanced free photo editing software around, which has often earned it the nickname “free Photoshop.” Although Gimp doesn’t have quite as many features as Photoshop, it does have a number of features that are ideal for restoring old photos. You can “heal” cracks and creases, revert everything to greyscale to eliminate discoloration, remove spots, and so on. Gimp’s interface can be confusing, but if you’d rather opt for something free, it’s a good option.

Once you have the photos restored, don’t forget to save them! Then you can have them printed out with any photo printing service and share with the rest of the family.

Preserve Original Photos for Future Generations 

One last thing: just because an old family photograph is damaged doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be part of your family history. After scanning the photo, preserve it in archival-friendly plastic and tuck it away somewhere safe so that future generations will be able to look at it in the future.

To learn how to make family videos from photos click here.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

To learn which free video editing software is the best click here.

Ideas for Messages from your Grandparents to Your Newborn

Ideas For Messages From Your Grandparents To Your Newborn.

Grandparents are someone we turn to when we want family advice; they are also a keen source of our cherished family memories. Unfortunately, your grandparents will not always be around—and your children may not get to experience the same love, wisdom and happiness with your grandparents that you got to experience as a child. Thankfully, with the advent of modern technology, it is easier than ever to preserve your family memories of your grandparents through technology: more specifically, by recording them on video.

Why you should record Your Grandparents for Your Newborn Baby

Family history is so important, and your children deserve to know who their grandparents were; and because it is so easy to record videos in today’s age, they can not only know who they were but have their own special memories of them via recordings. Your grandparents can record special messages to your children that they can watch over and over again. The following are some ideas that you can give your grandparents in terms of what they might record for your children.

Ideas for messages/videos that your grandparents can record

Try out these ideas when pitching the concept of having your grandparents record some special videos for your children to watch when they are older so that they too will get to enjoy the family advice and love from your grandparents.

Recording a favourite story

Why not have your grandparents read a favourite story or two on video? You can pick one of your favourite childhood books so that the memory will be cherished by both you and your child in the future. Children love to hear stories, and the ability to hear a story read by a grandparent who has since passed away will be something that children appreciate and cherish as the years go on.

Giving advice for each child

You can also suggest that your grandparents give family advice for your child or children! The advice can range from suggestions based on their personal experience to advice as they grow older and so much in between. This is a great way for your grandparents to feel appreciated for the advice and wisdom that they have to share with the rest of the family. If possible, your grandparents could record advice for different stages in life. For instance, recording advice for when your children graduate high school, before they get married, and so on.

Telling stories about their childhood

Your children will definitely appreciate getting to hear all about their grandparent’s lives. You can ask your grandparent’s to record their favourite stories from their childhood, such as the time they went down the tallest sledding hill in the neighbourhood or when they first went to school. Not only will your children appreciate these stories, but the rest of the family as well! 

These are just a few ideas to pitch to your grandparents; ask them if there is anything specific they would like to record so that it can be passed down to your children as well.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

How to put DVDs of family home videos onto the cloud.

How to put DVDs of family home videos onto the cloud.

If you have DVDs of your family films, then you already know how fun it is to pop in a DVD and relive your family history at the push of a button. But did you know that DVDs are actually quite limiting when it comes to sharing and preserving family movies? Let’s take a closer look at the limitations of family films on DVD and how you can transfer the DVDs of your family movies onto the cloud to the benefit of your entire family—and to the benefit of preserving your family history.

Limitations of Using DVDs for Family Videos

DVDs are a step up from VHS, which is now an outdated method of film preservation. However, there are still some limitations with having family movies on DVDs. The two most significant limitations are as follows. One, the fact that DVDs do not last forever: They can be lost, scratched and eventually will not work due to the natural degradation of the DVD material. The second limitation is that you can’t easily share DVDs with other people in your family, which makes sharing family movies more difficult than it has to be; for instance, if you want to share your childhood home movies with your sister who lives across the country, there’s no easy way to make a copy of the DVD for her.

The solution to this problem is simple: transfer DVDs to the digital cloud. This way, family history and family films can be shared using an easy digital file that can be sent to whomever you would like. The file will also be backed up on the cloud, so that if something ever happens to the DVD, you have a copy and your family history isn’t lost.

How to Transfer DVDs onto the Digital Cloud

Now that you know that you want to transfer your family movies DVDs onto the cloud, all you need to do is follow the step by step guide that will teach you how to back up your DVDs on the cloud for easy sharing and storage.

Step One: Transfer the DVDs to a computer

You will first need to transfer the DVD files onto a computer. This will almost always require using a software program, since most DVDs are encoded and it’s not as simple as dragging a file onto your laptop or computer desktop.

Step Two: Check the format

Once you have the DVD video files onto your computer, you will need to make sure they are in an accessible format. The most accessible format today is “.mp4,” so this is the format you should aim for, as it can be viewed on almost all smart phones, laptops, computers and tablets. If you are using a software program, it will give you the option to choose the format.

Step Three: Upload to your preferred cloud—and share!

Next, upload it to your preferred cloud service such as Google Drive. Then share with friends and family and enjoy the fact that your family history is now accessible and preserved.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

To learn which free video editing software is the best click here.