Christmas is just around the corner, and if there is a genealogist in your life you might be wondering what to get them this year. With the popularity of genealogy these days, Christmas shopping for genealogists is probably easier and more exciting than shopping for just about anything. There is an array of genealogy gifts you can get for the resident family historian, or if you are that researcher, drop a hint to friends and family about! Because the pursuit of genealogy is so internet based these days, let’s first take a look at some electronic oriented gifts you can get for genealogist family or friends.

CD-ROMs and Software

Family Tree Maker 2012 and Legacy Deluxe 7.5 are by far the most popular and comprehensive Genealogy software options on the market today. Both are affordably priced (under $40), and both are rated highly by those who own them. They are equally effective and contain all the features a genealogist needs to organize a family history. Family Tree Maker 2012 stands out from the crowd in one essential way – it is easy to use and understand. The genius of the product is that it is designed to be easily understood by beginners and absolutely effective for more seasoned genealogists. Legacy has its own outstanding features; 3D satellite views, relationship calculator, set-up wizard, and over a thousand interview reports. Both are capable of interacting with online sources such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com, and both will be appreciated by any genealogist who doesn’t yet have such software, or who is looking to upgrade.

You can also find record collections on CD ROM. The National Archives Library Information Center has almost 100 CD ROMs containing records from census to immigration and military records, as well as Griffith’s Valuation Index and much, much more. Another organization offering an excellent choice of CD ROMs for genealogists is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). At the LDS Online Store, you will find excellent genealogy tutorials and tools on CD Rom as well as supplies and journals. As the LDS offer so much free information and access to genealogy records to genealogists, shopping with them is a way of giving back.

Books

Research is equally as important to organizing a family tree, and there are many books that also make great genealogy gifts. There are countless publications that family historian’s can benefit from, but three of my favorites are; How to Do Everything Genealogy by George G. Morgan, Genealogy Online for Dummies by Matthew L. Helm and April Leigh Helm, and The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking.

A genealogist not need have any other guidebooks if having these three in their collection. How to Do Everything Genealogy covers all the basics of genealogical research with instruction included for specific geographical locations, Genealogy Online for Dummies provides a comprehensive guide for online research, and The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, as its name implies is an in depth guide to searching ancestors in the United States. All are well written, easy to understand and make great genealogy gifts.

Genealogical Supplies and Miscellaneous

Amazon.com also offers a vast array of genealogical supplies and heraldic related material that also make great genealogy gifts. Family history scrapbooks, journals, coats of arms, binders and refill pages, voice recorders for interviewing family members, and much more are available on their website, making it a one stop shop for buying genealogy gifts. Remember, Christmas is right around the corner, so you might want to start sniffing out what the genealogist in your life would like to receive from Santa!

You’re hot on the trail of an ancestor, you find the records you need and excitedly contact the repository. Your excitement grows as you wait for the phone to be answered or response to your letter or email. Finally you get the dreaded answer – sorry there is no public access to those records. Many researchers have become discouraged and given up their search at this point, but there is really no need to.

Yes, some records are not available for the public to access, or access is limited, especially since September 2001. Many government agencies around the world have enforced legislation to prevent access to types of records that may be used to falsify an identity or be used in other illegal activities. Because of this some documents that were previously available to researchers are now not, or you may need to verify your own identity before you are allowed access. This especially includes civil records such as birth certificates, as they can be used to obtain identity cards, passports, driver’s licences and other official documentation.

Some documents have been officially sealed, and may never be available to researchers, regardless of the circumstances. Adoption records fall into this category, and it is even difficult for the adoptee or the adoptive parents to receive them. Other types of records that may not be available are certain types of court records, coroner’s reports, inquests, civil lawsuit settlements, and divorce records. Religious institutions may also choose to maintain the privacy of their members, as will some businesses.

These situations are definitely genealogical obstacles that can be difficult to overcome, but there are certain methods you can employ to maximize your chance of moving beyond them. Following are methods that myself and others have used to gain access to restricted records.

Provide Proof of Your Relationship

Whenever you are seeking to access someone else’s records you will inevitably be asked why you want the information, even though the person may be long deceased. The best response is to be honest; stating that you are a genealogist researching their family history, and that you have proof of your relationship. You will also have to provide personal identification, but when the surname is different from your own usually additional proof is required. If you have already done a good bit of work on your family history, take a copy of your pedigree chart with you along with the copies of birth, death and marriage certificates you will need to present. The fact that you are willing to prove your relationship is enough to break down barriers, and repository staff are genuinely happy to help genealogists.

Offer to Pay for Expenses

Show that you are serious about your request by offering to pay all expenses involved such as; copying of records, postage, and administrative costs. Making this clear from the beginning removes the burden of expense from the organization producing the records, and consequently they are more eager to do it. If it is a religious or charitable organization to which you’re making the request, offer to make a donation.

Present Proof or Letters of Authorization

You will often be looking to access the records of distant or collateral relatives, and in such cases may need permission from the family of that person. Because you are not a direct relative, access to the records may be blocked, but this can be overcome by a letter from the family authorising or giving you permission to access them. Make sure that the letter is notarized by a registered notary public or equivalent. Keep your proof of relationship with you at all times however, as it goes along way to backing up the letter to sceptics.

Use the Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires the United States Government to release records to anyone who applies for them in writing. There are some restrictions that involve National Security, and certain privacy laws may apply to particular individuals. It is important to understand the Act however, as you can invoke it in some circumstances to overcome invalid refusals. You can review the FOIA online at the Department of State’s Electronic Reading Room, and make FOIA requests there as well.

Obtain a Court Order

As a last resort for documents that are closed or restricted to the public, it might help to apply for a court order to grant access. You must provide a convincing argument as to your reasons for wanting access, and prove your relationship as well. One of the most effective arguments is the need for medical information. The needs to identify blood type, genetic predisposition to specific diseases or other similar reasons have been successful arguments for obtaining court orders. You may require the assistance of a legal representative in presenting your case to the court, but the cost may be justified if it’s your last resort.

Unfortunately genealogy isn’t always fun and games, but running into a roadblock such as closed records doesn’t have to end your search. A little hard work may be involved, but if you’re dedicated, prepared, and passionate, the above suggestions might help you to access those records that will help you to close another chapter of your family history.

Australia has a rich history, and it tells the stories of both its indigenous peoples and the immigrants who settled on its shores. Australia was initially merely a penal colony for the British government, and most of its early, colonial settles were criminals or convicts who had been imprisoned in spite of their innocence. It is quite fashionable to have a convict in ones ancestral lineage these days, in fact the Australians consider having more convicts in your lineage makes you more Australian. The probability of you having an Australian ancestor who was either a convict or a member of the military force that guarded them is directly proportional to the time they arrived “Down Under”.

Being sent to a penal colony in Australia or elsewhere during colonial times was actually considered to be a humane form of punishment by the British government. Convicts were originally were sent to the American colonies, most being debtors who were housed in debtors colonies or criminal settlement, regardless of the term of sentence. The American Revolutionary War brought an end to penal colonies in America, and the British government was forced to look for alternative locations when their prisons began to become overcrowded. Initially convicts were placed on old, unseaworthy ships known as hulks along the English coast, and soon became overcrowded and riddled with disease themselves. The first convicts were subsequently shipped to Australia in 1787, and over the next seventy years many penal colonies were established.

Because of its past, researching Australian ancestors can be a fun-filled adventure, but there are of course certain strategies one can use to find their ancestor more efficiently. One thing I found helpful when researching early Australian records was to have a basic understanding of the judicial system of the United Kingdom at the time in question. Knowing where to find your ancestors criminal records is tantamount to a successful search, as they will inform you as to which penal colony he was sent to. Most of theses records are held at a state level in Australia in their respectful archives, and most penal colonies were located in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania.

It is important to understand that the Australian National Archives date mostly from the forming of the Australian Federation in 1901. They have no records of convicts or colonial period immigrations, or even of any type of colonial period government administration. What they do have are twentieth century Immigration Records and a few older ones dating back to 1850. The most valuable records for those searching colonial period ancestors are those found in the individual state archives. The major source of genealogical value that the National Archives of Australia offers however is their Fact Sheets Page. Here you can find all of the addresses, contact info, and website addresses for all of the repositories that hold specific Australian records. The great thing is that you can search by record type, and it will display every facility in Australia that has those records, and how to access them.

Other important Australian records can be found as follows:

Civil Registration Records of births, deaths, and marriages were initially the responsibility of the colonies in Australia and later fell to the states and territories. They can now be acquired by contacting the registrar in the state in the state where the event occurred. Australian Census reports have been taken every year since 1901, but unfortunately for genealogists they have all been destroyed according to Australian law. Other records such as convict musters and returns and post office directories can be used as substitutes, and these also can be found in the individual state archives.

The internet has definitely taken genealogy research to a new level – both in popularity and regarding ease of research. The wealth of online information is a blessing to genealogists, and constant gratitude should be given to the army of tireless and dedicated volunteers who transcribe and digitize historical documents. Never before has the pursuit of family history been so accessible to the general public, and many who may not have otherwise known how to go about tracing their ancestors are now bona fide genealogists. But there are many valuable offline resources that we should not overlook or forget about, especially reference books.

Reference books that focus on different record types or locations are some of the best resources at the disposal of genealogists. A good library of reference books can provide a sound foundation for your study of family history. You may decide to purchase one or two that may form crucial components of your own project, or your local library may have a copy. If you can’t find one that you’re interested in at your library, you can definitely recommend that they acquire it. Following are some of the reference books that I have found especially helpful to my own genealogical projects.

How to Do Everything: Genealogy, Second Edition

Written by George G. Morgan, this is one of my major go-to genealogy reference books. It contains excellent tutorials regarding individual record types, as well as records relevant to particular countries. If you want to know where to locate records and exactly what those records contain; this is the book for you. It covers not only traditional research, but electronic as well, and besides its in-depth analysis of record types it also covers the basics of genealogy, making it as equally useful to beginners as it is to serious genealogists. If I could have only one reference book, this would be it.

The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Third Edition)

If you’re researching ancestors in America, Loretto Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking have done an excellent job of putting this guide together. It is definitely the most comprehensive reference for every type of U.S. record and research methodologies. Detailed instructions (and when I say detailed I mean detailed) are provided regarding research of various record types, what can be found in them, and where and how to find and access them. More than thirty experts including professional genealogists, librarians, historians, and archivists assisted in its preparation. It is well written, easy to read, and thorough in explaining how to get the most out of any information you find.

Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources

Used in conjunction with The Source, the Red Book completes a formidable reference set for United States Genealogy. It stands on its own though, and is an excellent individual state reference source. Edited by Alice Eichholz, it provides historical background regarding each states formation, descriptions of the major record types of each state, when they were first created, and where they can be accessed. An outstanding feature of this publication is the county boundary maps and tables provided for each state, and contact information for the relative county repositories.

French-Canadian Sources: A Guide for Genealogists

Patricia Keeney Geyh and others have combined to put together this excellent source for those researching their Canadian ancestry. Experts in French-Canadian research have contributed to its publication, and the book covers the complete history of the French in Canada from 1605. It details the records that have been generated throughout the centuries by the French, British, and Canadian governments, and includes a comprehensive appendix of French words you may encounter while researching them.

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide, Third Edition

Got Irish Ancestors? I know I have, and this book has been especially helpful in helping me to locate them. I couldn’t have got started in the research of my Irish ancestry without this book. It provides a complete primer on how to begin your genealogical research in Ireland, and examines all of the major sources for tracing Irish ancestry, especially those that are quite unique to Ireland such as Griffith’s Valuation, and Tithe Applotment Books. Other records covered are; census reports, civil records, church records, wills, emigration papers, deeds, directories, registry sources and newspapers. Kudos to John Grenham for its production.

Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History, Second Edition

Mark D. Herber has compiled the most complete and extensive guide for tracing British ancestors. It comes highly recommended from the former Director of the Society of Genealogists, Anthony camp who has this to say about it: “No other publication gives such comprehensive and up-to-date guidance on tracing British ancestry and researching family history. Illustrated throughout with more than ninety examples of the major types of records, and with detailed lists of further reading, Ancestral Trails will be the essential companion and guide for all family historians.”

It is presented in an orderly fashion, is easy to read, and provides detailed descriptions of all of the major, and many obscure record types. What I found impressive was the attention given to beginning family historians, as basics such as pedigree chart development and construction are even provided.