DNA testing is becoming big business in genealogy circles with many people considering paying for their DNA to be tested to give them information about their distant origins.
This week, Dick Eastman reported on his well known blog that California is having a bit of trouble with its health officials who have decided that companies can no longer do DNA tests for individuals without there being a medical reason for it. Apparently its quite common there for people to have themselves or their infants tested to try and get individualised health advice. That could be difficult as predicting the health needs of anyone just by looking at some of their DNA markers might not be very reliable.
At first, people were worried that the ban would extend to DNA tests done for genealogy purposes, but a comment on the blog from someone who has contacted the health official concerned seems to refute this.
DNA genealogy is becoming bigger in the UK now, with many sites growing to allow exchange of information and many companies in the UK also offer tests.
DNA genealogy is just one of the areas of expertise offered by Kathryn Senior, Director of Freelance Copy, a UK based copywriting company offering scientific, technical and general business copywriting services.
21 June 2008
DNA testing links long dead iceman to living relatives
DNA tests done on preserved tissue from Kwaday Dan Ts'inchi – a name that means "Long Ago Person Found" confirmed that he was related to people from the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations community.
Chief Diane Strand of the Champagne and Ashihik First Nations organised the DNA tests on 241 people, all of native descent and local to British Columbia, Alaska and the Yukon. The results showed that 17 of them had very similar DNA markers to the iceman.
This sort of project uses modern technology to bring the past to greater relevance to people today and strengthens cultural bonds in native communities. Recently, scientists also used DNA technology to examine the remains of vikings buried for 1000 years - read the full story...
Chief Diane Strand of the Champagne and Ashihik First Nations organised the DNA tests on 241 people, all of native descent and local to British Columbia, Alaska and the Yukon. The results showed that 17 of them had very similar DNA markers to the iceman.
This sort of project uses modern technology to bring the past to greater relevance to people today and strengthens cultural bonds in native communities. Recently, scientists also used DNA technology to examine the remains of vikings buried for 1000 years - read the full story...
Durham Records Online puts Sunderland burial records online
Durham Records Online is a great site that I came across only very recently. If you have ancestry in the northeast of England, this is well worth a look.
Some of the most recent records to be added are 130 000 burial records from Sunderland which have been transcribed and fully and can be searched for free on the site, althought viewing the records does require purchase of credits.
Durham Records Online confirms that the following records are included:
Sunderland Holy Trinity burials 1719-1812
Monkwearmouth St. Peter burials 1683 - 1919 and its successor burial ground, Mere Knolls Cemetery at Fulwell from 1856 to 1904.
Southwick Holy Trinity burials 1844 - 1988 and its successor burial ground, Marley Pots Cemetery 1884 - 1901.
Bishopwearmouth St. Michael & All Angels burials 1569 - 1856. (Most burials 1839-1856 were at Rector's Gill (aka Galley's Gill) cemetery)
Bishopwearmouth Cemetery from its opening in May 1856 to the end of 1876.
According to information from Durham Records Online, the burial records provide information on whether the person buried was a Roman Catholic until 1864. After that the nummber of burials increased, so the practice of adding this information was stopped.
Quakers and Jews were buried in designated areas of the cemetary and was one of the first cemeteries in the north east to have a separate Jewish section. For that reason, burials of Jews from all over the north east took place here.
The cemetery transcription is not yet complete but is in progress and more records will be added towards the end of 2008.
For family historians, these records are very rich in useful information - giving the address of the person buried, the names of their father, mother and children in some cases, or their husband or wife. Sometimes the professions of relatives are also included.
Some of the most recent records to be added are 130 000 burial records from Sunderland which have been transcribed and fully and can be searched for free on the site, althought viewing the records does require purchase of credits.
Durham Records Online confirms that the following records are included:
Sunderland Holy Trinity burials 1719-1812
Monkwearmouth St. Peter burials 1683 - 1919 and its successor burial ground, Mere Knolls Cemetery at Fulwell from 1856 to 1904.
Southwick Holy Trinity burials 1844 - 1988 and its successor burial ground, Marley Pots Cemetery 1884 - 1901.
Bishopwearmouth St. Michael & All Angels burials 1569 - 1856. (Most burials 1839-1856 were at Rector's Gill (aka Galley's Gill) cemetery)
Bishopwearmouth Cemetery from its opening in May 1856 to the end of 1876.
According to information from Durham Records Online, the burial records provide information on whether the person buried was a Roman Catholic until 1864. After that the nummber of burials increased, so the practice of adding this information was stopped.
Quakers and Jews were buried in designated areas of the cemetary and was one of the first cemeteries in the north east to have a separate Jewish section. For that reason, burials of Jews from all over the north east took place here.
The cemetery transcription is not yet complete but is in progress and more records will be added towards the end of 2008.
For family historians, these records are very rich in useful information - giving the address of the person buried, the names of their father, mother and children in some cases, or their husband or wife. Sometimes the professions of relatives are also included.
19 June 2008
Cheshire tithe map project latest news
The Cheshire tithe map project is now complete and the online maps are now searcheable for most parts of Cheshire. The maps have been digitized and can be viewed in detail, and the tithe apportionments have been made available as searcheable name indexes.
This is a very valuable resource for family historians with Cheshire ancestors.
This is a very valuable resource for family historians with Cheshire ancestors.
16 June 2008
Acid free storage materials now at Family Tree Folk
Family Tree Folk now supplies acid free storage wallets for certificates, and the binders to keep them in.
The long certificate binders suitable for storing original, old style certificates are available and we have two different types of acid free pocket. The standard polypropylene, which come in packs of 10, and the ultra clear polyester certificate wallets, which are in packs of 5.
We also have A4 certificate binders which fit the A4 landscape acid free pockets or the A4 portrait acid free pockets. These will be on the website very soon!
To keep your certificates organised, we also have acid free card inserts for the certificate pockets and acid free tabbed dividers.
For those important explanatory notes we have acid free paper in an attractive cream vellum, acid free pens and acid free glue.
To store your precious family history documents safely, think acid free.
The long certificate binders suitable for storing original, old style certificates are available and we have two different types of acid free pocket. The standard polypropylene, which come in packs of 10, and the ultra clear polyester certificate wallets, which are in packs of 5.
We also have A4 certificate binders which fit the A4 landscape acid free pockets or the A4 portrait acid free pockets. These will be on the website very soon!
To keep your certificates organised, we also have acid free card inserts for the certificate pockets and acid free tabbed dividers.
For those important explanatory notes we have acid free paper in an attractive cream vellum, acid free pens and acid free glue.
To store your precious family history documents safely, think acid free.
21 April 2008
Strangward family history site relaunched
This site replaces the old Strangward site, which as now been deleted from the dircon.co.uk server. It will be upgraded and updated during 2008.
I have been researching my family history since 1999. It has become addictive! This website is intended to communicate with other people researching the same surnames or families, but also as a resource for local history, or just an interesting place to surf.
Strangward in an unusual surname of English/Welsh origin. I trace my line of Strangwards through my grandmother to a family that expanded in and around Huntingdon during the late 1600s, 1700s and 1800s. My great grandparents, Lucy and Thomas Strangward moved to Pontefract in West Yorkshire, from Huntingdon, in the 1890s.
There is also a Strangward family based around Hereford and the Welsh borders. I think the origins of the name lie here, and that the two families are connected, but have yet to prove this.
I have been researching my family history since 1999. It has become addictive! This website is intended to communicate with other people researching the same surnames or families, but also as a resource for local history, or just an interesting place to surf.
Strangward in an unusual surname of English/Welsh origin. I trace my line of Strangwards through my grandmother to a family that expanded in and around Huntingdon during the late 1600s, 1700s and 1800s. My great grandparents, Lucy and Thomas Strangward moved to Pontefract in West Yorkshire, from Huntingdon, in the 1890s.
There is also a Strangward family based around Hereford and the Welsh borders. I think the origins of the name lie here, and that the two families are connected, but have yet to prove this.
11 March 2008
News from the family records centre in London
11 March 2008 - the news was announced that the closure of the Family Records Centre will take place after close of the day on the 15th March 2008. This will come as a blow to people in London used to using the service, which wil now be replaced by services available at the National Archives in Kew. This will include the census returns. Wills proved after 1858 will continue to be available at thePrincipal Registry of the Family Division, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6NP Phone 020 7947 6000.
Certificates for births, marriages and deaths will be available to buy Online, at www.gro.gov.uk• By post from GRO, PO Box 2, Southport. Merseyside, PR8 2JD • By telephoning the GRO at +44 (0)845 603 7788 • From the local register office in the district where the event was registered.
To search the GRO indexes, you can go online to www.findmypast, or ancestry.co.uk if you have a subscription, or free of charge, in person, at the Greater Manchester County Record Office during April 2008), at Birmingham Central Library during April 2008, at Bridgend Reference and Information Library during April 2008, at Plymouth Central Library also during April 2008 and at theNational Archives at Kew during March 2008. Many other libraries have bought the GRO index fiche over the last few years - contact your local library or main county library for details.
See the following for more information about what happens after March and at progress to make the GRO indexes available free online.
Certificates for births, marriages and deaths will be available to buy Online, at www.gro.gov.uk• By post from GRO, PO Box 2, Southport. Merseyside, PR8 2JD • By telephoning the GRO at +44 (0)845 603 7788 • From the local register office in the district where the event was registered.
To search the GRO indexes, you can go online to www.findmypast, or ancestry.co.uk if you have a subscription, or free of charge, in person, at the Greater Manchester County Record Office during April 2008), at Birmingham Central Library during April 2008, at Bridgend Reference and Information Library during April 2008, at Plymouth Central Library also during April 2008 and at theNational Archives at Kew during March 2008. Many other libraries have bought the GRO index fiche over the last few years - contact your local library or main county library for details.
See the following for more information about what happens after March and at progress to make the GRO indexes available free online.
10 March 2008
Update to Cheshire Tithe map project
The project to digitise the tithe maps of Cheshire has now made almost 500 tithe maps available online, with searcheable indexes. In February they added details for the following places in Chesire:
Acton (Acton), Ashley, Bidston, Bredbury, Brereton cum Smethwick, Broxton, Cuddington, Dodcott cum Wilkesley, Elton, Hapsford, Hatherton, Hattersley, Hollingworth, Hoole, Hunsterson, Kinderton cum Hulme, Kingsley, Lower Whitley, Marston (Great Budworth)Marton, Ness, Norbury, Offerton, Overpool and Netherpool, Oxton, Partington, Pickmere, Rostherne, Sproston, Stapeley, Stockton, Stublach, Swettenham, Tranmere, Walgherton, Willington.
The online maps and data enable researchers to find out where their ancestors lived, or for the occupier of an old house to find out who lived their in the 1850s. You can discover what the land was used for, even if your house wasn't built then. The site also offers the change to compare the old maps with modern maps and aerial photographs.
Acton (Acton), Ashley, Bidston, Bredbury, Brereton cum Smethwick, Broxton, Cuddington, Dodcott cum Wilkesley, Elton, Hapsford, Hatherton, Hattersley, Hollingworth, Hoole, Hunsterson, Kinderton cum Hulme, Kingsley, Lower Whitley, Marston (Great Budworth)Marton, Ness, Norbury, Offerton, Overpool and Netherpool, Oxton, Partington, Pickmere, Rostherne, Sproston, Stapeley, Stockton, Stublach, Swettenham, Tranmere, Walgherton, Willington.
The online maps and data enable researchers to find out where their ancestors lived, or for the occupier of an old house to find out who lived their in the 1850s. You can discover what the land was used for, even if your house wasn't built then. The site also offers the change to compare the old maps with modern maps and aerial photographs.
Update on findmypast.com
Findmypast is growing rapidly and becoming a fantastic resource for genealogists interested in British family history. It is currently negotiating with UK family history societies to use some of their excellent transcribed data for burials and census details to combine with digitised images for their site, all in association with the Federation of Family History Societies.
The company recently merged with Scotland Online, the company that won the contract to digitise the 1911 census - which is now in progress and which should become searcheable online sometime in 2009. Not long now...
The company recently merged with Scotland Online, the company that won the contract to digitise the 1911 census - which is now in progress and which should become searcheable online sometime in 2009. Not long now...
27 February 2008
2008 electoral roll
The 2008 UK electoral roll is now available on some commercial sites. It pays to look at different sites to find out which is the best value for how many searches you need to do.
As well as the big players, the genealogy site, Findmypast has also introduced an electoral roll search service, which can be done using the site credits. This is probably one of the cheapest was to do electoral roll searches.
Remember though, that about 40% of people on the real electoral register opt out of the one that can be published by companies offering searches. If you can't find someone, they could have opted out of the edited version of the electoral roll and you can't access their information.
Find out more by visiting the Family Tree Folk news page http://www.familytreefolk.co.uk/page_11007.html
As well as the big players, the genealogy site, Findmypast has also introduced an electoral roll search service, which can be done using the site credits. This is probably one of the cheapest was to do electoral roll searches.
Remember though, that about 40% of people on the real electoral register opt out of the one that can be published by companies offering searches. If you can't find someone, they could have opted out of the edited version of the electoral roll and you can't access their information.
Find out more by visiting the Family Tree Folk news page http://www.familytreefolk.co.uk/page_11007.html
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