The year keeps flying by, and with November hitting us tomorrow we are most certainly at the tail end of the year now. Still before the ‘crazy time of year’ fully hits take some time out for some quality genealogy reading.

In this edition of Inspiring Genealogy Blogs we cover: the 1000 year archive, what’s the Genealogical Proof Standard, other trees are not valid sources, what to do about common surnames, looking beyond websites, are you disappointed with your DNA results? …  and so much more!

So grab yourself a cup of tea, coffee or an ice cold drink, get comfy and enjoy some great reads.

As I mention every time, I find that reading blog posts helps me keep up with the latest news, products as well as what’s happening in general in the world of genealogy. And if you happen to already follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and to some extent Google+, you already know that I like to share with you the interesting things I read.

How to Find Ancestors with Common Surnames (like ‘Bacon’)
I can relate to this one, and I know many others can too. Surnames that are a word for a place, thing, or action make finding any relevant references (particularly in newspapers) of an ancestor seem nearly impossible. Gena Philibert-Ortega gives readers some great tips on how to search to find what you’re looking for effectively. Read the full article …

Another Person’s Family Tree is Not a Valid Source
As family historians we like to validate each and every source we find with primary and secondary sources. As such using another person’s family tree is not a valid source. This is a great article which goes into the reasoning why in depth. Read the full article …

Ten Reasons Why You Might Be Disappointed with Your DNA Test Results
There are some misconceptions about what DNA can and can’t tell you. So before you test, take a read of this so you understand just how it can help you. Read the full article …

Books, Ownership and Copyright
This one is a different type of post, but a very interesting one from James Tanner. Read the full article …

What is the Genealogical Proof Standard and Why Should You Use It?
“What is the Genealogical Proof Standard, and why should you be concerned with it in your research? That’s a good question for most beginning genealogists.” That’s how Will from the Ancestral Findings blog begins this post. It’s a great read, and you can read the full article here …

A Plan to Store Everything Ever Published in a 1000 Year Archive
Want to preserve your family history for 1,000 years? That is about to become a possibility. All you need to do is to publish the information in Norway. The National Library of Norway’s (NLN) secure storage facility plans to digitize everything ever published in Norway: books, newspapers, manuscripts, posters, photos, movies, broadcasts, and maps, as well as all websites on the Norwegian .no domain. Read the full article …

Looking Beyond Genealogy Websites
Because of the huge number of resources available on the largest genealogy websites, we have a tendency to focus primarily on those resources sometimes to the exclusion of other valuable genealogical records. James Tanner gives examples as to what you’re missing if that’s all you look at. Read the full article …

Genealogical Societies May Learn From 61-Year-Old Historical Society’s Demise
It’s always sad to hear of societies and groups closing, but as long as we analyse and learn why, it can be useful. Take a read of this article and the reasons why it ended up having to close. If you recognise any of these in your group, it may be time for some changes. Read the full article …

Happy reading!