Genealogy Tip: The Genealogy Fingerprint

Genealogy Research Tip: In my genealogy classes I teach that one of the cornerstones for laying a good foundation in any family history research is the birth event. It is one of the most important life events that we should research in documenting anyone's life.

For instance, what makes you unique is that you are born on a definitive month, day, and year; at a specific geographic location; given a birth name by your parents; and are the child of a set of specific biological parents.

Do you know anyone else in the world that has your date of birth and birth location and the same full name? Of course, you don't. In order to extend a person into a previous generation (i.e., parents) we need to get the birth event information right. I call this the "genealogy fingerprint. "

When researching your family if you lock any part of or all that information in, that will then help you sort out your John Smith from the rest of the John Smiths in a specific community.

Another consideration that I just thought about for the birth life event is that a child born at a specific location means the mother was also at that location at the time of the birth. But it does not necessarily mean that the father was there at that same time. You cannot assume that the father was present at the birth or even in the same town. In fact, you also cannot assume the father was even alive at the time of the birth.

TCCC Peachtree Spring 2023 Genealogy Classes

 

TCCC Peachtree Spring 2023 Genealogy Classes

Here is a list of the Spring Community Enrichment genealogy classes scheduled to be taught at Tri-County Community College in Peachtree, NC for 2023.

To reserve your seat in class or sign-up call Lisa Long at 828-835-4241. Sorry, no remote learning for these classes is available, in-class learning only.

Genealogy – Searching for Your Ancestors: Who am I and where did I come from? It is that intriguing question that has made genealogy research one of America's most popular hobbies. This popular class offers beginner and experienced genealogists alike a fresh approach to genealogy research. Subjects cover the full gambit from organizing your research to exploring your family history using traditional and electronic research, social media, and our newest tool, DNA testing. Whether you are new to genealogy or have been family hunting since microfilm days, this course will assist you in researching your family in the 21st century. This course is a prerequisite for advanced genealogy courses offered at TCCC. 30 hrs.

Instructor: Van Horn Classroom: Enloe Room 133

January 31 – April 18 Tuesday

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $80

Genealogy – Researching Your Genealogy on the Internet: An old favorite is back on the schedule! The Internet offers the genealogist a wonderful array of databases, records, and other resources for researching your family history. This course will teach you how to find genealogy databases and discover your family history on the Web. All the top sites such as Ancestry, FamilySearch, GenealogyBank, Chronicling America, Find A Grave, and more will be covered. While our beginner/intermediate genealogy class is not a prerequisite to taking this course, a basic understanding of genealogy research principles is a must. A laptop or tablet capable of wireless internet access is required for this class. Sign up early since this is one of the more popular genealogy classes at TCCC and seating is limited. 10 hrs.

Instructor: Van Horn Classroom: Enloe Room 133

February 2 – February 23 Thursday

6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. $35

NEW - DNA Beginner/Intermediate: If you are researching your family history, taking an autosomal DNA test has become a must-do task. There is a myriad of companies and sites that you can either test at or upload your DNA results to that will help you find new cousins and add new ancestors to that family tree. This class will explore the basics (including all three DNA tests), where to test, and working your results after you have tested. 7.5 hrs.

Instructor: Van Horn Classroom: Enloe Room 133

March 2 – March 16 Thursday

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $25

NEW - Genealogy – Busting Through Genealogy Brick Walls: Having trouble finding the elusive ancestor? Can't seem to get that lineage any further back? Then this class is tailor-made for you. In this genealogy brick wall class, you will learn techniques, tricks, tips, and the latest proven methods to bust through the brick walls in your genealogy. During the class, you will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with the instructor on your family genealogy brick wall. 12.5 hrs.

Instructor: Van Horn Classroom: Enloe Room 133

March 23 – April 20 Thursday

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $40