100 Best Genealogy Books of All Time

We've ranked the best genealogy books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.

The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy book cover1

The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy

Blaine T. Bettinger

5.0
Unlock the family secrets in your DNA!

Discover the answers to your family history mysteries using the most cutting edge tool available. This plain-English guide (newly updated and expanded to include th latest DNA developments) will teach you what DNA tests are available; the pros and cons of the major testing companies; and how to choose the right test to answer your specific genealogy questions.
The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-And-True Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors book cover2

The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-And-True Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors

Marsha Hoffman Rising

4.8
Has your family history research hit a brick wall? Marsha Hoffman Rising's newly updated bestselling book The Family Tree Problem Solver has the solutions to help you find the answers you seek. Here, you'll find answers to genealogy's toughest problems.

Inside, you'll find:
Work-arounds for lost or destroyed records
Techniques for finding ancestors with common names
Strategies for analyzing your prob
Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian book cover3

Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian

Elizabeth Shown Mills, Elizabeth S. Mills

4.7
Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians book cover4

Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians

Elizabeth Shown Mills

4.7
Professional Genealogy is a manual by professionals for everyone serious about genealogy. For family historians who want to do their own study, reliably, it describes the standards. For hobbyists, attorneys, and medical scientists who seek professional researchers, it's a consumer guide that defines quality and facilitates choices. For academics as they increasingly cross over into genealogy - as
The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual book cover5

The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual

Board for Certification of Genealogists

4.7
Family historians depend upon thousands of people unknown to them. They exchange research with others; copy information from books and databases; and write libraries, societies, and government offices. At times they even hire professionals to do legwork in distant areas and trust strangers to solve important problems. But how can a researcher be assured that he or she is producing or receiving rel
Mastering Genealogical Proof book cover6

Mastering Genealogical Proof

Thomas W. Jone

4.7
Mastering Genealogical Proof aims to help researchers, students, and new family historians reconstruct relationships and lives of people they cannot see. It presents content in digestible chunks. Each chapter concludes with problems providing practice for proficiently applying the chapter’s concepts. Those problems, like examples throughout the book, use real records, real research, and real issue
The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy book cover7

The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy

Val D Greenwood

4.6
When it was originally published in 1973, The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, by Val Greenwood, revolutionized its field. It was the first true textbook ever published about American genealogy. Combining how-to guidance, case study examples, and an extremely detailed discussion of genealogical records, The Researcher’s Guide was both an instant success and the go-to source for its users
Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace book cover8

Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace

Elizabeth Shown Mills

4.6
No further information has been provided for this title.
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love book cover9

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love

Dani Shapiro

4.6
The author of Hourglass now gives us a new memoir about identity, paternity, and family secrets—a real-time In the spring of 2016, through a genealogy website to which she had whimsically submitted her DNA for analysis, Dani Shapiro received the stunning news that her father was not her biological father. She woke up one morning and her entire history—the life she had lived—crumbled beneath her.

In
How to Do Everything: Genealogy, book cover10

How to Do Everything: Genealogy,

George Morgan

4.5
Discover your genealogy using the latest methods Thoroughly revised to cover new tools, techniques, and data, How to Do Everything: Genealogy, Fourth Edition uniquely addresses all the major genealogical record types and explains traditional and digital research strategies. Genealogy expert George G. Morgan shows you how to research your family history using the most current websites, mobile apps,
Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures book cover11

Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures

Christine Rose

4.5
Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher book cover12

Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher

Drew Smith

4.5
Get Your Research in Order!

Stop struggling to manage all your genealogy facts, files, and data--make a plan of attack to maximize your progress. Organize Your Genealogy will show you how to use tried-and-true methods and the latest tech tools and genealogy software to organize your research plan, workspace, and family-history finds. In this book, you'll learn how to organize your time and resource
Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques book cover13

Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques

George Morgan and Drew Smith

4.5
Break through brick walls in your genealogical research "Easy to read, provides clear explanations, examples and is well-illustrated, thus definitely meeting the needs of libraries and individuals seeking a book to guide family historians who are beyond the basics and need help solving problems."--FORUM magazine

Learn how to use innovative methods to unearth hard-to-find ancestors. Advanced Genealo
Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing book cover14

Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing

Megan Smolenyak

4.5
Hit shows like "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "History Detectives" demonstrate that people are fascinated by family origins. Here, America's top genealogist reveals how she's made headlines solving genealogical puzzles with entertaining, revealing, and controversial candor.
In the Blood (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #1) book cover15

In the Blood (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #1)

Steve Robinson

4.5
Two hundred years ago a loyalist family fled to England to escape the American War of Independence and seemingly vanished into thin air. American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is hired to find out what happened, but it soon becomes apparent that a calculated killer is out to stop him.

In the Blood combines a centuries-old mystery with a present-day thriller that brings two people from opposite sides
Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History book cover16

Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History

Megan Smolenyak, Wall to Wall Media

4.5
The companion how-to guide to the hit TV series-with advice for anyone starting their own genealogical search.

In the groundbreaking NBC series Who Do You Think You Are? seven celebrities-Sarah Jessica Parker, Emmitt Smith, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Broderick, Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon, and Spike Lee-went on an emotional journey to trace their family history and discover who they really are, and
Genealogy Standards book cover17

Genealogy Standards

Board for Certification of Genealogists

4.5
Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book cover18

Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer

4.5
Are you stuck in your genealogical research? Wondering how to make progress on your brick wall problems? Discover the process that a professional genealogist uses to solve difficult cases. Diana Elder shares her step-by-step method using real world examples, easily understood by any level of genealogist; written for the researcher ready to take their skills to the next level. Learn how to form an
It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree book cover19

It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree

A. J. Jacobs

4.5
New York Times bestselling author of The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs undergoes a hilarious, heartfelt quest to understand what constitutes family—where it begins and how far it goes—and attempts to untangle the true meaning of the “Family of Humankind.”

A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: “You don’t kno
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy book cover20

The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy

Loretto Dennis Szucs, Sandra Hargreaves Luebking

4.5
Genealogists and other historical researchers have valued the first two editions of this work, often referred to as the genealogist's bible."" The new edition continues that tradition. Intended as a handbook and a guide to selecting, locating, and using appropriate primary and secondary resources, The Source also functions as an instructional tool for novice genealogists and a refresher course for
Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA book cover21

Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA

Richard Hill

4.4
Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA is the highly suspenseful account of an adoptee trying to reclaim the biological family denied him by sealed birth records. This fascinating quest, including the author's landmark use of DNA testing, takes readers on an exhilarating roller-coaster ride and concludes with a twist that rivals anything Hollywood has to offer.

In the vein of
They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Record book cover22

They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Record

John Philip Colletta

4.4
Chances are excellent that your ancestors came to America from somewhere-England, Spain, Germany, China, Africa. Can you imagine how they felt as they left their homes, what they left behind? Do you want to know? Would you know where to even start looking for the details? Author and genealogist John P. Colletta prepares you to undertake the search. He tells you not only what fundamental facts you
Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist book cover23

Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist

Buzzy Jackson

4.4

“WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? ”

As a historian, Buzzy Jackson thought she knew the answers to these simple questions—that is, until she took a look at her scrawny family tree. With a name like Jackson (the twentieth most common American surname), she knew she must have more relatives and more family history out there, somewhere. Her first visit to the Boulder Genealogy Society brought h

24

The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry

Bryan Sykes

4.4
One of the most dramatic stories of genetic discovery since James Watson's The Double Helix—a work whose scientific and cultural reverberations will be discussed for years to come.

In 1994 Professor Bryan Sykes, a leading world authority on DNA and human evolution, was called in to examine the frozen remains of a man trapped in glacial ice in northern Italy. News of both the Ice Man's discovery and
Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources book cover25

Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources

Alice Eichholz

4.4
No scholarly reference library is complete without a copy of Ancestry's Red Book. In it, you will find both general and specific information essential to researchers of American records. This revised 3rd edition provides updated county and town listings within the same overall state-by-state organization. Whether you are looking for your ancestors in the northeastern states, the South, the West, o
Roots: The Saga of an American Family book cover26

Roots: The Saga of an American Family

Alex Haley

4.4
When he was a boy in Henning, Tennessee, Alex Haley's grandmother used to tell him stories about their family—stories that went back to her grandparents, and their grandparents, down through the generations all the way to a man she called "the African." She said he had lived across the ocean near what he called the "Kamby Bolongo" and had been out in the forest one day chopping wood to make a drum
To the Grave (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #2) book cover27

To the Grave (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #2)

Steve Robinson

4.3

A curiously dated child’s suitcase arrives, unannounced and unexplained, in a modern-day Washington suburb. A week later, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is sitting in an English hotel room, staring at the wrong end of a loaded gun.

In his latest journey into the past, Tayte lands in wartime Leicestershire, England. The genealogist had hoped simply to reunite his client with the birth mother s

Hiding the Past (The Forensic Genealogist #1) book cover28

Hiding the Past (The Forensic Genealogist #1)

Nathan Dylan Goodwin

4.3
Peter Coldrick had no past; that was the conclusion drawn by years of personal and professional research. Then he employed the services of one Morton Farrier, Forensic Genealogist – a stubborn, determined man who uses whatever means necessary to uncover the past. With the Coldrick Case, Morton faces his toughest and most dangerous assignment yet, where all of his investigative and genealogical ski
The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir book cover29

The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir

Bill Griffeth

4.3
Bill Griffeth, longtime genealogy buff, takes a DNA test that has an unexpected outcome: "If the results were correct, it meant that the family tree I had spent years documenting was not my own." Bill undertakes a quest to solve the mystery of his origins, which shakes his sense of identity. As he takes us on his journey, we learn about choices made by his ancestors, parents, and others, and we se
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes book cover30

A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes

Adam Rutherford

4.3
This is a story about you. It is the history of who you are and how you came to be. It is unique to you, as it is to each of the 100 billion modern humans who have ever drawn breath. But it is also our collective story, because in every one of our genomes we each carry the history of our species births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex.

Since scientists first read the huma
Genetic Genealogy in Practice book cover31

Genetic Genealogy in Practice

Blaine T. Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne

4.3
Genetic Genealogy in Practice, the first workbook on genetic genealogy, the book provides family historians and genealogists who have just begun to explore genetic genealogy practical, easy to understand information that they can apply to their research. Readers learn the basic concepts of genetic genealogy. They then build on that knowledge as they study the testing, analysis, and application of
Your Guide to Cemetery Research book cover32

Your Guide to Cemetery Research

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack

4.3
Your Guide to Cemetery Research is a comprehensive, in-depth resource that's perfect for genealogists, researchers and historians. It covers everything from cemetery and death-related terminology to clues offered by headstone art, and cemeteries' role in our culture and history.

This guide also examines the funeral customs of various ethnic groups and includes a social history of death that reveals

Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy book cover33

Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy

Emily Croom

4.3
The new and expanded fourth edition of this best-selling guide (over 150,000 copies sold!) to genealogy provides readers with the tools and information they need to jump into this great American hobby. Unpuzzling Your Past, 4th edition focuses on fundamental strategies for success, questions to ask, places for research, and interesting examples of each step along the way. Throughout, readers will
Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree book cover34

Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, Ann Turner

4.3
Written by two of the country's top genealogists, Trace Your Roots with DNA is the first book to explain how new and groundbreaking genetic testing can help you research your ancestry

According to American Demographics, 113 million Americans have begun to trace their roots, making genealogy the second most popular hobby in the country (after gardening). Enthusiasts clamor for new information from d
Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research book cover35

Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research

Sharon Carmack

4.3
As genealogists everywhere will testify, few hobbies generate more paper work than genealogy. This guide successfully tackles the process of organising family research, from filing piles of paper to streamlining the process as a whole.'
The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook book cover36

The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook

Emily Croom

4.3
You've enjoyed some success in tracing your family's history. But now the trail's gone cold and you're stopped in your tracks. Or are you?

No, you're not, Emily Croom answers, and in a resounding way. In "The Genealogist's Companion and Sourcebook" - a follow-up to her highly regarded "Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy" - she helps you find new paths to your desired destination: in f
History for Genealogists, Using Chronological Time Lines to Find and Understand Your Ancestors. Revised Edition, with 2016 Addendum Incorporating Editorial Corrections to the 2009 Edition, by Denise Larson book cover37

History for Genealogists, Using Chronological Time Lines to Find and Understand Your Ancestors. Revised Edition, with 2016 Addendum Incorporating Editorial Corrections to the 2009 Edition, by Denise Larson

Judy Jacobson

4.3
How to Archive Family Keepsakes: Learn How to Preserve Family Photos, Memorabilia & Genealogy Records book cover38

How to Archive Family Keepsakes: Learn How to Preserve Family Photos, Memorabilia & Genealogy Records

Denise May Levenick

4.3
Organize your family photos, heirlooms, and genealogy records

In every family someone ends up with Mom's and Dad's "stuff"--a lifetime's worth of old family photos, papers, and memorabilia packed into boxes, trunks, and suitcases. This inheritance can be as much a burden as it is a blessing. How do you organize your loved one's estate in a way that honors your loved one, keeps the peace in your fam
Reading Early American Handwriting book cover39

Reading Early American Handwriting

Kip Sperry

4.3
This book is designed to teach you how to read and understand the handwriting found in documents commonly used in genealogical research. It explains techniques for reading early American documents; provides samples of alphabets and letter forms; defines terms and abbreviations commonly used in early American documents such as wills, deeds, and church records; and, furthermore, presents numerous ex
How to Use Evernote for Genealogy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Organize Your Research and Boost Your Genealogy Productivity book cover40

How to Use Evernote for Genealogy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Organize Your Research and Boost Your Genealogy Productivity

Kerry Scott

4.3
Maximize Your Research Progress!

Harness the powerful, timesaving organization features of Evernote's free software and mobile apps to manage your genealogy research. This comprehensive user guide explains how to organize all kinds of genealogy clues--from notes and e-mails to vital records and audio files--so the information is easily searchable, accessible on any device, and automatically backed
The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: Trace Your Roots, Share Your History, and Create Your Family Tree (Everything®) book cover41

The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: Trace Your Roots, Share Your History, and Create Your Family Tree (Everything®)

Kimberly Powell

4.3
Mastering Genealogical Documentation (NGS Special Topics Series Book 122) book cover42

Mastering Genealogical Documentation (NGS Special Topics Series Book 122)

Thomas W. Jones

4.3
The Last Queen of England (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #3) book cover43

The Last Queen of England (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #3)

Steve Robinson

4.3

While on a visit to London, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte’s old friend and colleague dies in his arms. Before long, Tayte and a truth-seeking historian, Professor Jean Summer, find themselves following a corpse-ridden trail that takes them to the Royal Society of London, circa 1708.

What to make of the story of five men of science, colleagues of Isaac Newton and Christopher Wren, who were my

Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History book cover44

Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History

Mark D. Herber

4.3
Originally published: Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Pub. Ltd.; London: Society of Genealogists, 1997. 2nd ed. published in Great Britain in 2004.
Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History book cover45

Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History

Katherine Scott Sturdevant

4.3
This first-ever guide shows researchers how to weave historical details into their genealogies to form a unique family history narrative.
Tracing Your Irish Ancestors book cover46

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors

John Grenham

4.3
Professional Irish genealogist John Grenham has written a book that combines all the best features of a textbook and a reference book, a book that carefully explains the elements of Irish research while at the same time providing an indispensable body of source materials for immediate use. Thus in Part l the most basic genealogical sources are gathered together and discussed in light of a research
The Lost Ancestor (The Forensic Genealogist #2) book cover47

The Lost Ancestor (The Forensic Genealogist #2)

Nathan Dylan Goodwi

4.3
From acclaimed author, Nathan Dylan Goodwin comes this exciting new genealogical crime mystery, featuring the redoubtable forensic genealogist, Morton Farrier.

When Morton is called upon by Ray Mercer to investigate the 1911 disappearance of his great aunt, a housemaid working in a large Edwardian country house, he has no idea of the perilous journey into the past that he is about to make. Morton
Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 book cover48

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920

William Thorndale;William Dollarhide

4.3
Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case book cover49

Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case

Christine Rose

4.2
Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I) book cover50

Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I)

David Hackett Fischer

4.2
This book is the first volume in a cultural history of the United States, from the earliest English settlements to our own time. It is a history of American folkways as they have changed through time, and it argues a thesis about the importance for the United States of having been British in its cultural origins.

From 1629 to 1775, North America was settled by four great waves of English-speaking i
Becoming an Accredited Genealogist: Plus 100 Tips to Ensure Your Success (Revised) book cover51

Becoming an Accredited Genealogist: Plus 100 Tips to Ensure Your Success (Revised)

Karen Clifford

4.2
Do you need help in completing all of your personal family history research? Are you curious about how a professional genealogical researcher makes a living? Do you want to understand the steps and procedures involved in attaining the status of Accredited Genealogist? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Becoming an Accredited Genealogist is the resource book for you! Many professionals
Saxons, Vikings, and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland book cover52

Saxons, Vikings, and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland

Bryan Sykes

4.2
One of the world's leading geneticists, Bryan Sykes has helped thousands find their ancestry in the British Isles. Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, which resulted from a systematic ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, traces the true genetic makeup of the British Isles and its descendants, taking readers from the Pontnewydd cave in North Wales to the resting place of "The Red Lady" of Pa
Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo Mysteries book cover53

Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo Mysteries

Maureen A. A. Taylor

4.2
Unlock the Secrets of Your Old Family Photos!

Historical family photos are cherished heirlooms that offer a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. But the images, and the stories behind them, often fade away as decades pass - the who, when, where and why behind the photos are lost. In this book, photo identification expert and genealogist Maureen A. Taylor shows you how to study the clues in your
Land & Property Research in the United States book cover54

Land & Property Research in the United States

E. Wade Hone

4.2
When early settlers left their homelands to start a new life in America, they had dreams of owning their own land a prospering from their own efforts. They were suspicious of all forms of government and did their best, in many cases, to be invisible to a variety of record keepers. But when it came to ensuring that their precious land was, without doubt, their own, they were careful to provide all
A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors: Special Strategies for Uncovering Hard-To-Find Information about Your Female Lineage book cover55

A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors: Special Strategies for Uncovering Hard-To-Find Information about Your Female Lineage

Sharon Debartolo Carmack

4.2
Explains how to use different sources to trace one's lineage.
Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret book cover56

Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret

Steve Luxenberg

4.2
"A gripping detective story and haunting memoir. It will leave you breathless." --Walter Isaacson, author of Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, and other bestselling biographies.

The Great Michigan Read for 2013-14. A Washington Post Best Book, 2009. A 2010 Michigan Notable Book.

Beth Luxenberg was an only child, or so her son Steve believed. But secrets have a way of working free of their keepers, as t
The Genealogy Do-Over Workbook book cover57

The Genealogy Do-Over Workbook

Thomas MacEntee

4.2
German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Family Tree to German-Speaking Areas of Europe book cover58

German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Family Tree to German-Speaking Areas of Europe

James M. Beidler

4.2
The Sleuth Book for Genealogists: Strategies for More Successful Family History Research book cover59

The Sleuth Book for Genealogists: Strategies for More Successful Family History Research

Emily Croom

4.2
Comparing genealogical research to the work of famous literary sleuths, the author outlines methods for solving frustrating research problems by developing a plan, documenting evidence, and examing clues in the records.
Forensic Genealogy book cover60

Forensic Genealogy

Colleen Fitzpatrick

4.2
Revised edition of book originally published in 2005.

From the author's website:

[The] genetic genealogy world has experienced a revolution in the availability and affordability of DNA testing. Both genealogical and DNA databases have grown considerably since 2005, making it easier to discover and connect with long lost
cousins. In this revised edition of Forensic Genealogy, the chapter The DNA Dete
Quicksheet Citing Online Historical Resources book cover61

Quicksheet Citing Online Historical Resources

Elizabeth Shown Mills

4.2
Kindred (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #5) book cover62

Kindred (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #5)

Steve Robinson

4.2
Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies book cover63

Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies

Debbie Parker Wayne

4.2
Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies helps intermediate researchers move up to the next level and advanced researchers apply the new DNA standards and write about DNA. This new book offers an in-home course in advanced genetic genealogy. Case studies demonstrate analyzing the DNA test results, correlating with documentary evidence, and writing about the findings, all incorporati
The Lost Empress (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #4) book cover64

The Lost Empress (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #4)

Steve Robinson

4.1
From acclaimed author Steve Robinson comes a bold new Jefferson Tayte mystery. On a foggy night in 1914, the ocean liner Empress of Ireland sank en route to England and now lies at the bottom of Canada’s St Lawrence River. The disaster saw a loss of life comparable to the Titanic and the Lusitania, and yet her tragedy has been forgotten.

When genealogist Jefferson Tayte is shown a locket belonging
The Orange Lilies: A Morton Farrier novella book cover65

The Orange Lilies: A Morton Farrier novella

Nathan Dylan Goodwin

4.1
Morton Farrier has spent his entire career as a forensic genealogist solving other people's family history secrets, all the while knowing so little of his very own family's mysterious past. However, this poignant Christmastime novella sees Morton's skills put to use much closer to home, as he must confront his own past, present and future through events both present-day and one hundred years ago.
The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy book cover66

The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy

Kenyatta D. Berry

4.1
The popularity of studying our family history has been fueled by popular TV shows like Genealogy Roadshow, Finding Your Roots, and Who Do You Think You Are? The ability to access records online has opened up the one time hobby for genealogy enthusiasts to the mainstream.

Companies like Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org, Findmypast.com, and MyHeritage have spent millions of dollars making records avail
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War book cover67

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War

Nathaniel Philbrick

4.1
HOW DID AMERICA BEGIN?

This simple question launches acclaimed author Nathaniel Philbrick on an extraordinary journey to understand the truth behind our most sacred national myth: the voyage of the Mayflower and the settlement of Plymouth Colony. As Philbrick reveals in this electrifying new book, the story of the Pilgrims does not end with the First Thanksgiving; instead, it is a fifty-five-year e
Reunion: A Search for Ancestors book cover68

Reunion: A Search for Ancestors

Ryan Littrell

4.1
Where do I come from? That question leads Ryan Littrell to country graveyards, to faded names in old books, and then to a DNA shock. And as one hint follows the next, he uncovers the story of his Scottish ancestors--a story of heartbreak, betrayal, and unfailing strength.

"Reunion" explores how our ancestors are still a part of us, and how a place across the ocean can almost feel like home.
Guide to DNA Testing: How to Identify Ancestors, Confirm Relationships, and Measure Ethnic Ancestry through DNA Testing book cover69

Guide to DNA Testing: How to Identify Ancestors, Confirm Relationships, and Measure Ethnic Ancestry through DNA Testing

Richard Hill

4.1
The price of some powerful new genetic genealogy tests has dropped below $100. Genealogists and adoptees are using them and other DNA tests to identify ancestors, confirm relationships, and measure their ethnicity.

Unfortunately, there are many similar sounding tests and some of them have different testing levels. So it’s easy to order the wrong test or pay too much.

This Guide to DNA Testing prov
Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the No. 1 Genealogy Website book cover70

Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the No. 1 Genealogy Website

Nancy Hendrickson

4.1
Master the world's #1 genealogy website and discover the secrets to Ancestry.com success! This book, updated in 2016 to include the most recent changes to the site, will help you get the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription by showing you how to take advantage of all the world's biggest genealogy website has to offer--and how to find answers to your family tree questions within its 14 billio
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy book cover71

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy

Christine Rose, Kay Germain Ingalls

4.1
The Missing Man (The Forensic Genealogist #6) book cover72

The Missing Man (The Forensic Genealogist #6)

Nathan Dylan Goodwi

4.1
It was to be the most important case of Morton Farrier’s career in forensic genealogy so far. A case that had eluded him for many years: finding his own father. Harley ‘Jack’ Jacklin disappeared just six days after a fatal fire at his Cape Cod home on Christmas Eve in 1976, leaving no trace behind. Now his son, Morton must travel to the East Coast of America to unravel the family’s dark secrets in
You Can Write Your Family History book cover73

You Can Write Your Family History

Sharon Debartolo Carmack

4.1
This title enables readers to chronicle the lives of near or distant relatives. It provides methods for: conducting historical and thematic research; organizing materials; outlining and plotting a story; illustrating with pictures and charts; and making money writing the history of other families.
The Irish Inheritance (Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery, #1) book cover74

The Irish Inheritance (Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery, #1)

M J Le

4.1
June 8, 1921. Ireland.
A British Officer is shot dead on a remote hillside south of Dublin.
November 22, 2015. United Kingdom.
Former police detective, Jayne Sinclair, now working as a genealogical investigator, receives a phone call from an adopted American billionaire asking her to discover the identity of his real father.
How are the two events linked?
Jayne Sinclair has only three clues to hel
The Spyglass File (The Forensic Genealogist #5) book cover75

The Spyglass File (The Forensic Genealogist #5)

Nathan Dylan Goodwi

4.1
Morton Farrier was no longer at the top of his game. His forensic genealogy career was faltering and he was refusing to accept any new cases, preferring instead to concentrate on locating his own elusive biological father. Yet, when a particular case presents itself, that of finding the family of a woman abandoned in the midst of the Battle of Britain, Morton is compelled to help her to unravel he
The America Ground (The Forensic Genealogist #4) book cover76

The America Ground (The Forensic Genealogist #4)

Nathan Dylan Goodwin and Robert John Bristo

4.1
Morton Farrier, the esteemed English forensic genealogist, had cleared a space in his busy schedule to track down his own elusive father finally. But he is then presented with a case that challenges his research skills in his quest to find the killer of a woman murdered more than one hundred and eighty years ago.

Thoughts of his own family history are quickly and violently pushed to one side as Mo
In Search Of Our Ancestors book cover77

In Search Of Our Ancestors

Megan Smolenyak

4.1
In this companion to a new PBS series beginning in April, "In Search of Our Ancestors" features over 100 true stories of the amazing luck, unexpected kindnesses, and unusual serendipity encountered by researchers as they track down their family's records.
Slaves in the Family book cover78

Slaves in the Family

Edward Ball

4.1
Journalist Ball confronts the legacy of his family's slave-owning past, uncovering the story of the people, both black and white, who lived and worked on the Balls' South Carolina plantations. It is an unprecedented family record that reveals how the painful legacy of slavery continues to endure in America's collective memory and experience. Ball, a descendant of one of the largest slave-owning fa
Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy book cover79

Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy

Alison Weir

4.1
Fascinating and authoritative of Britain's royal families from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, by leading popular historian Alison Weir

'George III is alleged to have married secretly, on 17th April, 1759, a Quakeress called Hannah Lightfoot. If George III did make such a marriage…then his subsequent marriage to Queen Charlotte was bigamous, and every monarch of Britain since has been
The Genealogy of Morals (Translated by Horace B. Samuel with an Introduction by Willard Huntington Wright) book cover80

The Genealogy of Morals (Translated by Horace B. Samuel with an Introduction by Willard Huntington Wright)

Friedrich Nietzsche, Horace B. Samuel, Willard Huntington Wright

4.1
German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche was one the most controversial figures of the 19th century. His evocative writings on religion, morality, culture, philosophy, and science were often polemic attacks against the established views of his time. First published in 1887, "The Genealogy of Morals," is a work which follows and expands upon the principles of his previous works, "Thus Spoke Zarathus
Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the #1 Genealogy Website book cover81

Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the #1 Genealogy Website

Nancy Hendrickson

4.1
Master the world's #1 Genealogy Website

Discover the secrets to Ancestry.com success! This book, newly revised and expanded, will help you get the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription. Inside, you'll discover how to take advantage of what the world's biggest genealogy website has to offer--and how to find answers to your genealogy questions within its billions of records and millions of Ance
The Family Tree Cemetery Field Guide: How to Find, Record, and Preserve Your Ancestors' Graves book cover82

The Family Tree Cemetery Field Guide: How to Find, Record, and Preserve Your Ancestors' Graves

Joy Neighbors

4.1
Not all research can be done from home--sometimes you have to head into the field. Cemeteries are crucial for any genealogist's search, and this book will show you how to search for and analyze your ancestors' graves. Discover tools for locating tombstones, tips for traipsing through cemeteries, an at-a-glance guide to frequently used gravestone icons, and practical strategies for on-the-ground re
The Genealogy Sourcebook book cover83

The Genealogy Sourcebook

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, Marsha Hoffmann Rising

4.1
A detailed family history is a legacy that generations can enjoy. Those who start looking into their backgrounds find that the more they dig, the more the want to know about their lineage. Beyond the family bible, where can more information be found? The Genealogy Sourcebook is a complete guide to the fascinating world of tracing ancestry with information on where to start the search, what kinds o
Dying Games (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #6) book cover84

Dying Games (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery, #6)

Steve Robinson

4.0

Washington, DC: Twin brothers are found drowned in a Perspex box, one gagged and strapped to a chair. It’s the latest in a series of cruel and elaborate murders with two things in common: the killer has left a family history chart at each crime scene, and the victims all have a connection to genealogical sleuth Jefferson Tayte.

Hoping his insight and expertise will help solve the case, the FBI summ

Map Guide to American Migration Routes, 1735-1815 book cover85

Map Guide to American Migration Routes, 1735-1815

William Dollarhide

4.0
The Blood Detective (Blood Detective, #1) book cover86

The Blood Detective (Blood Detective, #1)

Dan Waddell

4.0
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography book cover87

Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography

Douglas Keister

4.0
A practical field guide, Stories in Stone explains the symbolism of stone relics and their details.
Managing a Genealogical Project. a Complete Manual for the Management and Organization of Genealogical Materials. Updated Edition book cover88

Managing a Genealogical Project. a Complete Manual for the Management and Organization of Genealogical Materials. Updated Edition

William Dollarhide

4.0
"Includes master forms for making unlimited photocopies"--Cover.
Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist's Guide to Using Maps and Geography book cover89

Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist's Guide to Using Maps and Geography

Melinda Kashuba

4.0
Maps are common tools in tracing family history. This book expands the reader's awareness of how maps and other geographic resources, such as atlases, gazetteers and global positioning systems, will help them find their elusive ancestors.
The Wicked Trade (The Forensic Genealogist #7) book cover90

The Wicked Trade (The Forensic Genealogist #7)

Nathan Dylan Goodwi

4.0
Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1) book cover91

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)

L. M. Montgomery, Jennifer Lee Carroll

4.0
As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she'll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurti
The Organized Family Historian: How to File, Manage, and Protect Your Genealogical Research and Heirlooms (National Genealogical Society Guides) book cover92

The Organized Family Historian: How to File, Manage, and Protect Your Genealogical Research and Heirlooms (National Genealogical Society Guides)

Ann Carter Fleming

4.0
Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs book cover93

Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs

Maureen Taylor

4.0
In this visually stunning book of historic family photographs, renowned family history researcher and photography expert Maureen A. Taylor shows you how to cherish old photographs and what clues they can provide to your ancestors' lives. You will learn how to:




Identify and verify people in family photographs.
Tell the story of identified photographs using the clues in the images.
Locate additional fa
Your Guide to the Federal Census: For Genealogists, Researchers, and Family Historians book cover94

Your Guide to the Federal Census: For Genealogists, Researchers, and Family Historians

Kathleen Hinckley

4.0
Census research is one of the first steps in constructing a family tree, however, deciphering census data is not always easy. This guide to the Federal Census acts as a research assistant, offering step-by-step instructions. It also features case studies, a glossary, and extraction forms.
How to Archive Family Photos: A Step-By-Step Guide to Organize Your Digital Photos, Digitize Your Picture Collection and Share Your Family's Memories book cover95

How to Archive Family Photos: A Step-By-Step Guide to Organize Your Digital Photos, Digitize Your Picture Collection and Share Your Family's Memories

Denise May Levenick

4.0
The Genealogist's U.S. History Pocket Reference: Quick Facts & Timelines of American History to Help Understand Your Ancestors book cover96

The Genealogist's U.S. History Pocket Reference: Quick Facts & Timelines of American History to Help Understand Your Ancestors

Nancy Hendrickson

4.0
Unlock new records in your family history research by understanding the historic events of your ancestors' eras. This quick and convenient guide outlines the major political, military and social events in the United States from the colonial era through 1940. It also includes immigration trends and census dates to help you narrow your research focus and find genealogy records faster.

Use The Genealo
Google Your Family Tree: unlocking the hidden power of Google book cover97

Google Your Family Tree: unlocking the hidden power of Google

Daniel M. Lynch

4.0
Unlock the Hidden Power of Google for Your Genealogy Research! Google is the most powerful tool available worldwide for online research! With over 20 billion pages in Google's index of the Web, it's likely that some of them contain clues about your ancestors. Finding these pages, however, requires an understanding of filtering and other techniques that have never been explained to many computer us
Scottish Genealogy: Tracing Your Ancestors book cover98

Scottish Genealogy: Tracing Your Ancestors

Bruce Durie

4.0
Scotland has possibly the most complete and best-kept set of vital records and other documents on the planet. Given both this and the extraordinary worldwide Scottish diaspora (approximately 28 million people can claim Scottish ancestry), the lack of a really thorough guide to Scottish genealogy is a significant gap. Bruce Durie's book bridges that gap with authority and provides a lively sense of
The Troubleshooter's Guide to Do-It-Yourself Genealogy book cover99

The Troubleshooter's Guide to Do-It-Yourself Genealogy

W. Daniel Quillen

4.0
The essential follow-on guide from the author of our classic "Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors," this book shows advanced do-it-yourselfers how to tackle common research problems!

Leading genealogy author W. Daniel Quillen picks up where he left off in "Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors" in this newly revised second edition. He shows do-it yourself genealogists who have progressed past his beginni
The Unpuzzling Your Past Workbook book cover100

The Unpuzzling Your Past Workbook

Emily Croom

4.0
Genealogists - whether beginning or experien ced - will add to their success with this time-saver/researc h-planner/organizer. '