The 1840 U.S. Census might be early American recordkeeping’s most overlooked turning point. It still looks like the older ones—just one name listed, a page full of tick marks, and plenty of room for guesswork. But this was a census taken on the edge of transformation. The United States was about to…

By 1830, the United States had reached a new kind of maturity. For some, the Revolution was no longer in living memory, though a surprising number of veterans were still alive and tucked into households across the country. Andrew Jackson was president, the Erie Canal had transformed trade in the…

The 1820 U.S. Census rolled out during what historians often call the “Era of Good Feelings”—a peaceful name for a time that was anything but simple. The War of 1812 had ended just a few years earlier. James Monroe was president, and the country was pushing its borders westward at full speed.…

Dive into your family history with this week’s free lookups! Uncover your roots and explore your family tree today. The post This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups appeared first on Ancestral Findings.

In 1810, the United States was only 34 years into its existence and was still figuring things out—including how to count its people. That year marked just the third official census, and while the goal was simple on paper—get a headcount of everyone in the country—the results were far from perfect.…

Are you looking for some productive genealogy projects to do for April? As the first full month of spring, April offers some interesting and unique genealogy opportunities that just don't fit in as well during other months of the year. If you want to stay on top of things in your genealogy research,…

Imagine sitting quietly at your desk, watching your favorite TV show or browsing a genealogy archive late at night. You’re alone—or at least you think you are. But what if the screen in front of you wasn’t just a passive lightbox? What if something else was happening somewhere behind the flicker and…