Research.

I’ve taken some time out of my regular schedule and returned to my own research. I have been investigating my father’s line backward, as you do! I have been looking at my ancestors and where I have come from for a very long time. This has been well over 45 years. I’m still learning and making discoveries. More on this in a moment.

Websites.

At the time of writing this, mid-January 2025, I appear to have located my fifth great-grandfather and his father.

In my offline records, I have been checking the details. I have also been adding any information that may have been missing. I am now adding many additional relatives, I never knew anything about.

Now, back in the mid-1700s, I was able to verify information, usually via Parish records. I’ve been using online websites, in particular, Find My Past, Ancestry, and The Genealogist.

Data Protection.

I have also used My Heritage and Family Search. However, these two sites have added security.

I use a VPN and both the sites block my access. Both sites advised I needed to remove my VPN to gain access. I have refused and advised both sites that I prefer to secure my own data rather than have their organisations attempt to control my security. I have written to both organisations and to date have had no positive responses. My Heritage takes my money but doesn’t seem to be interested in my data protection. Family Search is free and now I hardly use it, due to this issue.

Using DNA.

What I am finding and how I am ensuring data is correct? As part of my guide, I am using my offline family history database.

I compared this to a relative’s tree that I have located online, usually via DNA. I printed each family profile which shows the parents and their children. I then compare this detail to my own.

I write on the printed sheet(s) then go searching to prove or disprove the information. All data collected on my database is cited and sourced.

Children.

The process I use is quite intensive. I check online records within the three good websites. I compare the details noting any differences between my database, my relative’s online tree, and what I found online. I update my direct ancestors.

I verify any children and ask questions (to myself) about possible gaps of any missing children. The rule I use is: A child is born roughly every two years. Anything longer, I investigate as much as I can. So far to date, no extra children have been found.

Old School.

Since my ancestors are mostly from the UK, I use the UK census records from 1841 through to 1921, plus the 1939 register. I am still fairly old school by downloading records to my computer and printing them out.

On these printouts, I write notes, my thoughts, and questions that come up. Eventually answering or dismissing them. Currently, I’ve been going through each family unit. Once I have completed all of these, I will return to each ancestor to update their children.

Any marriages found are added to my database as I go. It may be the long way round but I ensure all data is correct before I add the bulk of information. I am only working on one line, at present but think it will work the same for all my lines.

Ancestor Wives.

Other things to take into account are the wives of each ancestor. This adds to the tree as my research expands. It isn’t a priority, as I have a huge amount of details to add already.

However, it will expand the tree further as well as adding more relatives. It is exciting locating all the extras. Finding where they’d lived and what occupations each person had. I have come across some interesting ones.

Surname Variant.

My biggest discovery was my own surname as a variation of its spelling.

I had issues with locating my fifth great-grandfather. Why was his surname recorded differently? I had never come across this surname variant. I only found out about it because it was shown in another record. It is strange because it reminded me of meeting some distant cousins back in the 1980s. This spelling was the way they spoke the surname. I had never thought to ask why they said it the way they did. I had thought it was just their Suffolk/ Essex way of saying it. Who would have guessed?

Now back to…

Explore & Discover.

Acknowledgements:

All pictures have been taken from Pexels.