Why do Ancestry ThruLines match numbers sometimes drop as you move back a generation? A look at my Hutchinson DNA puzzle, what ThruLines numbers really mean, and why documented descendant research matters more than the red numbers. #genealogy #geneticgenealogy #AncestryDNA #ThruLines
For years, my Ancestry tree has contained the records documenting my ancestors’ lives—census records, marriage records, deeds, military files, and obituaries. Those records are invaluable,… Read More »Sharing AI-Assisted Genealogical Biographies on Ancestry
Last week’s Friday Find featured a document I obtained years ago from the Social Security Administration: the original SS-5 application for Percy Ernest Crawford (1893–1978). That… Read More »Sharing a Genealogy Treasure
I think most of us would admit that there are likely errors in our family trees — especially when those trees are large. Because I… Read More »How a Wrong Residence Revealed a Database Problem
Ignore or Decline? A Lesson from Ancestry Hints Do you ever just ignore Ancestry hints instead of taking the time to decide whether they actually… Read More »Ancestry Hints
Genealogy Research Insights Have you ever used SMART goals? If so, you know the “M” stands for measurable. In genealogy, progress is often measured in… Read More »2025 Stats
Have you ever noticed an Ancestry hint for someone who isn’t actually mentioned in the record? While reviewing hints for my great-great-grandparents, I came across… Read More »Following the Leaves: What I Learned from Unexpected Ancestry Hints
Why I Don’t Use Quick and Dirty Trees Have you ever tried using a “quick and dirty tree” to identify a DNA match? After watching… Read More »Quick and Dirty – Not Quite
Rediscovering the Power of Soundex in Genealogy Research Do you remember using Soundex to locate ancestors in the 1900 U.S. Census? I certainly do. I… Read More »Soundex
Using Ancestry’s Photo Hints to Unlock DNA Connections Do you have a long list of DNA matches on Ancestry and feel overwhelmed trying to figure… Read More »Clues to DNA Matches