Female Ancestors
Female Ancestors
7 Strategies for Finding Female Ancestors Premium
Finding your female ancestors can be a challenge, but these six tips will help you find those elusive women in your family history.
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Female Ancestor First Names and Nicknames (+ Searchable Guide)
Can't find your female ancestor in a database? This list of popular first names plus a nicknames list will provide you the clues you need to identify them.
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What Is My Ancestor’s Maiden Name? 5 Tips for Finding Out
Finding the maiden names of your female ancestors can be a real challenge. We've assembled five tips to help you track them down.
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Using Women’s Collars to Date Old Family Photos
The last two images blog reader Kimble DaCosta sent me are from the same period, but show off two different collar styles: one from the mid- to late 1870s and the other from the late 1870s to early 1880s. Both photos are tintypes. You can read the first two installments...
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Big Hats in Family Photos
Ronnie O'Rourke's great aunt Mary (Mamie) Smith (b. 1892) wears an enormous hat in this family portrait. Her grandson identified her in the image, but now the family wants to know who's standing with her. Her hat and dress are quite stylish for this outdoor event. The presence of the...
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Case Study: Overcoming Identity Assumptions in Census Research
Based on initial assumptions during census research, one ancestor was almost given the wrong identity. Learn more from this case study.
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Genealogy Q&A: Researching WWII Women’s Army Corps Members
Our genealogy expert discusses how to trace members of the WWII Women's Army Corps.
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Clothing Clues for Women in Old Photos: Bloomers
In 1849, a group that advocated reform dress for women advised them to wear "Turkish dress." That meant a billowy pant that ended below the knee, worn beneath a shorter dress. This illustration is from sheet music composed by William Dressler in 1851. He called his piece "The Bloomer...
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Solving Old Photo Mysteries: Clues in Curls
Eunice Amelia Paulk (1842-1913)Jana Last knows a lot about her ancestor Eunice. She was born in Ohio, lived in Washington, Iowa, and eventually moved to California. At 19, she was a teacher in common school, a job she likely held until she married in 1876. You can read...
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Tracing Women Ancestors in World War I Premium
Discover the experiences of your female ancestors who nursed soldiers and served on the home front during World War I.
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