These Rare Italian Surnames Are on the Verge of Extinction – I’ve always found the extinction of surnames fascinating, but please, someone rescue these Italian ones!

Old’aVista – Wanna time travel online? Check out Old’aVista.

Photo by A Perry on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, May 13 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Henry Johnson (World War I soldier) – So frustrating! I researched (William) Henry Johnson, a WWI hero, for his posthumous Medal of Honor award in 2015. Someone emailed today saying Ancestry told them they were a cousin. I checked. There are 25 trees for this man on Ancestry and ALL of them are wrong. ALL have an incorrect spouse and parents.

Marleka Identity Labs – I can’t believe that what I’m about to share is a thing, but there’s now a company focused specifically on analyzing *Rusyn* DNA! Yes, really!

Here’s a portion of my Dad’s results (and FYI – he’s got pan-Rusyn roots that include villages in present-day Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland).

They have an excellent website that explains everything you need to know (and will even offer some Rusyn merch soon ).

Photo by: PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The post Genealogy Roundup, May 6 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Rob Mac travels back to the 1700s for Ancestry.com commercial – So here’s a partnership I didn’t see coming: Ancestry and Wrexham AFC.

The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island – Kind words from Mags Gaulden for “The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island.”

Photo by danyl russo on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, April 29 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

How an unsolved 1971 homicide led to a surprise DNA connection – This happens a fair bit with my Army cases as well – when you almost accidentally reunite family members along the way.

Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States – If your family has ever included any nuns (or even if you happen to be Catholic), you’re going to want to snag this book ASAP for your sleuthing purposes!

Top photo: screenshot from John Mills Lecture at the Stanley-Whitman House in Farmington, CT

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

Photo by little plant on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, February 4 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Top photo: Aisne-Marne Cemetery caretaker and me as a youngster

The post Genealogy Roundup, January 28 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Statue of Liberty Museum Opening – This is a video I put together back in 2019 from the opening of the Statue of Liberty museum, and I find it’s more relevant than ever. If you watch, be sure to check out what Oprah says about our ancestors. And Gloria Estefan’s spontaneous and heartfelt singing at the end. #genealogy #freedom

The post Genealogy Roundup, January 21 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Photo by: unattributed by source, appears to be the same portrait attributed to S [Stefano?] Caruson, active 1831-1843 by the Frick Art Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The post Genealogy Roundup, October 29 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.

23andMe’s founder Anne Wojcicki wins bid for bankrupt DNA testing firm – The saga continues!

Photo by Caleb Fisher on Unsplash

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