Just getting started researching a Connecticut ancestor? Here are five of my favorite research “secrets.” There’s no such thing as “New England genealogy”: Yes, there are some common patterns among the different New England states due to shared heritage (many originated from MA Bay Colony), but they are different states. If you assume common recordContinue reading “5 Secrets of Connecticut Genealogy from a Professional Genealogist”
Author Archives: Bryna O'Sullivan
5 Tips for Connecting With Cousins: Finding Descendants of a Connecticut Ancestor
Connecting with cousins can be one of the best parts of genealogy research. Building a connection can not only help you find new family artifacts, but also meet new people interested in the same topics you are. So how do you find cousins who also share your Connecticut ancestors?1. Take advantage of queries: Popular inContinue reading “5 Tips for Connecting With Cousins: Finding Descendants of a Connecticut Ancestor”
5 Tips for a Successful Town Hall Trip
If a town hall is on your next onsite Connecticut research trip “to visit” list, these five tips can make the process a little easier: Explore FamilySearch, Ancestry, the Connecticut State Library and the town’s website first: Many Connecticut vital records; probate records; land records; newspapers and gravestone transcriptions have already been digitized. A reviewContinue reading “5 Tips for a Successful Town Hall Trip”
Tracing a “founder”: Connecticut Lineage Societies
Discovering tie to a “founder” (typically a white, male, British founder) of a Connecticut town can be a fun reason to delve into your family history. For many genealogists, knowing the name is not enough. They’d also like to know the individual’s history and perhaps meet some cousins. A Connecticut lineage society may be ableContinue reading “Tracing a “founder”: Connecticut Lineage Societies”
Connecticut Historical Societies with Genealogists’ Files
When researching your family history, it can be helpful not to reinvent the wheel! Professional genealogists have been tracing Connecticut families for decades. Some of their findings may be published in publications such as the Register, the Nutmegger, and more or in books. Even if they never got around to publishing a finding, their workContinue reading “Connecticut Historical Societies with Genealogists’ Files”
Need help to better understand the sources used in Connecticut genealogy?
Finding the sources that discuss your ancestor is only part of the puzzle. To use them effectively, you need to understand how the source was created and why so that you understand what was put, in what was left out, and more. Four websites can be especially helpful for developing context. ConnecticutHistory.org: A product ofContinue reading “Need help to better understand the sources used in Connecticut genealogy?”
Is treating Connecticut genealogy as “New England genealogy” really the best approach?
Regional genealogy is becoming increasingly popular in professional genealogy, both as a way to establish professional expertise and to teach. While not a new concept, the idea has begun to supplant a state centered focus over the last decade or so. Instead of focusing on Connecticut, the genealogist using regional genealogy focuses on New EnglandContinue reading “Is treating Connecticut genealogy as “New England genealogy” really the best approach?”
5 Tips for Using FamilySearch for Researching Connecticut Ancestors
I hear often from researchers that they’ve started researching their Connecticut family on specific genealogy websites and skipped FamilySearch because it feels hard to use. They’ve accidentally missed one of the best resources for digitized Connecticut genealogy records (and more). While FamilySearch is a challenging to navigate website, learning how to use it can makeContinue reading “5 Tips for Using FamilySearch for Researching Connecticut Ancestors”
My French-Canadian ancestor isn’t recorded in Connecticut vital records. How do I document their birth, marriage, or death?
Connecticut’s statewide “compliance date” for birth, death, and marriage records is 1 July 1897. Yet, it’s not unheard of to have a hard time finding vital records after that time period for an immigrant ancestor and can be very hard before, even though records were technically required. Why? There are two common reasons for missingContinue reading “My French-Canadian ancestor isn’t recorded in Connecticut vital records. How do I document their birth, marriage, or death?”
Stuck on a Connecticut research problem? Here are five places you can go for help.
FamilySearch: The FamilySearch Wiki hosts how to information on Connecticut genealogy. Connecticut State Library: Genealogists love the Connecticut State Library and for good reason! From resources guides to helpful library staff, CSL should be familiar to every genealogist. Genealogical societies in state: Connecticut genealogical societies offer journals, research help, classes, and more. For a startingContinue reading “Stuck on a Connecticut research problem? Here are five places you can go for help.”
