Adoption has existed in one form or another for much of human history. Whether formal or informal, it can play a significant role in shaping your family tree. This post provides an overview of the history of adoption in the United States and some resources you can use to research adopted ancestors.
Researching Your Female Ancestors
Researching your female ancestors can be difficult. Women can be hard to track because of the standard practice of changing their surnames after marriage. Many historical records also focus on men, with women listed only under their husbands’ names. Here is some guidance for researching female ancestors, including information about sources at the BPL and beyond that you may not have thought to check.
Researching Your African American Ancestors
Resources including books, records, and research guides to help you in researching your African American ancestors at the BPL and beyond.
DNA and Genetic Genealogy
DNA has been a popular topic of discussion in recent times due to advances in DNA testing technology. This allows for the usage of tests in genealogy research, or genetic genealogy.
Researching Your French Heritage
The French were the first to settle in much of Canada and parts of Maine. If your ancestors came from any of these French groups, we have resources to help you.
Researching Your Irish Ancestry
If you have Irish ancestry and you’re researching your family, the BPL has many books and online resources to help you in your search.
Using Newspaper Databases for Family History Research
Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information useful for family history research. Learn how you can access them with your BPL card.
Finding Legal Help When You’re Stuck at Home
Your BPL card gives you access to some useful resources to help you draft some of your legal documents on your own. Learn more here.
Travel to the 19th Century Without Leaving Your Home
Time travel IS possible—through our database, 19th Century U.S. Newspapers. In these pages, you can read about life in urban & small-town America.
Using the Census to Research Your Ancestors
The Census is a great starting point for searching for information about your ancestors. The Census publicly releases individual records after 72 years. The results from the 1950 Census should become available in 2022, and all previous individual Census data is available. Depending on the year, the Census can contain information about a person’s education…
1 - 10 of 15
- Go to page 1
- Go to page 2
- Next page
