Blog posts

A step by step guide to searching Ellis Island immigration records, including ship manifests, name spelling changes, and where to look after 1924.

Step by step instructions to download your Facebook data archive and Instagram history, including full resolution photos, messages, and posts.

The best journal prompts for couples, organized by your love story, daily life, hard seasons, and the future you are building together.

A practical guide to visiting the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, covering research prep, consultations, and what to expect on arrival.

Learn the real difference between Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal DNA testing, and figure out which one actually has a shot at breaking through your genealogy brick wall.

Zero-knowledge encryption explained in plain English, and what to look for so your digital legacy vault stays private, even from the company storing it.

A step by step guide to the AncestryDNA chromosome painter, including how to tell whether Parent 1 or Parent 2 is your mother or your father.

Learn what Sanborn fire insurance maps recorded about old buildings and neighborhoods, and where to find these detailed historical maps online.

A decade by decade guide to dating old family photos using hemlines, collars, hats, and fabric patterns from the 1840s through the 1960s.

A step by step civil war ancestor search using military records, pension files, and state archives to confirm service and uncover family history.