Our DNA guru, Karen Evans, has a wealth of great advice for sharpening your DNA skills. If you want to go further and really make the most of your results, why not sign up for her DNA Discoveries webinar, starting next week. https://f.mtr.cool/jrnucplylh

👊🧱 Beat your brickwalls! Track conflicting information instead of ignoring it. Create a note listing every conflicting birth date/place and which record it came from. Patterns usually emerge that point to the most reliable source.

Got a genealogy plan… or just a growing pile of “I’ll look that up later”? 😅 Missed Helen’s brilliant webinar on creating a focused family history plan? No worries! Family Tree Plus members can watch it anytime - plus get access to 100s of inspiring family history videos 🌳✨

On this week's podcast, Nathan reaches a big milestone - finding the final missing 3x great-grandparent 🎉 But is that 32nd name really his? 🌳 Plus, Helen gives us an update on her ‘out and down’ project. Listen to the full episode here: https://f.mtr.cool/kolnettieq

When researching Scottish ancestors, always note parish names - not just towns. Most early Scottish records are organised by parish, not modern geography – in fact many of the records of baptism, marriage and burial are nicknamed the OPRs (The Old Parochial Registers).

📣 Have you taken a DNA test yet? What did you make of the results? 🧬 According to our survey, only 20% of family historians feel confident using their DNA results. 👉 See the insights here: https://f.mtr.cool/iwlttmrmjk

🌳💡 Tree Tip Tuesday! Look for Electoral Records between Census years Records of those eligible to vote can confirm residence, age eligibility, and even death windows when other records are missing.

In the 1680s, hundreds of Scots left Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Montrose to settle in New Jersey, part of a politically backed bid to secure Scotland’s stake in America.   Now, a new website, East Jersey Bound, reveals their stories: https://f.mtr.cool/yrytzygjcz

Are you one of the millions of people around the world with Welsh roots? Discover the best Welsh genealogy records with Family Tree's family history guide. https://f.mtr.cool/sfumkhwcxd

👊🧱 Beat Your Brickwalls - Search the Same Event in Different Jurisdictions Births, marriages, and deaths near a border may be recorded in a neighbouring jurisdiction. Always check adjacent parishes and counties.

Before the 1700s, Scots often changed surnames every generation. Donald MacIan → Angus MacDonald. Why it matters: If your Scottish line seems to vanish, try searching by first name + location, not surname alone. Brick wall? Try tracing fathers, not last names.

This week on the podcast, cohosts Nathan & Helen share smart ways to manage your Ancestry tree your way 🌳 From handling hints and merging duplicates to making sure living relatives stay private - plus more practical tips to keep your tree tidy! https://f.mtr.cool/sahmkzoajf

Tomorrow night! Our friends at History Scotland host a fascinating webinar on Vikings in the Hebrides. Professor Niall Sharples explores the archaeological evidence of Viking incursions along Scotland’s western seaboard. https://f.mtr.cool/tenyejefja

Join us at 12:30 today (GMT) for our February Family Tree DNA Club webinar, at which Karen Evans will be tutoring us in some key dos and don’ts for using DNA for family history. Sign up here: https://f.mtr.cool/ziowmztiym

Look for Multiple Death Records. Some ancestors have more than one death record (for instance, a death certificate, a burial register entry, a headstone, probate records). Comparing them can reveal conflicting - and revealing - details about family connections, addresses & more.

Find out how passenger lists can help you find ancestors who travelled to the UK from overseas, or left Britain for a new life. Our handy guide will help you trace your ancestors on the move. https://f.mtr.cool/vqzqrfguyo

Join us for the February Family Tree DNA Club webinar, at which Karen Evans will be tutoring us in some key dos and don’ts for using DNA for family history. https://f.mtr.cool/uocvbffuux

Find the missing links - Study the Witnesses, Informants, and Bondsmen Names on marriage bonds, deeds, and death certificates are rarely random. Researching them often reveals relatives or long-term associates.

Scottish parish records date back to the 1500s, centuries before civil registration. Baptism, marriage, and burial records can extend your family tree far earlier than expected.

🌳🎧 On this week's podcast cohosts Nathan and Helen chat about Nate’s on-going project to find all his 3x great-grandparents, and Helen reflects on the value of revisiting your research... https://f.mtr.cool/fpcupvjoux

The Highland Clearances forced thousands of Scots off ancestral land in the 18th–19th centuries. A sudden move to Canada, the U.S., or Australia may not have been a choice. Read up on the history of Scotland and gain valuable contextual information about your ancestors.

🌳💡 Tree Tip Tuesday! Search for women by first name + spouse only For married women with unknown maiden names, search records using only their first name and husband’s name. This can surface marriage or probate records that indexed her differently.

🌳🗺️ Discover how to use maps as a key part of your family history research to plot where your ancestors lived and worked, to discover crucial clues and to make so much more sense of your family history findings. https://f.mtr.cool/cyrqpmuxzb

JOIN US TONIGHT for Steve Roberts' Study Club webinar: From the time of King Alfred: a whistlestop history of royal lineage. Don't miss out, sign up now! https://f.mtr.cool/dymnvtoaro

👊🧱 Beat Your Brickwalls - Identify the first record where a person appears - Instead of focusing on where they vanish, ask: What is the earliest record where they definitely exist? That often narrows birthplace or migration clues.

Join us at 1pm (GMT) today for an interview with genealogical novelist Nathan Dylan Goodwin, as he discusses his latest novel, The Hop-Picker Murders. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/behind-the-scenes-of-the-hop-picker-murders-with-nathan-dylan-goodwin-tickets-1980374015992?aff=oddtdtcreator

On this week's podcast, Helen shares an intriguing discovery from a listener - a potential connection to Nathan… or at least to some of his ancestors! Plus, Nathan gives an update on his quest to add all 32 of his 3×great-grandparents to his tree. https://f.mtr.cool/znjsiebwbh

Last night we held our first expert discussion panel on Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors, with advice from National Records Scotland, Scotland's People, the University of Strathclyde, and expert genealogist Chris Paton. Watch here: https://f.mtr.cool/anouwbzley

Scottish Family History Month: Back in 1746, The Dress Act forbade the wearing of Highland Dress – and that included tartan. This wasn’t repealed for three decades. It wasn’t until the Victorian era and the Highland Revival that most clan tartans were standardised.

Use “Cluster Searching” in Census records. When an ancestor disappears, search for known neighbours from the previous census. Families often migrated together, and neighbours can lead you right to them. This might seem a lot of work... but you might find your elusive kin!

Join our next Study Club meeting, at which Steve Roberts will be presenting on royal lineage, from the time of King Alfred the Great through to the 20th century https://f.mtr.cool/pykiwedjjh

If your home’s more than a few years old, you’ve likely wondered who lived there before, what it looked like, and how the area’s changed. Our house history guide shows how to uncover clues about when it was built and who lived there before. https://f.mtr.cool/qqjfhnxikd

Create a timeline from scratch, using only records you’ve personally verified (no trees, no hints). Gaps and contradictions will often point directly to what record you need next. Similarly, corroborating information may help you assess the details more likely to be correct.

Join us, 5 February, as Helen Tovey will be interviewing genealogical novelist Nathan Dylan Goodwin about his latest mystery crime - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/behind-the-scenes-of-the-hop-picker-murders-with-nathan-dylan-goodwin-tickets-1980374015992?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌳🎧 On this week's podcast, Nathan and Helen roll up their sleeves and get going again on the quest to trace Nathan’s ancestors in Scotland. Plus Helen talks about the benefits of using maps as a part of your family history research https://rss.com/podcasts/familytreetalk/2472060/

🌳💡 Tree Tip Tuesday! Search siblings, not just ancestors! If you’re stuck on a direct ancestor, search for their siblings’ records. A sister’s marriage record or a brother’s military record may confirm details, or even provide information missing elsewhere.

6.30pm (GMT) tonight, Helen Tovey shares her thoughts and tips on making a genealogy plan – so that over the year ahead we can each look forward to accomplishing those genealogy goals. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/making-a-great-genealogy-plan-for-2026-tickets-1978888802679?aff=oddtdtcreator

Got Scottish roots? Discover the best Scottish genealogy websites and record collections to trace your ancestors with our handy guide. Next week, we kick off Scottish Family History Month - don’t miss it! https://www.family-tree.co.uk/how-to-guides/trace-scottish-ancestors

Join the Family Tree Brickwalls webinar, 27 Jan, with Helen Tovey on creating a winning genealogy plan, plus special guest Karen Evans sharing DNA goals to smash those brick walls in 2026. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/making-a-great-genealogy-plan-for-2026-tickets-1978888802679?aff=oddtdtcreator

“There’s gold in them there hills!” ⛏️✨ This week in 1848, the California Gold Rush began—sending thousands on the move and changing occupations overnight. Did one of your ancestors chase the dream?

🌳🎧 In this week's episode of Family Tree Talk podcast cohosts Nathan and Helen reflect on death certificates: Why order them? What can you learn from them? What clues and insights do they provide beyond the cause of death? Listen to the full episode: https://rss.com/podcasts/familytreetalk/2458187/

Join us at 12.30pm today (GMT) as Dr Sophie Kay answers your DNA questions and speaks about topics such as the DNA story of humanity, nature v. nurture, and so much more. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dna-club-get-the-answers-to-the-big-questions-tickets-1978835022822?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌳🔎 How well do you know your tree? This week Nathan is asking you to dig around your tree and find your biggest single family group! #knowyourtree #familyhistory #genealogy #familytree

🌳 Tree Tip Tuesday: Sometimes working backwards is the best way forward! Try reading census pages from the last entry up — surprising names can leap out. Have you tried this? #TreeTipTuesday #GenealogyTips #FamilyHistoryResearch

Discover much more about using death records for family tree research, and how these key resources can help you find your ancestors, with our in-depth guide... https://www.family-tree.co.uk/getting-started/death-certificates

In January 1788, the First Fleet arrived in Australia ⚓🇦🇺 Convicts, crimes, sentences, and ship lists were carefully recorded - creating invaluable records for family historians today. Could one of those names be in your tree?

🧬 Do you use DNA in your family history? Love it? Learning it? Or still on the fence? Tell us where you are on your DNA journey by taking our quick survey – and get a free issue of Family Tree magazine as a thank you! Complete the quick survey: https://bit.ly/4pJbNlk

Join us as Dr Sophie Kay puts DNA under the microscope and see what it can tell us about our shared human story and our individual lives. There’ll be time to ask your DNA question too https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dna-club-get-the-answers-to-the-big-questions-tickets-1978835022822?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎧🌳 This week on the podcast, Helen and Nathan look at marriage certificates. Nathan shares a festive family history find - a relative who tied the knot on Christmas Eve 1865 - and Helen has some theories about why that date might have been chosen… https://rss.com/podcasts/familytreetalk/2439628/

📰 Tree Tip Tuesday: Old newspapers are treasure troves - from obituaries to gossip columns! What’s the oddest thing you’ve found? #NewspaperArchives #FamilyHistoryResearch #GenealogyTips