Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States – All genealogists with any Catholic heritage will want to swallow this book as soon as possible. In “Searching for Sisters,” Sunny McClellan Morton unlocks the key to the long-neglected treasure trove of records pertaining to sisters and nuns. You’ll learn how to find and request them, what to expect, and how to use what you’ve discovered to both tell their stories and push your family’s research forward. A handful of case studies walk you through the process and reveal the kind of gems that can be uncovered. Add it to your library today!

80 million people globally claim Irish ancestry – why the release of 1926 Irish census records is so momentous – Countdown!

Photo Credit: Public Domain

The post Genealogy Roundup, April 22 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island – As this is the last day of March which is both Women’s History Month and Irish-American Heritage Month, I’m sharing links for my book about Annie Moore, the Irish teenager who was the first to arrive at Ellis Island. If you enjoy sleuthing for pockets of history, I think this might appeal to you!

The Woman Who Refuses to Let History Disappear – Whoa! So grateful for this lovely profile by Christina Stanton! Henceforce, please refer to me as “the woman who refuses to let history disappear”!

Photo by Nahrizul Kadri on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, April 1 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

This case was tough because the soldier was both an immigrant and foster child, but I did indeed find relatives from his birth family who could provide DNA reference samples, so I think there’s probably more to the story than is shared here.

Regardless, welcome home Sgt. Roger Laurent Raoul Duquesne. Honored to have researched your family. #hero #KoreanWar

Photo by Joe Richmond on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, March 11 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

After 70 years overseas, he returns to complete the genealogy – Way back on the first TV show I ever worked on, I got to tackle a story involving a Chinese woman who had a family tree that went back 4000 years! This is an article about finding the *recent* missing piece of the puzzle! Fun video, too.

Green-Wood Merchandise Design Contest – If you’ve got some artistic flair, here’s a chance to design for Green-Wood, an amazing cemetery!

Photo by Alyssa Coulter on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, February 18 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

WWII soldier missing since Bataan Death March identified, finally returning home – Local news piece about one the soldiers I researched who’s been identified. While I appreciate that they told this story, it sort of insinuates that the family couldn’t be found or wasn’t all that involved, and I can tell you that they definitely were and are. My guess is that they couldn’t get one of them to interview so took this fellow-veteran approach, and while that’s fine, I wish they had mentioned that James McKinley Walker’s family is very much in the mix. In fact, they were the ones who decided to bury him there. #genealogy

Reclaim The Records Year in Review 2025 – Worth taking a few minutes to see all that Reclaim the Records has done for us just in 2025! #genealogy

Photo by Thomas Kinto on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, January 7 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

‘The hidden engine room’: how amateur historians are powering genealogical research – A salute to dedicated genealogists who create resources for all of us!

Christmas on Ellis Island.

Marriage and the Maiden Name – Interesting discussion

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, December 31 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

About the Author Megan Smolenyak – Seasonal reminder that “The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island” and “In Search of Our Ancestors” make great gifts for genealogists and history buffs! And while you can snag the eBook version in all the usual places (maybe for yourself?!), both the print and digital versions are available directly from BookBaby and you’ll get the paperback more swiftly. Thanks you!

The post Genealogy Roundup, December 3 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Inside the Surprisingly Intense World of Competitive Steinholding – Have my German & German-American friends been holding out? Why have I never heard of steinholding before?

I’m pleased to say that 215 of the soldiers I’ve researched over the years have been identified. This represents roughly 12% of my cases to date and that percentage is slowly inching upward for a variety of reasons. #nomanleftbehind

Photo: John Klemmer, United States Senate Photographic Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The post Genealogy Roundup, November 26 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

An Ancestral Tour of Stephen Colbert’s Family – I see that this article I wrote about Stephen Colbert’s roots is making the rounds again, so I guess I’ll share it as well.

Lies, Damn Lies, and…Primary Sources? – Interesting article from an underutilized resource. Also includes a link to an intriguing collection of prison newspapers!

Clan’s American cousins help save historic Borders church – Love it when trans-Atlantic cousins help each other!

The post Genealogy Roundup, July 23 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Pioneering project releases more lost Irish records spanning 700 years – More hidden gems for researchers focused on Ireland!

The Questions We Don’t Ask Our Families but Should – From 2022, but always relevant!

Photo Credit: Tom Gill under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, July 2 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.