Helpful Genealogy Facts

 

 

Family Relationship Chart To find the relationship between two people, first determine the common ancestor you share and your relationship to the common ancestor:

Ancestor Search Cousin Relationship Calculator Use the cousin calculator to determine the family relationship between two people who share a common blood ancestor.

War Timeline - Do you know when your ancestors may have fought in a war? Check out this helpful timeline to find out.

Listing Of Some Early Occupations This list describes the various old occupations of which many are archaic. These are useful to genealogists since surnames usually originated from someone's occupation. Ship's passenger lists, census returns, and other documents used in genealogy may give an ancestor's occupation, this list gives more modern interpretations of those terms.

Common Nicknames of the 18th and 19th Centuries - Are you having issues finding your ancestor? Try looking for a nickname that was commonly used.

 

Glossary of Medical Terms Used in the 18th and 19th Centuries - The following glossary of medical terms was assembled as part of a project on medicine from 1760-1830 but it includes some terms from a wider period. 

Historical Causes of Death -  Death certificates or registers can have information about the cause of death. For records before the mid-20th century, some terms used then are no longer familiar today. There are several websites that give definitions and interpretations to diseases and medical conditions found in these records.

A Listing Of Some Worldwide Epidemics Discover if your ancestors were affected by an epidemic with this list of Major U.S. and worldwide epidemics

 

Gravestone Symbols and Their Hidden Meanings - learn the meanings behind some common (and several uncommon) gravestone symbols. A revelation about your ancestor’s life may just be right in front of you, hidden in plain sight.

Headstone Symbolism -Symbols on Headstones Demystified - This glossary of cemetery symbolism will help you to understand the meaning of the many design elements.