Author Archives: Bryna O'Sullivan

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.

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?”

5 Websites to Try for Researching Connecticut Genealogy

When you’re getting started researching ancestors living in a new area, it can be easy to stick to familiar websites and databases. That may serve you well in some cases. In others, it may result in missing out on valuable educational opportunities and family records. Here are five new websites to try for researching ConnecticutContinue reading “5 Websites to Try for Researching Connecticut Genealogy”

Connecticut Statutes: Resources for Genealogy

Understanding the law that lead to the creation of genealogical records can be crucial in understanding the record. The law can help explain who was named in a record, why, and how. It can explain who was left out. It can also point us to records we may not have seen yet. So how doContinue reading “Connecticut Statutes: Resources for Genealogy”

How do I find my Connecticut ancestor’s obituary?

An obituary can be a valuable resource for genealogical research. Obituaries often list information on major life events, family relationships, and more. How do you find one for your Connecticut ancestor? Obituaries as we think of them today begin in the late 19th century. Prior to that, Connecticut newspapers tended to provide what are calledContinue reading “How do I find my Connecticut ancestor’s obituary?”

Connecticut County Records: What do genealogists need to know?

Connecticut’s county system was abolished 1 October 1960, meaning that no functions are currently managed by the county within the state. In a 1998 memo, Judy A. Watson listed 9 functions of the county government system at its peak: Genealogists will most likely run into county records when researching ancestors who a) interacted with theContinue reading “Connecticut County Records: What do genealogists need to know?”