subject: 5 Brick Wall Solutions For Hard to Find Family [print this page] 5 Brick Wall Solutions For Hard to Find Family
Well, you've got worked nearly a year or additional on your family history and now you think that you are at a complete loss and can't proceed any further. You have hit that famous 'Brick Wall" in genealogy. That brick wall might be in reference to at least one individual or a full branch for which you have no documented information. But, by using the following five ideas; you may very presumably have a significant breakthrough in that 'wall'.
First issue is to prepare what information you've got whether or not you have done that every one along. Many times simply going over names, dates, locations, stories and photos again while you categorize them into notebooks or on a family tree database can flip on a light-weight bulb of a affiliation or a tie-in to another relative you haven't thought-about earlier.
Second, consider researching siblings inside that difficult branch. Your great grandfather could have had a rather common given name like John, but his brother could have had an uncommon given name, like Rufus. Additionally the siblings could are a lot of accomplished or noteworthy, so possibly easier to locate. In addition, by checking nice grandfather's cousins if known and his in-laws might offer further clues.
Third, build certain there's accurate info on the individual and that it comes from as several numerous sources as possible. For instance, you believe an ancestor was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Did every census record you find confirm that? On their death certificate and obituary was the same birth location written? Were any youngsters born in the same location or a place nearby?
If the ancestor's oldsters immigrated to the United States, where did they first settle? Was it close to where you thought your ancestor was born? Located that parent's naturalization papers, it will list any children and where they were born. Acquire a copy of the ancestor's social security application (form SS-five), if they lived when 1936, and compare the birth place. By verifying just one item sort of a birth place may lead you on the right ancestral path.
Fourth, one of the largest hindrances will be the varied spellings for surnames and given names. Especially the additional back in time you analysis the less seemingly an ancestor was literate, so the spelling of a reputation would are based mostly on how a clerk thought the name ought to have been written. But, even our ancestors chose to spell and / or pronounce their name differently over the years. Using the Soundex for surnames will be very helpful.
The Soundex is an index of sound codes for names, initial utilized in the 1930s. The index groups a reputation with similar sounds. Each code is a series of a letter then three numbers with the letter representing the start letter of the surname (example: K620). The 3 numbers signify the consonants within the name, never the vowels or 'H', and 'W'. Most databases will permit you to mark if you wish the Soundex used when trying for a surname. Conjointly mess around with the spelling of a reputation, might there are 2 'f's' in the spelling, or was the ending 'sen' instead of 'son'?
Fifth idea, be flexible in your date search. Generally you've got the concept that your grandmother was born in Might 1898 and you merely sought for records with that month and year. Remember, as your grandmother got a very little older she may have simply given a completely different birth month and year, particularly on census records.
If her parents had married in February 1898, she might not need it referred to as the primary child, she was born only 3 months later. Not simply the women, men have modified their ages conjointly, particularly on marriage applications, making themselves younger or older. So invariably move that scale of a birth year several years either manner when researching an ancestor. Plus the birth month could are altered for legitimacy purposes, therefore also regulate the search of months.
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