Below are a few ideas on how to keep going and to find what you’re looking for

1. Take a break - Believe it or not, but taking a break can be one of the best things to keep you moving forward.  Returning back after a break can help you with new insight and approach your research in new ways.
2. Enlist help – Getting the help of others when you’ve come to a dead end can be a crucial step to finding what you’re looking for.  Obviously, the easiest people to get help from are your immediate family; however, it’s possible that their information is similar to you own.  Go to the oldest living relative in the line and see what they know.  They may have old records in the home that they forgot about.  You can also go to your local family history library and ask for help.  Another method is to try to get help from people across the Internet.  There are plenty of sites such as genealogy.com and ancestry.com where you can connect with other researchers. 
3. Use online tools and databases – You’ve probably already done this in your search, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it.  If you cant find your records at ancestry.com or familysearch.org, try doing Google searches.  Search for the name of the person, put quotes around the first and last name as an option to find records on the Internet with an exact match.  Try including any dates or approximate dates you may have.  Many individuals have posted their family records online; they may have posted something about a common ancestor that you share too.
4. Go wide - It’s possible that the record you have isn’t the name that the person used or it is spelled differently.  Try widening your research to include a wider date range and various spellings of the name.
5. Visit the location where the records may be – Lots of towns have records but are not posted online.  If you’re up for a trip, try locating cemeteries, churches, and state buildings in the city where you think your ancestor lived.  Ask all over for places to get records.  Find the family history library in the vicinity (helps to do this in advance) and ask for help there.

Whether you’re a veteran researcher or a newbie, taking different and unique approaches can sometimes pay off big.  Good luck, and happy searching.

Many people have wondered where they can search the genealogy information found in the Indexing Project. As of this writing, the information can be found at the “Labs” section of FamilySearch.org.

Create an account for free to view and search the records. Among many types of records, you’ll be able to search are:

• Census Records
• Court Records
• Vital Records
• Military Records

Information has been indexed from various countries including the United States, England, Mexico, Canada, and many others. Search the indexed information or even browse the images of the original documents.

The interface is fairly intuitive and is not cluttered by too many links or instructions. The site appears to be using some sort of AJAX or AJAX-like programing which means the web page doesn’t need to be refreshed each time you click on a link or enter information. This saves a lot of time if you’re on a slower Internet connection and it makes for a better look-and-feel for the website.

This search site will probably graduation from the Labs section at some point, but it’s great to have access to the records even while the project is still in its beginnings.

Occupations such as yeoman, wright, longshoreman, cooper, whig, yatman, and more are probably going to be pretty hard to find on someone’s business card today.  However, in the past, and on ship and census records, you may come across terms like these more often.  It’s fascinating to see the definitions of the various occupations.

To help you out in finding and defining occupational terms, choose from the links below which detail many “old” occupations and their definitions (perhaps you’ll find an old term that you would like to adopt for yourself):

• http://www.familyhistory101.com/encyclopedia/job-A.html
• http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgwkidz/oldjobs.htm
• http://genealogyfix.tripod.com/jobdesc.html
• http://www.genealogy-quest.com/glossaries/occupations1.html

If you find a job title that you can’t understand in your research, you can also visit Dictionary.com to look up the definition. Another source for discovering more about a certain type of occupation is Wikipedia.

Ancestor occupations can provide tremendous insight into the life of your ancestor. A coal miner is going to have a much different life experience than an ancestor that worked in an accounting office.

Take special note if your ancestors left their country of origin to seek a new life and switched occupations.  In today’s world, people change occupations quite frequently.  A few hundred years ago, it might take several generations worth of the same occupation until a change was brought about.  Consider the hardships that an ancestor may have had in changing occupations and you’ll appreciate even more the struggles they went through to build a better life and future for their family.

Finding Meaning

Have some fun finding out what your first name means, and where it comes from. But why not take it a step further, find out what your family and ancestors names mean? Create a chart showing the different names and their history.

A number of sites on the Internet will tell you what your name means. A few good resources are listed below:

First and Last Name Searches

The first and last name meaning and origin search page from Ancestry.com is a great place to find the meaning of both your first and last name and has good collection of names.

First Name Searches

Behind the Name will tell you the different languages the name is used in, other scripts such as Greek, pronunciation in different languages and a history of the name. You can also view the popularity of names throughout the decades.

Namespedia is another resource you can use as well, and of course, you can try one of the Baby Name sites such as http://www.babynamesworld.com.

What to Do With the Information

There are some fun things that you can do with the information you find about names:

Idea #1: Surname Meanings

Find out what the various surnames in your family tree mean, and write a short description about how the surname relates to the family. Were your family members smiths, miners, farmers, etc. and is that how they received their surnames? Did your ancestors take on as a surname the place that they hailed from?

Idea #2: List of Name Meanings in the Family

Create a list of your direct ancestry line and write the names and the meaning of the names. You even might want to add the year the name was given to your ancestor (most likely the year of birth) and note if the name and meaning have any connection with the year or the times.

For example, does your ancestor’s name mean “born in adversity” and was it really so based on what you know of the era in which he or she was born?

Idea #3: Meanings by Family Member

Write the origin of the names and include each meaning in the file or history about your ancestor. Write a paragraph or two about your ancestor and the name given to them. Was the name a family name handed down? Was the name unique or new to the family, and how does the meaning of the name relate to the ancestor’s life or the life of his or her parents at the time the name was given.

Idea #4: Create a Family Name Chart

Create a family tree chart with the meanings of your names. Some names lend themselves to having short meanings, while others have long definitions. You can probably find a short one or two word description/meaning statement for each name. Put those on a chart for the family. Below is a chart for the Harry Potter family.

If you would like to download free family name templates, click here.

Idea #5: Find out Why a Specific Name was Given

It is fun to find out the meanings of names, but what may be even more interesting (if you can get the information) is why a certain name was given.

Start with yourself and ask your parents, or family who might know, the reason why you were given the name you have. Research your family tree and try to find why your ancestors were given the names they have. Perhaps they were named after an uncle or an aunt, a grandpa or grandma. Sometimes one name was used in a family more than once if a child died as an infant, the name given to that child may have been used for another child.

Is there a particular story around why the name was given? Some can be quite funny, so check and see if you can find out why you and your family members were given certain names.

So What’s in Your Name?

When an author names his or her book, a considerable amount of work and thought go into selecting a title that will be appropriate. Your name (and the name of your ancestors) may have been selected for no other reason than that the names sounded nice, but don’t be too disappointed because it’s more important what you do with your name than why it was given or what it means. That’s your thought for the day.

We learn family history and genealogy here and there as we go along, we discover at some point (most often, far too late in the process) how important it is to cite resources, and we read a few books here and there about researching.  Wouldn’t it be fantastic now that you have a love of genealogy to go back to college and receive a more organized family history education?

Free University Courses on Family History 

You guessed it; you can, and you can do it for free online.  Now the resource isn’t one of those “get your degree in 10 clicks of your mouse” sites.  The courses are offered by the Independent Study program by Brigham Young University (BYU), you won’t receive a degree at the end of the free courses, but you will learn a lot.

Quality Education 

Why not take an online course from a different institution you might ask?   BYU is a university owned and supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church).  The LDS Church has one of the largest collections of genealogy information in the entire world and is host to the largest family history library in the world.  BYU houses the second largest family history library in the world.  So, you’ll be able to learn a thing or two from them.

What You Can Learn 

There are over twenty courses that you can enroll in.  For starters:

• Learn about Starting your researching, discovering ancestors, and helping family members get involved with family history.
• For members of the LDS Church, take a course about providing temple ordinances for your ancestors.
• Learn about different types of records.
• Go deeper and take courses specific to research in countries such as France, Germany and more.

You can view the course listing for free courses at: http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses/freecourses.cfmIf you’re interested, there are other free courses you can take such as bowling and organ performance, but that’s up to you.  Have fun learning for free!

Today, you can type your ancestor’s name into a computer and search from the comfort of your own home. But guess what? Someone had to take the scans and the microfilm and type into a computer the information found on the scans or microfilm.

There are still a large number of records that need to be “indexed” which means the records need to have someone look at them and type into the computer the records that have been written on the page.

So if you’ve benefited by the work someone else has done indexing records, perhaps you could return the favor in a way by indexing a few records yourself. If everyone did a little, a lot of progress can be made.

FamilySearch.org now has an indexing program that you can volunteer your time to help index records.

To get started indexing, go to: http://www.familysearchindexing.org

1. Click the “Volunteer” button to register.
2. Fill out your information to create a user name and password. After you have entered your information, you will be asked to “Install Now” or “Start Indexing”
3. You can click the “Start Indexing” button and you’ll be prompted to download the Java Application. The program may take a few minutes to download, so be patient.
4. Once the program is finished downloading, you’ll be asked to “Run” the program. Click run, and enter your username and password you created a few moments ago.
5. Click to agree to the terms (that is, if you agree), and you’re in!

You should now have the indexing program open on your computer. Now that you have the program installed, you’re almost ready to start indexing.

1. Click the “Download Indexing Batch” to receive records.
2. Click on the Project Information tab to see instructions for your project you’ve downloaded. There will be specific instructions for your project and notes on how to enter information. It’s important to view the instructions.

Make sure to also check out the tutorials provided, and the current projects page, and you’re ready to go. Have fun!

When your done indexing, close the program. When you want to start again where you left off, go back to http://familysearchindexing.org and click the “Start Indexing” button. You’ll then be connected to the server to continue where you left off.

With the advances in technology, many people have shared their family history online, and a number of people of people have asked, “Why should I post my family history information on the Internet?” To others, the question hasn’t crossed their minds.

Below are some common questions asked when considering sharing genealogy information online.

• Why should I post my genealogy and family history online?
  
• What sort of information should I post online?
• What should I not post online
• Is it safe to post online?
  
• What does “post online” mean?
• Where should I post online?
• Do I need to pay to post online?
• Do I need to know how to program to put family history on the Internet?

Why should I post my genealogy and family history online?

Have you ever been looking for something, say your car keys for example, and spent forever looking for them? What if someone knew where your keys were and also knew that you probably were looking for them? Would you want that person to let you know they found your keys? Of course you would, and it’s the same for family history. There have been many family lines I’ve researched and have come up against walls. Every once in a while, I’ll stumble upon a new website that a distant relative has created that gives me exactly the information I need, or at least the contact info so I can ask the distant relation some questions. It’s doubtful that I would have ever found a number of stories and records if the information if it hadn’t been posted online by a fellow descendant.

You might think that the information you have isn’t all that important, but I’ve made contact with distant relatives who are searching similar lines that I am searching simply because I’ve posted what little I have online. We can now share information and better our genealogy search.

What sort of information should I post online?

This is up to you. I try to post all the genealogy I have online. The articles and information that I guard and am cautious about sharing is information about living family members. Many genealogy software programs that let you post online have a safety feature or option to let you protect information on the living from being viewed. Here’s some information that you might want to consider posting:

• Pictures, old and new (writing descriptions help)
• Stories about your ancestors
• Records of deceased ancestors for which you hold the copyright (if you do not hold the copyright information to post online, you could at least post that you have access to the information or source)
• Links to websites created by other family members

Just remember to cite the reference of how you obtained your information. It’s great to post a story about a great-grandparent, but it’s better to post the story and indicate that the story is based on a personal memory you have of your ancestor.

What should I not post online?

There are a few things that you might want to think twice about posting online.

• Your home address or home addresses of family
• Your phone number (if you want someone to contact you, post your email address)
• Personal records for living individuals (don’t post your own birth certificate online for example)
• Media for which you do not have permission from the copyright holder.

What does “post online” mean?

Some have raised questions about privacy wondering if they want their family pictures shared online. Well, I hate to break it to you, but it’s actually quite a lot of work to get people to find and come to your site, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about privacy issues. Just don’t post your address, or bank account information. There are millions upon millions upon millions of people posting pictures of themselves, their family, the family pet, etc. I wouldn’t be too concerned if I were you to post family history information.
What does “post online” mean?

No harm in asking the question. “Post online” means to place information you have on the Internet. It’s akin to posting an article in the newspaper, except for the newspaper is kept on computer, and a larger audience has access to it.

Where should I post online?

This is a great question. There are lots of different ways for you to share your genealogy. It depends on what you want to accomplish. You can read a past article here for a more comprehensive explanation; however, I’ve listed below a few highlights:

• To post a family tree with pictures and stories, try Ancestry.com
• To create a personal website where you can easily post your thoughts, family history stories, and pictures, try wordpress.com or blogger.com.
• To create a family website that keeps the rest of the world out, and only lets your family in, try myfamily.com.

Do I need to pay to post online?

There are plenty of places that will “host” or display your pictures and stories you want to share for free. So, no, you don’t to have to pay to post online. There are some great services out there that are free, and there are some that require a subscription. The list above is a great place to start looking for sharing your genealogy and family stories online.

Do I need to know how to program to put family history on the Internet?

Absolutely not. In some cases, it might be helpful to know; however, the few websites listed above do not require you to have a knowledge of web programming.

The final question is: Will you post online? I certainly hope so. Everyone has something to share, many are looking for information but can’t find it. The web makes it so easy to share what we have and help those that are searching find what they need. You can also benefit your own family by keeping your family history information organized. You’ll be able to better stay in touch with your family. The benefits go on and on, and it’s never been easier to share online. So let’s stop yappin’ and get started! Take a look at some of the sites we’ve recommended, and start making your family history more accessible to your family.

And then, your computer beeps. You realize you’ve just received an email. You’ve been daydreaming. You were taking just a minute to research your family’s coat of arms and got carried away in thoughts of history.

What is a Coat of Arms?

Older traditions indicate that the coat of arms was held by one individual within the family at a time and could be passed on to the heir. The symbols and insignia would be created to refer to the owner’s life, location, family, or achievements. In today’s world, many people refer to a “family coat of arms” relating to their family name. However, in the past, the coat of arms was a personal marker and could be passed on to family by modifying the the color or other emblems. The motto in the coat of arms would often relate specifically to the person for which the armorial bearings (coat of arms) were designed. The motto is usually located beneath the compartment for English coat of arms and above the crest for Scottish coat of arms.

What is a Crest?

Often the terms “crest” and “coat of arms” are used interchangeably in the vernacular, yet a crest is not a coat of arms. A crest is an emblem or symbol worn upon a helmet or crown.

Does my Family Have a Coat of Arms?

The answer is probably yes and probably no. No in the sense that having an original family coat of arms specific to your surname and handed down from father to son is unlikely. Yes in the sense that you can find a family connection to a coat of arms, and as described above, modify it to fit your family. You can also find coat of arms on the Internet that incorporate elements from your family’s origins. One of the encouraging facts is that certain armorial bearings (doesn’t that just sound cool?) were changed when passed on to other family members, so feel free to even create your own from scratch. Include elements particular to your family history and pass them on.

Where Can I Find Resources to Build/Find a Coat of Arms?

We’ve listed below certain sites that can help you find or design your armorial bearings.

Get your Bearings Straight (caveat emptor when visiting external sites. I’ve found a couple different armorial bearings for my surname, so do your research):

• To find out if your family has a coat of arms, you can try searching House of Names. They provide history about the surname and location and dates when a coat of arms for your surname was first used.

  • Visit House of Names at http://www.houseofnames.com

• For specifics on design, Fleur de Lis has suggestions as to the meanings of colors used in the coat of arms, patterns, designs, animals and more. They can do a custom design for you, your family, or even businesses.

  • Visit Fleur de Lis at http://www.fleurdelis.com/meanings.htm

• For putting your family coat of arms on plaques, rings, cups, plates, mounted, etc. visit Coat of Arms. They have coat of arms related to specific geographic areas, and you can customize the motto. You can purchase a digital copy of your coat of arms as well as order an armorial history.

  • Visit Coat of Arms at http://www.coatofarms.com

Reference:

Coat of arms. (2007, October 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:50, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coat_of_arms&oldid=163472494

Crest (heraldry). (2007, September 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:42, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crest_%28heraldry%29&oldid=160025161

Many superstitions are shared by various countries. Below, we’ve listed a few that perhaps you hold today, or your ancestors believed at one time. Some of the superstitions listed were recently adopted while others are ancient in origin. There are many more superstitions per country and region than we have listed here, but we’ve highlighted a number of superstitions that we found interesting.

Superstitions from North and South America

U.S. Superstitions

1. Sidewalk Blunders – Don’t step on a crack or you’ll break your mother’s back.
2. Number 13 – Although the fear of #13 didn’t originate in the United States, there are still buildings without a 13th floor, and apparently row 13 does not exist on many planes flown by Continental Airlines.
3. Mad Hatter – Placing a hat on your bed is bad luck in South Carolina.
4. First Meal - In the South, eating black eyed peas on the first day of the year will bring good luck.
5. A Penny Saved - Find a penny, pick it up, all day long, you’ll have good luck. A penny found heads up will bring good luck.
6. Pointy Hats – Witches were believed to have lived in Salem, Massachusetts. Between 1692 and 1693, dozens of people were executed because they were believed to be witches.

Mexican Superstitions

1. Unluckily Swept off Your Feet – A single woman may never marry if someone sweeping the floor brushes the maiden’s shoes with the broom.

Peruvian Superstitions

1. Give ‘em the Lazy Eye - If you look at someone that has pinkeye, you’ll get it too.
2. Cold Drink Anyone? - If you drink something cold or with ice before going to bed, you’ll get sick, and perhaps die.
3. Is it Hot in Here? – If you sleep with a fan pointed at you, you’ll get sick or die.

Superstitions from Asian Countries

Chinese Superstitions

1. 3 + 1 = Not Much Fun – In the Chinese language, the pronunciation for the number 4 is very similar to the pronunciation of the word for death. In the United States and Europe, the number 13 is the “bad” number that is skipped in building floors and other things, the number 4 is treated similarly in China and other countries such as Japan and Korea. FYI: the fear of the number 4 is called tetraphobia.

Thai Superstitions

1. Slithery Dreams – If you dream about a snake tightly holding you, you will soon meet your one and only.
2. Don’t Roll a Six - The number 6 is said to bring or indicate a reversal of results because the number 6 can be reversed or turned upside down turning it into a different number (number 9 for those who are counting).

Taiwanese Superstitions

1. Show me the Money - Money is burned on behalf of the dead. Official currency is not burned; however, you can purchase special paper money designed for burning.

Superstitions from European Countries

English Superstitions

1. Rap, Tap, Tapping - If a young woman knocks on the door of the hen house and a rooster crows, the young woman will be married within the year. There’s catch, however, the tapping has to take place on Christmas Eve.
2. With Crust Please – If a person cuts off both ends of a loaf of bread, they need to watch out for flying visitors because it was believed that the Devil would fly over the house.
3. Savored Salt – If the salt is spilled at the table, take a pinch of it, and throw it over the left shoulder into the eyes of the Devil.
4. Lean on Me – A newlywed bride should be carried by her husband across the threshold of their new dwelling. Why? To avoid the spirits that linger at the threshold of the door.
5. Bearable? - If you place a child to ride on the back of a bear, the child will be protected from the whooping-cough sickness.
6. Hare Raising? – You’ll bring good luck if you say “White Rabbit” on the first day of the month. White rabbits were also believed to be witches.

French Superstitions

1. Nice gift – If you give a set of knives as a wedding gift, the recipients should give you money in return. You’ll then fool the evil spirits into thinking the recipients were purchasing the knives. Why the exchange? The recipients could be otherwise cursed forever.

German Superstitions

1. Lefty - If you lay a newborn on its left side, the baby will will become clumsy later in life.
2. Dum-Dum - Calling a little child a dummy will hurt the child’s growth.
3. Ah hem - If it’s raining in the morning, and old women begin clearing their throats, the weather will clear by the afternoon.
4. Freckles – Want to get rid of those freckles? Try using rainwater left on tombstones.

Irish Superstitions

1. Four-leaf Clover - Surreptitiously finding a four-leaf clover will bring good luck. The four leaflets of the four-leaf clover represent hope, faith, love, and luck.
2. Kissing the Blarney Stone - One who kisses the Blarney stone will be gifted with great eloquence. There are many, many explanations regarding the origins of the stone. It is said that the stone is the famous rock that Moses struck and from which water gushed forth to quench the thirst of the Israelites. It is also said that the patriarch Jacob used the stone as a pillow.
3. Ye Pot o’ Gold Awaits – Leprechauns are said to live in Ireland. They’re mischievous and rich. If you keep your eye on a leprechaun, the leprechaun cannot escape; however, if you look away for a split second, the leprechaun will vanish.

Italian Superstitions

1. Did You Hear That? – Hanging around a cat with hay fever might be a good idea because it’s good luck to hear a cat sneeze.
2. Mrs. Peacock – Don’t put peacock feathers in your house because the feathers have the appearance of the “evil eye” within its patterns.
3. Bridget - Apparently, it is unlucky to see a nun. To ward off the bad luck that might come your way, touch something made of iron.

Polish Superstitions

1. It’s in the Bag - Don’t place your handbag on the floor or else the money inside will disappear.

Scottish Superstitions

1. Flower Power – An old tradition states that a person could use St. John’s Wort flower to get ride of fairies.
2. Nessie - Loch Ness is home to a monster. It is reported that some triathlon swimmers still get insurance against a monster bite when swimming across Loch Ness.
3. Blue Suede Anyone? – Even though they may be fancy, don’t you dare put new shoes on your bed or table. This belief stems from the practice of dressing a recently deceased person in new clothes and laying out the body so others can pay their respects.

Swedish Superstitions

1. Troll the Ancient Yule Tide… - Beware to the early riser! Trolls are out and about the countryside in between the rooster crowing and the rising of the sun on Christmas morning.
2. What’s in your Witches Brew? – Around Easter-time, witches are very active practicing their black magic.
3. Where are my Keys? – Wherever you place your keys, don’t place them on your table. It brings bad luck.

Discovering if Your Ancestors Were Superstitious

Your ancestors may or may not have carried the superstitions mentioned above; however, there’s a good way to find out. If your great-grandparents, grandparents, or even parents are still alive, sit down with them (just before Halloween would be appropriate), and ask what superstitions were handed down to them. Ask if they remember any superstitions that their parents or grandparents believed.

If your family is less superstitious, you may have to branch out a little bit and ask your uncles and great uncles; there’s usually one or two in the family that have some pretty wild ideas. In ours, we have a Big Foot hunter. Hey, you never know, he may find “Giganto-feet” some day!

References:

Superstitions from North and South America

U.S. Superstitions

1. Taught to the author as a child.

2. Check your travel superstitions, or carry them on? (2005, October 31). In USA Today. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/grossman/2005-10-31-grossman_x.htm

3. Superstition. (2007, October 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:22, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition&oldid=163249324

4. Superstition. (2007, October 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:22, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition&oldid=163249324

5. Personal experience. Taught to the author as a child.

6. Salem witch trials. (2007, October 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:53, October 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salem_witch_trials&oldid=164340293

Mexican Superstitions

1. Superstitions: Marriage & Weddings. (no date). In Topics Online Magazine. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/superstitions/marriage.htm

Peruvian Superstitions

1. Personal experience. Yes, I did get pink eye (or some horrible version of it), and no, I didn’t get it by looking at someone that had it.

2. Communicated to the author by various individuals while in Peru.

3. Communicated to the author while in Peru.

Superstitions from Asian Countries

Chinese Superstitions

1. Superstition. (2007, October 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:22, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition&oldid=163249324

Thai Superstitions

1. Superstitions from Thailand. (no date). In TOPICS Online Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/superstitions/thailand.htm

2. Superstitions from Thailand. (no date). In TOPICS Online Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/superstitions/thailand.htm

Taiwanese Superstitions

1. Personal observation by the author while in Taiwan.

Superstitions from European Countries

English Superstitions

1. Text Examples for Superstitions. (no date). In Thank You Ink. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.thankyouink.com/textdisplay.php?display=type&sortname=superstitions

2. Superstitions. (no date). In Historic-UK.com. Retrieved October 9, 2007 from
   http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Superstitions.htm

3. Superstitions. (no date). In Historic-UK.com. Retrieved October 9, 2007 from
   http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Superstitions.htm

4. Superstitions. (no date). In Historic-UK.com. Retrieved October 9, 2007 from
   http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Superstitions.htm

5. Superstitions in Britain. (no date). In British Life and Culture, Woodlands Junior School, Kent. Retrieved on October 10, 2007 from http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/superstitions.htm

6. Superstitions in Britain. (no date). In British Life and Culture, Woodlands Junior School, Kent. Retrieved on October 10, 2007 from http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/superstitions.htm

French Superstitions

1. French Superstitions. (2004, October 31). In La Coquette. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://lacoquette.blogs.com/la_coquette/2004/10/french_supersti.html

German Superstitions

1. Superstitions from Europe. (1998, January 11). In http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html

2. Superstitions from Europe. (1998, January 11). In http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html

3. Superstitions from Europe. (1998, January 11). In http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html

4. Superstitions from Europe. (1998, January 11). In http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/superstition.html

Irish Superstitions

1. Four-leaf clover. (2007, September 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:08, October 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Four-leaf_clover&oldid=161328403

2. Blarney Stone. (2007, October 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:20, October 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blarney_Stone&oldid=162288524

3. Leprechaun. (2007, October 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:44, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leprechaun&oldid=162911086

Italian Superstitions

1. Italian Superstitions. (2001, August 3). In suite101.com. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/italian_culture/76486

2. Italian Superstitions. (2001, August 3). In suite101.com. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/italian_culture/76486

3. Italian Superstitions. (2001, August 3). In suite101.com. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/italian_culture/76486

Polish Supersitions

1. Very Superstitious. (2002, March 24). In The Warsaw Voice. Retrieved October 13, 2007 from http://www.warsawvoice.pl/archiwum.phtml/11684/

Scottish Superstitions

1. Scottishs Folklore and Folklife. (no date). In Tour Scotland. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.fife.50megs.com/scots-folklore.htm

2. Scottish superstitions. (2006, January 31). In Scottish Blog. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.scottish-heirloom.com/scottish-blog/index.php/2006/01/31/scottish_superstitions

3. Superstition. (2007, October 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:22, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition&oldid=163249324

Swedish Superstitions

1. Text Examples for Superstitions. (no date). In Thank You Ink. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.thankyouink.com/textdisplay.php?display=type&sortname=superstitions

2. Traditions around Easter…. (no date). In http://www.luth.se/luth/present/sweden/history/folklore/easter.html. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.luth.se/luth/present/sweden/history/folklore/easter.html

3. Superstition. (2007, October 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:22, October 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition&oldid=163249324

Wikipedia.org (a really great source) defines Family History as:

“…the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.”

Genealogy is defined as:

“…the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves the collection of the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships among them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree.”

Sounds like genealogy involves a lot more work, but both family history and genealogy involve effort. To better distinguish the differences between genealogy and family history, we’ve summed up the definitions as:

• Genealogy = Finding date and place records related to ancestors
• Family History = Getting to know your ancestors through study and research (of journals, articles, etc.)

Genealogy is about collecting the dates, places, and relations. Family History is about the stories, relationships, and lives behind the dates and places.
Family History and Genealogy can be about you. Working on your own journal isn’t genealogy work, per se, but it is definitely family history work (it just happens to be your personal history). Recording video and audio dialogs with your living relatives would be more family history than genealogy work. Adding yourself to your family tree and saving birth and other records is genealogy work about you.

Does the difference between Genealogy and Family History really matter? Whatever you call it, what matters is that your family history and genealogy gets preserved, saved, and done. You’re never really “done” with family history, it’s just a good way to end. Good luck, and let’s get it done!

Reference:

Genealogy. (2007, October 8). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:31, October 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Genealogy&oldid=163091459

Family history. (2007, October 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:31, October 9, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Family_history&oldid=162695337