almostgood asked: Hey there,

So i'm actually going to England this summer (I have tons of ancestral roots there). And I was wondering if you had any tips? I mean, logic tells me to go to those locations. And some of them were quite prominent so I know of some points of interest. Anything else that might be good to know?

Try visiting the local parish (church) in the towns and villages in which your ancestors lived. Ask to see the parish registers. Some of them go back 500 years or more. If you go there knowing the names of some more recent relatives, you can possibly use the parish registers in their hometowns to take your family back dozens of generations.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—More census magic. The 1900 census tells the date that immigrants came to the USA and whether they are naturalized citizens. It also tells how many children a woman has had and how many of those children are still living. For couples who are married, it tells how long they have been married and whether it is their first, second, third, or more marriage. Pure genealogical gold!

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Only the census records from 1850 to the present have the names of everyone in the household available. From 1790 to 1840, only the heads of household were listed. You can still get a good idea of who was living in the household on these early census records, though, because they list how many males and females within certain age ranges were living there. You can sometimes identify an ancestor from that information alone!

Today’s Genealogy Tip—The census is your friend. Most people really start making new discoveries about their families in the census. Don’t just look for your relatives in obvious places, either. Look for them in surrounding towns, with other relatives, and even in orphanages and boarding houses. You never know what you’ll find in the census that will deepen the story of your family and lead you to new generations you have yet to discover.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Don’t forget to check any memorial parks in the towns in which your ancestors lived. These aren’t cemeteries, but places where statues, plaques, and bricks are placed to commemorate certain people, events, and landmarks. Your ancestor may be honored in one of these places and seeing the memorial may give you more personal information on him or her that you didn’t have before.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Genealogy can make a great Christmas gift, and help others in the family appreciate their heritage. Scrapbooks, old family recipe books, printed and framed family tree charts, memberships to genealogy websites or organizations, and framed photos of long gone ancestors are all perfect presents to place under the tree for your loved ones.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Don’t forget to keep your genealogy research organized! For those of you with regular access to a computer, a good family tree program is all you need. Family Tree Maker is highly recommended. If you don’t have a computer or prefer to not use one, then invest in some pre-printed family tree chart…s and family group sheets to keep everything organized and easily accessed.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Newspaper records are an excellent source of genealogical infomation, and can help fill in gaps in the family tree when no other records exist. You can find lots of old newspaper records online going back to the 1700s. Just type in your ancestor’s name to see if he or she shows up. GenealogyBank.com has a particularly good set of searchable old newspaper records available.

Today’s Genealogy Tip—Don’t neglect your local courthouse (or the courthouse where your ancestors lived). Some contain vital records, wills, probate, and court case files going back two centuries or more. Some only contain recent information. But you never know what you might find out about your ancestors if you don’t check!

Today’s Genealogy Tip—If your ancestor ever purchased land from the federal government or was a homesteader, you can get those land records from the National Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Find out if your ancestor is included in these records by going to the online index at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/beta/search/default.aspx