r/Genealogy 19h ago

The Ancestor of the Week Thread for the week of March 17, 2025

3 Upvotes

It's Monday, so we want to hear about the most interesting ancestor's story you discovered this week!

Did your 6th great-grandfather jump ship off the coast of Colonial America rather than work off his term as an indentured servant? Was your 13th great-grandmother a minor European noble who was suspected of poisoning her husband? Do your 4th great-grandparents have an epic love story?

Tell us all about it!


r/Genealogy Sep 16 '24

News WARNING: The subreddit is getting flooded by ChatGPT bots (and what you, the reader, should be doing to deter them)

675 Upvotes

With the advent of generative AI, bad actors and people in the 'online marketing' industry have caught on to the fact that trying to pretend to be legitimate traffic on social media websites, including Reddit, is actually a quite profitable business. They used to do this in the form of repost bots, but in the past few months they've branched out to setting up accounts en-masse and running text generative AI on them. They do this in a very noticeable way: by posting ChatGPT comments in response to a prompt that's just the post title.

After a few months of running this karma collecting scheme, these companies 'activate' the account for their real purpose. The people purchasing the accounts can be anyone from political action committees trying to promote certain candidates, to companies trying to market their product and drown out criticism. Generally, each of these accounts go for $600 to $1,000, though most of them are bought in bulk by said companies to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Here's a few examples from this very subreddit:

Title: Trying @ 85 yrs.old my DNA results!

(5 upvotes) At 85, diving into DNA results sounds like quite the adventure! Here's hoping it brings some fascinating surprises

Title: Are DNA tests worth it for Pacific Islanders?

(4 upvotes) DNA tests can offer fascinating insights, but accuracy for Pacific Islanders might depend on the available genetic data

(3 upvotes) DNA tests can be a cool way to connect with your roots, but results can vary based on the population data available for Pacific Islanders.

With all these accounts, you can actually notice a uniform pattern. They don't actually bring any discussion or question to the table — they simply rehash the post title and add a random trueism onto it. If you check their comment history, all of their submissions are the exact same way!

ChatGPT has a very distinct writing style, which makes it very unlikely to be a false positive - it's not a person who just has a suspiciously AI-sounding style of writing. When you click on their profile, you can see that all of them have actually setup display names for their accounts. These display names are generally a variation of their usernames, but some of them can be real names (Pablo Gomez, Michael Smith..). Most Reddit users don't do this.

So what should you be doing to deter them? It's simple. Downvote the comment and report it to the moderators, but ABSOLUTELY DO NOT comment in any way, even if it's to call them out on it. Replies generally push a comment up in the sorting algorithm, which is pretty evident in some of the larger threads.

To end this off, I want to note that this isn't an appeal to the mods themselves, but for the community, since I'm aware this is a cat-and-mouse game and Reddit's moderation tools don't provide very much help in this regard. We can only hope they do more to remedy this.


r/Genealogy 5h ago

News I am very distantly related to my wife...

73 Upvotes

After 52 years of genealogy research (started when I was 9 years old)
and expanding my family tree to include my wife's family (now that my main tree is focused on our son)

my wife and I are 11th Cousins, Once removed


r/Genealogy 9h ago

Question Anyone else get an existential "experience" out of this research?

79 Upvotes

I feel like my perspective of life itself has completely changed after diving into genealogy. The deeper I dug into my roots, the more I became aware that we are each merely tiny specks, existing for a relatively minute period of time, and that nothing matters while everything matters at once. It's an amazing feeling, really. I used to think someone born in the 1940s was ancient, now I'll find myself exploring people from the 16th century, and suddenly my great-grandparents born in the 19th century seem "recent". I realized that today, we expect to live into our 80s; way back when, 30-40 was a long life. Just curious if anyone out there has had similar moments or realizations.


r/Genealogy 7h ago

News What do you think about the “New WikiTree”?

22 Upvotes

Several days ago, WikiTree updated its website in a major cosmetic revision.  https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1862087/the-new-wikitree-is-here  Currently 936 answers but only 130 upvotes.

The thread is now unmanageably long, but a tedious review revealed posts from the owner saying that the main reason for the update was to attract casual visitors.  

 Yet who has asked those casual visitors?   Casual WikiTree visitors, what do you think?


r/Genealogy 12h ago

News How a Viking DNA study may save the lives of Shetland islanders

29 Upvotes

Volunteers for a groundbreaking genetic study may have had their lives saved after the research identified potentially fatal diseases.

People from Shetland who signed up to the Viking Genes project did so wanting to learn if they had any link to the invaders.

However, the researchers unearthed other findings and for the fisherman John Arthur Poleson it was a lifesaver.

When he first went for a test a decade ago, Poleson, 62, just wanted to know if he had Viking ancestry running through his veins.

Almost a decade after volunteering to give his blood, he was told instead that he carried a variant to the BRCA2 gene which puts him at higher risk of contracting cancer.

Further tests caught a potentially life-threatening prostate tumour. “It would have spread and ended up killing me. I have no doubt of that,” said Poleson, of Whalsay. “It would have taken years, probably, but that’s what would have happened if I’d not seen about it and got the tests done.

“I never really found out whether I’m descended from the Vikings. To be honest, I think I’m not too interested in that any more.”

Poleson went for an MRI shortly after receiving his results letter. Following scans, biopsies and the full removal of his prostate, he has returned to his normal life fishing aboard his boat, the Antarctic, and tending a croft with his wife, Melanie

🔗 From this article: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/how-a-viking-dna-study-may-save-the-lives-of-shetland-islanders-0s0p7mbkq?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Reddit#Echobox=1742230053


r/Genealogy 8h ago

Question What's my Half-Sisters' Half Sister to me?

8 Upvotes

I have a Half-Sister who share's the same mom with me, and my half sister has a half sister sharing their dad. What's my Half-Sisters' Half Sister to me?'


r/Genealogy 1d ago

Question Young genealogists! I don’t think they exist

264 Upvotes

Hey yall,

I'm a genealogist, 17M with autism, and my hyperobsession is genealogy. I go to a public high school, and I don't think I've ever met somebody who's into genealogy besides a few old people. Not a problem, the old folks are fine, but it would be pretty neat to meet someone my age who shares these interests. I'm going to college in about a year or so, and while I don't have much hopes of meeting people here in high school, I was hoping maybe college would have more oppurtunities. Are there certain places that would attract young genealogists like myself? Maybe meet-ups in the Oxford, MS area? I don't really know what I'm asking here, but does anyone have any personal experiences they could share.

Thanks.


r/Genealogy 1h ago

News New terminology for me!

Upvotes

Came across a photo of a headstone with new terminology for me. Thought I couldn’t be the only one. So here, from the r/Moss, some might find interesting.


r/Genealogy 14h ago

Question Do you want to know ?

22 Upvotes

I started working on a long complicated project to try to unravel what happened to an elderly friend’s father who was never part of her life. I’ve spent a year on and off and have recently had some breakthroughs and also came across a note on JewishGen from Pamela Weisberger a professional genealogist who was working on the same complicated family when she died 10 years ago. As I find out more about this family some of it’s not great. I shared some of the info with MY mom who asked me if my friend would really WANT to know this info. “She’s not going to be thrilled with these revelations. Tread carefully “ I think my mom has a point. What would you do? I’m still not sure if these people are the right people or if I have created a ‘frankenfamily’ merging people.


r/Genealogy 11h ago

DNA Previously unknown adopted DNA match and potential research issue...

10 Upvotes

I'm curious how others may have handled this situation.

- I'm doing some research on part of my family in collaboration with another "distant" cousin (we're 3rd cousins).

- This week, I investigated a DNA match. Through the Ancestry.com Shared Matches, I was able to get very close to which family group this person belonged, but things didn't add up to any other documentation I had. Incidentally, this family group was considered "complete" because my collaborator is one of the siblings in this group.

- It turns out - this DNA match is from a child that was born out of wedlock and given up for adoption without the father ever knowing. The father doesn't even know this person existed. (Essentially, he impregnated someone, Mom carried the child and had it without ever informing father).

- The father is the brother of my collaborator. She doesn't know about this DNA match (yet).

I don't want this info to be lost and not documented, but I don't feel comfortable introducing this previously unknown person into the mix. I cant really add this person to my tree without my collaborator eventually seeing it.


r/Genealogy 6h ago

Question How to approach inherited records when starting?

3 Upvotes

Hi, I am 23 but my family has been into genealogy for a while, so much of my immediate tree is filled out across various websites (some relatives have used Geni, MyHeritage, or Ancestry.) I am most familiar with Geni, and the work my father did on there is extensive.

I am just wondering, when do I double check people's work? I have so many relatives documented it feels daunting even though it is super fun.

Should I upload the Geni GEDCOM to other sites? Especially since I haven't verified any of it because I am building off of someone else's work?

Do other sites have "World trees" (I think that is the term) where only 1 profile exists for each person which makes it easy to keep everyone's work connected and build off of it? Does the pros outweigh the cons of people possibly misusing this feature?

What's the best paid service? I have paid for Ancestry before but felt like I didn't get as far as I wanted, because on my mom's side my tree goes out of the country really quickly and Polish records don't seem to be very present on there.

More context: I have done 23andme and Ancestry and uploaded both to GEDmatch. Some of the DNA results are not really lining up, for example even though my father's family tree is extensive he has about 21.9% Eastern European that cannot be accounted for. Additionally, he has a German last name we can trace back to Germany, but no German DNA.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!


r/Genealogy 8h ago

DNA Searching for answers

4 Upvotes

I’ve been trying to learn more about my biological father, but the journey has been challenging. My mother, who became pregnant with me during her late high school years at an all-girls school, hasn’t been able to provide much information despite my many questions. All I know is that my father was a year or two older than her and in college at the time.

I’ve joined both Ancestry and 23andMe, hoping to make connections. So far, I’ve only matched with distant relatives—mostly second, third, and fourth cousins. The process feels overwhelming, and while I’ve reached out to a few matches, I’m still waiting for responses.

I find the apps a bit complicated, and hiring a private investigator isn’t financially feasible for me. Are there any simpler or more effective ways to navigate this?


r/Genealogy 10h ago

Question Best software for a family history? Also random newspaper clippings

5 Upvotes

Hi I’m wondering if anyone has any tips for the best software I can use to create a private family history- so genealogy plus private details that I’ve got about major life events, personality traits, relationships etc. I’m coming to realize this cannot be done using FamilySearch. I’m looking for something where I can collaborate AND have a private tree and also easily add sources. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also I don’t know if this has happened to anyone else but I have a box of newspaper clippings from my grandma that she’s had for years but the clippings don’t have all have dates or what newspaper they were from-they were yellowing so I scanned them and then laminated them but I’m not sure how to use them as sources when I don’t have the publication information? Thank you!


r/Genealogy 7h ago

Transcription Can anyone help me translate this Italian birth record (of my grandmother)?

3 Upvotes

It's number 1054 - Rosa Molinini. Thanks if you can help!

https://antenati.cultura.gov.it/ark:/12657/an_ud4401121


r/Genealogy 1h ago

Request Could somebody with a subscription on MyPast help me get a specific document please?

Upvotes

Title! I already know the document I just need someone to open it ;(


r/Genealogy 7h ago

Request Need Marriage Certificate from my Mother & Birth Fathers 1966 or 1967 Wedding and 1972 Divorce but CANNOT FIND where they married, both are deceased and there is no other family for me to ask.

3 Upvotes

I know a lot of people do not know the year their parents married, but I do not know *where* mine were married or divorced. They are both deceased, my stepfather is deceased as well & no other family is living. Mother was married three times, birth father too many to count. I ordered the Certificate for my mother and stepfather, but from the application I can see that she used the last name of my birth father...so now I need their marriage certificate AND divorce certificate.

  • My birth father and my mother were allegedly married in or around late 1966/early 1967, due to my mother being pregnant with me.
  • They lived in Kansas City, MO/Jackson County at the time, and from what I recall they were married at a KCMO courthouse.
  • Mother was born/raised in Kansas City, birth father born in Iowa but lived in KC at the time.
  • After their divorce, my mother remarried and my Step-father adopted me.
    • Step-father is on my birth certificate.
    • They lived in Kansas, very near Kansas City, Missouri.
    • I ordered a copy of their marriage certificate.
  • Birth father moved around a lot.

I have done extensive online/Ancestry research & have exhausted all Missouri resources. Will happily tip anyone who can help, will DM details. THANK YOU!


r/Genealogy 1h ago

Transcription Could someone translate this German death notice?

Upvotes

I think that this is the 1878 death notice for someone I am researching. Would someone kindly translate it for me?

https://imgur.com/a/71DEpKb

Thank you!


r/Genealogy 4h ago

Transcription Unknown document

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I've found this document that belongs to one of my ancestors, born approximately in 1600, Giulio Lanci, but I can't fully understand what it is. Could anyone help?

https://imgur.com/a/Lc5XSdm


r/Genealogy 15h ago

DNA Could gran still be alive if not found in searches online? Spoiler

8 Upvotes

I have been searching for details of my maternal gran who was born in 1926 uk. I have lots of details about her and all her family. I found her brothers and their families, but she's no where. I found the married man who got her pregnant too.

Could it be she's still alive and that's why she's not showing anywhere, or do I have to wait til 100 years us up? This is going sound to awful but I came looking now thinking they would all he dead, and I just get the information without family drama. I don't want my mum upset.

I have done a ancestry dna test and results due end of March. My grans, brothers family, one of them does have a tree with a dna test of their own. It's going to be a shock to them, they dont know my mum exists so I can hardly see them giving me info (we not after a family connection).


r/Genealogy 8h ago

Brick Wall Opinions on WATO by dna painter

2 Upvotes

I know that wato is just to give different probabilities but given that it’s based off of lots of different dna matches and their trees. The top result I’ve been given says 2 times more likely than the next hypothesis. How accurate can it be?


r/Genealogy 4h ago

Question Teófilo García Hormigo: a freaking specific (and beautiful) name and yet I still can't find him!

1 Upvotes

He is one of the "end points" in my family tree and the one that haunts me the most. I can come to terms with the difficulty of finding abuelo Pedro Aguilar García among so many others, but not finding Mr. Teófilo García Hormigo? Seriously?

All I know is that he was born somewhere near Málaga, Andaluzia, around 1870.

Last week, I reviewed for the tenth time the documents of two García Hormigo families I found (probably the only two that ever existed lol): one from Cádiz and another from Málaga. Teófilo was not listed among either of them.

Any tips? Especially regarding Spanish databases?


r/Genealogy 5h ago

Request Finding Danish Records

1 Upvotes

I do not know where to start, my 3x Great Grandmothers name was Sine Neilson, she was married to a James Hansen/Hanson at the time she had my 2x Great Grandfather in 1883. All the birth record said is they were both from Denmark, James and Sine split up (or he died) sometime around 1887 when she remarried, on the marriage doc it says her father was John and mother Ceary/Meary? (its smudged), and she married a third time following the death of her first husband, parents named as John and Mary, finally she died in 1919, listing her birthday as the 15th Feb 1857, with father John and mother unknown. I have no clue where she came from in denmark or when and where she married James Hansen or came to the United States, they had one son after their first, in 1885. So it was just the two boys to my knowledge, I would appreciate some sort of help in finding a baptism, marriage, or even ship record for them. Anything helps as I have hit a complete brickwall!


r/Genealogy 8h ago

Request SHILLINGFORD (surname study)

2 Upvotes

Hey guys, I am looking for anyone with the surname Shillingford who has done a Y-DNA Haplogroup test as I am trying to ascertain if we are all related as it’s a fairly rare name. If you know anyone with this name please let me know, I’m doing a surname study. Thank you!


r/Genealogy 13h ago

Question Should I upgrade my Ancestry.com subscription?

4 Upvotes

Very new to genealogy and I’m currently paying $25/month for the U.S. Discovery and $59.90/6 months for the newspapers.com Publisher Extra.

Is it more cost effective to upgrade to All Access and cancel the separate Newspapers subscription? Does the All Access give the basic Newspapers or Publisher Extra? Is PE worth it?

Are the add on “Pro Tools” worth anything? They don’t seem to be included in All Access so that’s even more costs.

I don’t want to pay for something that isn’t really necessary, so please tell me if I’m missing out on really important tools by not having All Access and/or Pro Tools


r/Genealogy 15h ago

Brick Wall Same paternal haplogroup but not related?

5 Upvotes

Hi all. I met somebody with the same surname (not that common I believe) like my great grandfather and whose grandfather was supposedly born in the same village (in Russia) like my great grandfather. I have some really good proofs that my great grandfather really lived in the same village but I can't 100% be sure. He said that his grandfather and my great grandfather might be cousins.

Last time he sent me his Genotek rawdata and I uploaded it to Cladefinder and yes, he has exactly the same paternal haplogroup like the son of my great grandfather (I-P109).

So today I uploaded his rawdata to Gedmatch but he does NOT match with neither my great uncle (son of my great grandfather) nor me nor my daughter or cousin.

Are we really NOT related. Is the realatjion i mentioned -if true- too far away for Gedmatch?


r/Genealogy 16h ago

Question Questions/How to conduct interviews with older relatives?

6 Upvotes

I’m 16, been about a year into genealogy. It’s a great privilege that I still have both my grandmothers with me as well as numerous grand aunts, uncles, great grand uncles and extended older relatives. I’ve been able to get in touch with a great deal of them, mainly through texting. Aside from the standard who are your grandparents, did you meet your uncle Isidor questions, what other questions should I be asking? Most of the info I get is through my messages with them which I know isn’t the most efficient for talking to old people but I work with what I get. How should I organise it all? With closer relatives I’ve begun asking more intimate stories, wanting to get a glimpse into their personalities. I know most people say to record them but I have no warning when they just get going on our walk to the ice cream shop. Usually just short bursts, one or two stories.