![\"christmas](\"http:\/\/genealogy.julietarr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/GenGiftList2016.jpg\" "\\"christmas")
<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nYour guide to genealogy-related gift ideas to add to
your own<\/u> holiday wish list!<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Genealogical Reference Books<\/strong><\/h6>\nThere are so many books to choose from, but these are my go-to books and I recommend them for anyone working on their genealogy. <\/p>\n
\n- Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 While this book is available through the Ancestry.com Wiki<\/a>, I prefer the book version. I can highlight it, stick post-its all over it, write notes, and flip back and forth with ease. Although this latest edition was published in 2004, it\u2019s still a valuable resource. It\u2019s organized by state and goes through the various records types and repositories. Handy tables for each state show each county, along with its formation date (and if it was formed from another county), and the beginning dates for vital, land, probate, and court records. Some states, like Connecticut, do this by town instead of county.\n
- The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Also available through the Ancestry.com Wiki<\/a>, it\u2019s another book where I prefer the hardcopy for the same reasons mentioned above. Still relevant even seven years after this edition was released, this book is organized by topic and gives a good overview of each topic. Particularly helpful for beginners who are transitioning to more advanced research.\n
- The Researcher\u2019s Guide to American Genealogy, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This book is similar to The Source<\/em> and there is some overlap in topics. However, they\u2019re each presented differently and it\u2019s sometimes better to have both. Each one covers a few topics the other doesn\u2019t.\n
- Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researcher, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 NOT just for professionals, this is a wonderful resource even if you have no plans to do genealogy for a living. It covers a variety of topics from research reports to transcriptions to writing family histories, as well as information targeted at the professional such as business management and marketing.\n
- Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 The preferred standard for citing sources in the genealogy world. While it serves as a reference for endless citation scenarios, the first chapter is dedicated to evidence analysis, which should be read and reviewed often.\n
- Genealogy Standards<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This book documents a set of generally-understood standards in the genealogy community. While it is the basis for those seeking certification through BCG, it is seen as a guide for quality genealogy research for everyone, from beginners to experts.\n
- Mastering Genealogical Proof<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Released last year, this is a workbook to help genealogists understand and use the Genealogical Proof Standard as defined in Genealogy Standards <\/em>(above). Also available for Kindle<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition to these general resources, there are some topic-specific books that I also highly recommend. They include: <\/p>\n
\n- The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy<\/a>\n
- Genetic Genealogy in Practice<\/a>\n
- Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher<\/a>\n
- How to Use Evernote for Genealogy<\/a>\n
- Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures<\/a>\n
- Land & Property Research in the United States<\/a>\n
- Reading Early American Handwriting<\/a>\n
- The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Germanic Ancestry in Europe<\/a>\n
- Finding Your Italian Ancestors<\/a>\n
- Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Fourth Edition<\/a>\n
- Guide to Genealogical Writing<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\nGenealogical Reference Guides<\/h6>\n
<\/strong> <\/p>\n
\n- Genealogical Publishing Co.<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Carries two lines of guides: Genealogy at a Glance<\/a> and QuickSheet<\/a>. These guides cover a variety of topics including Italian genealogy, Revolutionary War, African American genealogy, cluster research, and problem analysis.\n
- Legacy Family Tree<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Has the Legacy QuickGuideTM<\/sup><\/a> series, covering many different topics from preserving family heirlooms to Canadian genealogy to land records. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Genealogical & Historical Non-Reference Books<\/h6>\n
And then there are some fun books, including fiction, worth reading. They include: <\/p>\n
\n- Hey America, Your Roots Are Showing<\/a>\n
- Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist<\/a>\n
- The Journey Takers<\/a>\n
- Only A Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy & Its Aftermath<\/a> (New Edition, 2015)\n
- Annie\u2019s Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret<\/a>\n
- Finding Dolores: An Adoptee’s Mid-Life Search for the Beginning<\/a>\n
- Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA<\/a>\n
- Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Crime Mysteries by Steve Robinson:\n
\n- In the Blood<\/a>\n
- To the Grave<\/a>\n
- The Last Queen of England<\/a>\n
- The Lost Empress<\/a>\n
- Kindred<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Suzanne Adair\u2019s American Revolution mysteries:\n
\n- Paper Woman<\/a>\n
- The Blacksmith\u2019s Daughter<\/a>\n
- Camp Follower<\/a>\n
- Regulated for Murder<\/a>\n
- A Hostage to Heritage<\/a>\n
- Deadly Occupation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- The Forensic Genealogist series by Nathan Dylan Godwin:\n
\n- Hiding the Past<\/a>\n
- The Lost Ancestor<\/a>\n
- The Orange Lilies: A Morton Farrier Novella<\/a>\n
- The American Ground<\/a>\n
- The Spyglass File<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can find more genealogy-related mysteries here<\/a> (there are a bunch!).<\/p>\nMagazines<\/strong><\/h6>\nSome of my favorite genealogy magazines include: <\/p>\n
\n- Family Tree Magazine
![](\"http:\/\/www.linkconnector.com\/traffic_record.php?lc=112674068168004630\")
<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 A one-year subscription includes seven issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n- Your Genealogy Today<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Formerly Family Chronicle<\/em>, a one-year subscription includes six issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n
- Internet Genealogy<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 A one-year subscription includes six issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n
- American Spirit<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 A publication of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, this always has some great articles. You do NOT need to be a member of the DAR to subscribe.\n
- FORUM<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This is a publication of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and includes articles and columns of interest to genealogists as well as society management. Anyone can subscribe to this magazine. Did I mention that I am the managing editor for FORUM<\/em>?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Society Memberships<\/strong><\/h6>\nThere are plenty of genealogical and historical societies out there at all levels: national, regional, state, and local. Two of the more popular national\/regional societies are the National Genealogical Society<\/a> and the New England Historic Genealogical Society<\/a>. Professional-related societies include the Association of Professional Genealogists<\/a> and the American Historical Association<\/a>. To find other societies, start with the listing<\/a> provided at Cyndi\u2019s List<\/a>. <\/p>\nSoftware & Apps<\/strong><\/h6>\nThese are the most popular genealogy database programs: <\/p>\n
\n- Legacy Family Tree<\/a> (PC)\n
- RootsMagic<\/a> (PC)\n
- Family Tree Maker<\/a>
![](\"http:\/\/www.ftjcfx.com\/image-7198466-10470501\")
(PC and Mac)\n- Heredis<\/a> (PC and Mac)\n
- Reunion<\/a> (Mac) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition, there are plenty of other genealogy-related software tools that might be of interest to you: <\/p>\n
\n- Personal Historian<\/a>\n
- Family Atlas<\/a>\n
- Genelines<\/a>\n
- Legacy Charting Companion<\/a>\n
- Evidentia<\/a> (Purchase Evidentia 2 today and it will include a free upgrade to Evidentia 3 when it becomes available.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Want your family tree database on your mobile device? Here are a few apps you might want to try out: <\/p>\n
\n- Families<\/a> (android, works with your Legacy Family Tree database file)\n
- GEDFamilies<\/a> (android, works with any GEDCOM file) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
And don\u2019t forget about photo-editing software to help you preserve your photo collection and documents. I personally use Photoshop<\/a> because I also use several other Adobe products in the Creative Suite<\/a> (now Creative Cloud). I\u2019ve heard that Photoshop Elements<\/a> is a cheaper alternative to Photoshop and still provides a wide range of capabilities suitable to the needs of genealogists. <\/p>\nSubscription Websites<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n- Ancestry.com<\/a>
![](\"http:\/\/www.awltovhc.com\/image-7198466-10470501\")
<\/strong> \u2013 Lots of stuff! Records and indexes, variety of types covering many places. Make sure you specify if you want a US or World subscription.\n- Fold3<\/a>
![](\"http:\/\/www.awltovhc.com\/image-7198466-10967210\")
<\/strong> \u2013 Their focus is on military-related records. However, they also have a big collection of non-military records including city directories, newspapers, and censuses.\n- GenealogyBank<\/a>
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/affiliates.genealogybank.com\/b.aspx?id=657607&mm=3\")
<\/strong>\u2013 Oodles of newspapers at your fingertips. This is my personal favorite website for newspaper research. They also have a Historical Documents collection, which has some rather interesting resources.\n- Findmypast<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Major focus is on the UK and Ireland, however they are adding US record collections.\n
- MyHeritage<\/a><\/strong>
![](\"http:\/\/www.tqlkg.com\/image-7198466-10776885\")
\u2013 Good set of records \u201cincluding the world\u2019s largest collection of newspapers.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOffice Supplies<\/strong><\/h6>\nI love office supplies! I\u2019m always finding new goodies that I find helpful for research. Here are a few that I really like to use.<\/p>\n
There are so many books to choose from, but these are my go-to books and I recommend them for anyone working on their genealogy. <\/p>\n
- \n
- Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 While this book is available through the Ancestry.com Wiki<\/a>, I prefer the book version. I can highlight it, stick post-its all over it, write notes, and flip back and forth with ease. Although this latest edition was published in 2004, it\u2019s still a valuable resource. It\u2019s organized by state and goes through the various records types and repositories. Handy tables for each state show each county, along with its formation date (and if it was formed from another county), and the beginning dates for vital, land, probate, and court records. Some states, like Connecticut, do this by town instead of county.\n
- The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Also available through the Ancestry.com Wiki<\/a>, it\u2019s another book where I prefer the hardcopy for the same reasons mentioned above. Still relevant even seven years after this edition was released, this book is organized by topic and gives a good overview of each topic. Particularly helpful for beginners who are transitioning to more advanced research.\n
- The Researcher\u2019s Guide to American Genealogy, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This book is similar to The Source<\/em> and there is some overlap in topics. However, they\u2019re each presented differently and it\u2019s sometimes better to have both. Each one covers a few topics the other doesn\u2019t.\n
- Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researcher, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 NOT just for professionals, this is a wonderful resource even if you have no plans to do genealogy for a living. It covers a variety of topics from research reports to transcriptions to writing family histories, as well as information targeted at the professional such as business management and marketing.\n
- Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 The preferred standard for citing sources in the genealogy world. While it serves as a reference for endless citation scenarios, the first chapter is dedicated to evidence analysis, which should be read and reviewed often.\n
- Genealogy Standards<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This book documents a set of generally-understood standards in the genealogy community. While it is the basis for those seeking certification through BCG, it is seen as a guide for quality genealogy research for everyone, from beginners to experts.\n
- Mastering Genealogical Proof<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Released last year, this is a workbook to help genealogists understand and use the Genealogical Proof Standard as defined in Genealogy Standards <\/em>(above). Also available for Kindle<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition to these general resources, there are some topic-specific books that I also highly recommend. They include: <\/p>\n
- \n
- The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy<\/a>\n
- Genetic Genealogy in Practice<\/a>\n
- Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher<\/a>\n
- How to Use Evernote for Genealogy<\/a>\n
- Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures<\/a>\n
- Land & Property Research in the United States<\/a>\n
- Reading Early American Handwriting<\/a>\n
- The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Germanic Ancestry in Europe<\/a>\n
- Finding Your Italian Ancestors<\/a>\n
- Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Fourth Edition<\/a>\n
- Guide to Genealogical Writing<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Genealogical Reference Guides<\/h6>\n
<\/strong> <\/p>\n
- \n
- Genealogical Publishing Co.<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Carries two lines of guides: Genealogy at a Glance<\/a> and QuickSheet<\/a>. These guides cover a variety of topics including Italian genealogy, Revolutionary War, African American genealogy, cluster research, and problem analysis.\n
- Legacy Family Tree<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Has the Legacy QuickGuideTM<\/sup><\/a> series, covering many different topics from preserving family heirlooms to Canadian genealogy to land records. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Genealogical & Historical Non-Reference Books<\/h6>\n
And then there are some fun books, including fiction, worth reading. They include: <\/p>\n
- \n
- Hey America, Your Roots Are Showing<\/a>\n
- Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist<\/a>\n
- The Journey Takers<\/a>\n
- Only A Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy & Its Aftermath<\/a> (New Edition, 2015)\n
- Annie\u2019s Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret<\/a>\n
- Finding Dolores: An Adoptee’s Mid-Life Search for the Beginning<\/a>\n
- Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA<\/a>\n
- Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Crime Mysteries by Steve Robinson:\n
- \n
- In the Blood<\/a>\n
- To the Grave<\/a>\n
- The Last Queen of England<\/a>\n
- The Lost Empress<\/a>\n
- Kindred<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Suzanne Adair\u2019s American Revolution mysteries:\n
- \n
- Paper Woman<\/a>\n
- The Blacksmith\u2019s Daughter<\/a>\n
- Camp Follower<\/a>\n
- Regulated for Murder<\/a>\n
- A Hostage to Heritage<\/a>\n
- Deadly Occupation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- The Forensic Genealogist series by Nathan Dylan Godwin:\n
- \n
- Hiding the Past<\/a>\n
- The Lost Ancestor<\/a>\n
- The Orange Lilies: A Morton Farrier Novella<\/a>\n
- The American Ground<\/a>\n
- The Spyglass File<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can find more genealogy-related mysteries here<\/a> (there are a bunch!).<\/p>\n
Magazines<\/strong><\/h6>\n
Some of my favorite genealogy magazines include: <\/p>\n
- \n
- Family Tree Magazine
- Your Genealogy Today<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Formerly Family Chronicle<\/em>, a one-year subscription includes six issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n
- Internet Genealogy<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 A one-year subscription includes six issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n
- American Spirit<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 A publication of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, this always has some great articles. You do NOT need to be a member of the DAR to subscribe.\n
- FORUM<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This is a publication of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and includes articles and columns of interest to genealogists as well as society management. Anyone can subscribe to this magazine. Did I mention that I am the managing editor for FORUM<\/em>?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Society Memberships<\/strong><\/h6>\n
There are plenty of genealogical and historical societies out there at all levels: national, regional, state, and local. Two of the more popular national\/regional societies are the National Genealogical Society<\/a> and the New England Historic Genealogical Society<\/a>. Professional-related societies include the Association of Professional Genealogists<\/a> and the American Historical Association<\/a>. To find other societies, start with the listing<\/a> provided at Cyndi\u2019s List<\/a>. <\/p>\n
Software & Apps<\/strong><\/h6>\n
These are the most popular genealogy database programs: <\/p>\n
- \n
- Legacy Family Tree<\/a> (PC)\n
- RootsMagic<\/a> (PC)\n
- Family Tree Maker<\/a>
- Heredis<\/a> (PC and Mac)\n
- Reunion<\/a> (Mac) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition, there are plenty of other genealogy-related software tools that might be of interest to you: <\/p>\n
- \n
- Personal Historian<\/a>\n
- Family Atlas<\/a>\n
- Genelines<\/a>\n
- Legacy Charting Companion<\/a>\n
- Evidentia<\/a> (Purchase Evidentia 2 today and it will include a free upgrade to Evidentia 3 when it becomes available.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Want your family tree database on your mobile device? Here are a few apps you might want to try out: <\/p>\n
- \n
- Families<\/a> (android, works with your Legacy Family Tree database file)\n
- GEDFamilies<\/a> (android, works with any GEDCOM file) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
And don\u2019t forget about photo-editing software to help you preserve your photo collection and documents. I personally use Photoshop<\/a> because I also use several other Adobe products in the Creative Suite<\/a> (now Creative Cloud). I\u2019ve heard that Photoshop Elements<\/a> is a cheaper alternative to Photoshop and still provides a wide range of capabilities suitable to the needs of genealogists. <\/p>\n
Subscription Websites<\/strong><\/h6>\n
- \n
- Ancestry.com<\/a>
- Fold3<\/a>
- GenealogyBank<\/a>
- Findmypast<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Major focus is on the UK and Ireland, however they are adding US record collections.\n
- MyHeritage<\/a><\/strong>
Office Supplies<\/strong><\/h6>\n
I love office supplies! I\u2019m always finding new goodies that I find helpful for research. Here are a few that I really like to use.<\/p>\n
- Fold3<\/a>
- GEDFamilies<\/a> (android, works with any GEDCOM file) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Family Atlas<\/a>\n
- RootsMagic<\/a> (PC)\n
- Your Genealogy Today<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Formerly Family Chronicle<\/em>, a one-year subscription includes six issues; available in print and electronic versions.\n
- The Lost Ancestor<\/a>\n
- The Blacksmith\u2019s Daughter<\/a>\n
- To the Grave<\/a>\n
- Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist<\/a>\n
- Legacy Family Tree<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Has the Legacy QuickGuideTM<\/sup><\/a> series, covering many different topics from preserving family heirlooms to Canadian genealogy to land records. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Genetic Genealogy in Practice<\/a>\n
- The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, Third Edition<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Also available through the Ancestry.com Wiki<\/a>, it\u2019s another book where I prefer the hardcopy for the same reasons mentioned above. Still relevant even seven years after this edition was released, this book is organized by topic and gives a good overview of each topic. Particularly helpful for beginners who are transitioning to more advanced research.\n