Case Studies

Using Family Stories to Identify Ancestral Hometowns: A Case Study

A genealogist shares his success story for how interviewing relatives led to the name of his Swedish family's hometown.

Newspapers.com Case Study: Filling in the Details of My Ancestor’s Story Premium

In this Newspapers.com case study, explore how using the site's advanced search tools and features can bring family history details to life.

Case Study: 6 Steps for Handling Surprises in Your DNA Results Premium

How do you handle shocking news about your DNA? One woman shares how she worked through the complex emotions of discovering she was conceived via a sperm donor.

Case Study: Using Newspapers to Reconstruct an Ancestor’s Story Premium

Learn what newspapers can do for your research in this case study, in which they help reconstruct a long-forgotten ancestral history.

How to Handle Family Secrets and Surprises in Your Genealogy Premium

These seven genealogists made peace with difficult pieces of their family history: black sheep ancestors, infidelity, slavery and other emotional topics.

Stories to Tell: Mysterious Coincidences Premium

A genealogist looks into an ancestor's life after a series of mysterious coincidences. Find out how Tierra Cotton-Kellow "met" her second great-grandfather.