The Compleat Database: DNA and Health

Much is said these days about recording family health information, and we know the benefit of providing this information to our family doctor. Many people are even taking DNA tests to better understand their health risks, a practice that is often debated. As genealogists, we are interested in every aspect of our ancestor's lives and are equally interested in our heritage, cultural and physical. Recording this information in the genealogical database is the subject of Judy Rosella Edwards' most recent article, "The Compleat Database: DNA and Health." The article explores the types of information we might want to record and how such information might be used.

The Compleat Database: Non-traditional Relationships

Accurately identifying relationships in genealogy can be tricky business. In her article, "The Compleat Database: Non-traditional Relationships," Judy Rosella Edwards explores the issue of tracking such relationships in the genealogy database. Incorrectly identifying a relationship can lead a researcher down the wrong path, so it is important to cautious in the analysis and make no assumptions.  It is also important to make note of non-traditional relationships in the notes section, if your genealogy database does not provide a specific place.

The Compleat Genealogy Database: Compleat Names

Judy Rosella Edwards' last article on names emphasized the importance of documenting where and how name information was obtained, indicating most genealogy software databases have a place for recording this documentation. In this week's article, "The Compleat Genealogy Database: Compleat Names," the author suggests notating all names by which a person may have been known, including nicknames, aliases, and other names. The article points out the accuracy of a person's birth name is key and suggests avoiding the tendency to assign a spouse's surname when the person's birth name is unknown, which can be highly misleading to others. It stands to reason any extra information that can be provided can help to distinguish one person from another, even within families.

The Compleat Genealogy Database: Names

Genealogists are always on a quest for names, and previous articles have explored various aspects of naming. This week's article from Judy Rosella Edwards, "The Compleat Genealogy Database: Names," suggests we take an even closer look at names in the genealogy database and make sure we are recording and interpreting them correctly. The article also encourages us, once again, to be very careful in making assumptions, names can be tricky. Citing the source of how we know a particular name to be true and accurate is an important to building a "compleat" database and, important for helping us stay on the right track in our research.

The Compleat Genealogy Database: Religious Affiliations

In a new series, Judy Rosella Edwards encourages researchers to examine the data in their database with the aim of filling in the blanks and creating a truly complete record. The first article, "The Compleat Genealogy Database: Religion Affiliation," explains the objectives and discusses the benefits of exploring religious affiliations. One point made in this first article, relative to fine-tuning your data is to "be precise about place of death." If a person lived in one place but died in another, that is an important distinction to make, lest the place of death send someone off in a wrong direction looking for records. The devil is in the detail.

As a side note, those wondering at the use of the word "compleat" may interested in reading the article, "Compleat vs. Complete." At one time thought to be an archaic spelling of the word "complete," the word has seen a revival in modern times to indicate the quintessential, "the perfect example of class or quality."

New FamilySearch: A Database to Capture Your Imagination

The New FamilySearch is being gradually rolled out. If you are aware of a correction that needs to be made to your existing FamilySearch data but you don't have access, how do you correct it? In her second article on the subject, "New FamilySearch: A Database to Capture Your Imagination," Judy Rosella Edwards tells us how.

New FamilySearch, a sneak peek

FamilySearch is a free online genealogy database that has been around for a number of years. It is undergoing a major overhaul. The new database is not yet available to everyone, but Judy Rosella Edwards, in her article, "New FamilySearch: Depending Upon the Kindness of Strangers," shares her experience as one of the early users and offers advice on how to prepare for using the new system.

Online Database Memberships: Are They Worth It?

Fee-based databases abound. Are they worth the money? Whether you are a professional researcher or doing your own genealogy, this is a valid question. In her most recent article, "Online Database Memberships: Are They Worth It?" Judy Rosella Edwards explains how the more you know about searching databases, the more valuable databases become for you. Which one(s) and how many depends on your individual resources.