International Institute of Genealogical Studies

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. Western States Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Each module in this course provides an historical overview and historical timeline as well as a survey of records available in both repositories and online for one western state. States covered are Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. In addition each module will focus on one aspect of Western states development, such as trails, suffrage and mining. 

Course Length: 8 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. WWll Ancestors - Part 1

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

World War II’s D-Day. There are many records that were created during World War I that are similar in World War II. Learn what led to the start of World War II, how the U.S. became involved and the military records available. They did not all burn in the 1973 fire! 

This course will move from military records for the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines to civilian jobs including the USO, Merchant Marines and others. You will learn how to research the service of your military ancestors through numerous sources. Through this research you can then write the story of your ancestor’s life. Continue your journey into World War II military records in the Research: U.S. World War II Ancestors-Part 2 course. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. WWll Ancestors - Part 2

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

2014 marked the 70th Anniversary of World War II’s D-Day. In Research: U.S. World War II Ancestors-Part 1 we reviewed what led to the start of World War II, how the U.S. became involved, and the military records available. In Research: U.S. World War II Ancestors-Part 2 we begin with records from the Army, Army Air Corps, Marines and National Guard and explore military and other records that can assist you in conducting World War II era research. We will explore life on the home front and the role of women in World War II including their service in the military. A case study will help you get ideas for piecing the life of your World War II soldier’s story together. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. African American Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Researching African American genealogy can be difficult but it is not impossible, as some believe. This course focuses on three aspects of genealogical research and how these relate specifically to researching African Americans: research skill, knowledge of records, and understanding of historical context. 

The course is organized into reverse chronological eras, beginning with the twentieth century and moving through the late nineteenth century and Reconstruction, the Civil War era, and the antebellum (pre-Civil War) period. In each module case studies and assignments demonstrate and test the skills being developed. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Note: This course requires compulsory materials to be ordered. These are available at GenealogyStore.com

1. Board for Certification of Genealogists, Genealogy Standards, 2nd edition revised (Nashville, Tennessee: Ancestry, 2021).

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. 20th Century Records, Including Adoption Records

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Genealogists have one, two, or three generations of ancestors to track through the 20th century; a century marked by an emphasis on privacy and the closure of records. 

This six-module course provides a foundation for researching twentieth-century sources. It includes evidence analysis exercises, source citation practice, and application of genealogical standards. (Genealogy Standards, Second Edition, or Genealogy Standards, 50th Anniversary Edition, is compulsory reading for this course.) Adoption research is featured in many of the examples. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. Colonial New England Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This seven module course will give the student a basic foundation to research using colonial records in New England. It focuses primarily on the most common records used for research. The student will learn about strategies for finding colonial New England records while incorporating colonial town records, colonial census records, colonial land records and maps, the colonial wars, religious records, and court documents. 

Note: The student who undertakes this course should have familiarity with United States vital, religious, census, land and military records, as well as have a good knowledge of genealogical methodologies. 

Course Length: 8 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: French-Canadian Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Tracing your French-Canadian ancestors to the early 1600s can be achieved in less than a day! If you know where to look.

Thanks to the meticulous care taken by the clergy of the Catholic church and the numerous volunteers who have transcribed the information found in church records, there are unique tools available to assist in your research needs. 

Even though the resource tools have made this research much easier than many research tasks, you must still prove that the ancestors you are finding are really your ancestors. 

This course will start with a discussion regarding migration patterns. Then it will cover in detail all available sources of information including birth, marriage and death records, dictionaries, fichiers, census records, notarial records, land grants and others. Acadian research will also be discussed during this course. How to prepare for a genealogical trip to Montréal is also included, as well as a case study. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Quebec Non-Francophone Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

In order to successfully do research in Québec, it is important to understand how the land divisions and institutions evolved and developed. This course explores where to turn, how the institutions have been set up and the importance of the religious context when researching your English ancestors in Québec. The province developed uniquely to the rest of the country. Records are not necessarily stored where you may have searched in another province in Canada. The course will explain the significance of the Notary, PRDH, Moving Day, the BAnQ and much more. Some tips are even given for those who are new to working with the French language. 

The English have mainly been concentrated in the areas of the Eastern Townships, the Gaspé, the Ottawa River Valley, the North-West and of course, the main centres of Montréal and Québec. All of these regions are explored in some depth and tips particular to the region are given. The course material includes useful websites, references and bibliography which will be useful for the course as well as provide the basis for your genealogical reference library. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Alberta Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Primary settlements took place in the province of Alberta between 1885 and 1914. In the world of genealogy, that does not seem very far back! 

During this course, we will discuss the settlement patterns in Alberta and various documents created such as vital statistics, probate, census, land and church records. We will also review available research resources such as archives, libraries, and FamilySearch. 

This course will not only address the needs of those researching Alberta ancestors but also the needs of those living in the Province of Alberta researching other ancestors of various backgrounds. 

Course Length: 5 weeks

Settlements in Newfoundland date quite far back. The first settlement by the English dates back to 1610 when the London and Bristol Company founded Cuper's Cover (Cupids). It is important to understand the settlement and migration patters in order to properly research in this province. During this course, we will discuss the settlement and migration patterns in Newfoundland and Labrador and various documents created such as vital statistics records, probate records, census records, land records, and church records. We will also review available research resources such as archives, libraries, museums and Family History Centers.

Optional Print Course Material: Research: British Columbia Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This course will provide a brief overview of what genealogical resources are available in the Province of British Columbia and how to access the material. 

British Columbia has the majority of it’s population living in the southern region of the province, adjacent to the boundary with the United States, but many people lived throughout the province and material pertaining to the more isolated regions may not exist, or if in existence, might be in original form and therefore difficult to access. We will discuss how to deal with this problem. Migration and settlement patterns will also be discussed.  

Every study of family history is unique and study in each province of Canada is also unique. The material in this course will provide the researcher with the knowledge of which documents exist and where to find them to conduct an efficient and successful research project in the province of British Columbia. 

Course Length: 5 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

The course describes what it meant to be a United Empire Loyalist in the context of the American Revolutionary War and how it affected his ensuing life. We also discuss the membership and lineage requirements of the United Empire Loyalists'' Association of Canada, with some attention to their application form. 

The bulk of the course material covers the basic, contemporary sources that help identify a Loyalist ancestor during and after the war: military, claims, land, and other records that assist with documenting your family. Students are advised to consult the Documents area to see samples of such records. Overviews of the British North  American colonies where the Loyalists came for resettlement include Upper Canada (Ontario)—where the original U.E. (Unity of Empire) tradition took hold—the Maritime provinces and Lower Canada (Quebec).

We give further references to books and websites, but keep in mind about the latter: websites occasionally disappear, or they may be revised periodically in format and content. This course should assist researchers who are beginning their quest for information and documentation. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Manitoba Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Permanent settlement in Manitoba began in the early 1800s. This course will demonstrate how the records created by the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Dominion, provincial, and municipal governments help the researcher trace ancestors in Manitoba. Emphasis will be placed on how to access the records and how to use them effectively.  

Although the focus will be on the major government and religious records, the course will demonstrate how to supplement these records by using land records, local newspapers, cemetery records, and community, school. and church histories. Other important resources to be discussed are the collections and programs of genealogical, historical, and ethnic societies in Manitoba. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Saskatchewan Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Saskatchewan was part of the North West Territories from 1870 until it became a province in 1905. During this period the land was surveyed and railways were built to bring settlers to the west. To encourage settlement the government of Canada passed the Dominion Land Act in 1871. Under the act a one hundred and sixty acres of land was offered as a free homestead to males 21 years of age or to women who were the sole support for their family. 

Many people came from other areas in Canada, the United States, the British Isles and Europe to take up homesteads. Before beginning research in Saskatchewan the researcher should establish a research plan noting whom they are searching for, when the family was in Saskatchewan, where they lived, and what they were doing in the province. This enables the researcher to see what records the family may have created in Saskatchewan. 

This course will help you learn about the major record centres, libraries, and societies that can help you find and use the records you need to trace Saskatchewan ancestors. The assignment part of the course will involve using many of the websites to find which original documents you will need to the answer your research problems. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Note: This course requires compulsory materials to be ordered.

The Book, “Genealogy in Ontario: Searching the Records” by Brenda Douglas Merriman is available at GenealogyStore.com

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Ontario Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This eight-module course is based on a compulsory book written by Brenda Dougall Merriman, Genealogy in Ontario: Searching the Records (30th Anniversary edition, 2013 or 4th edition, 2008). Earlier editions of Genealogy in Ontario (1984, 1988, 1992 and 2004) do not apply, especially with regard to updates and page number references. 

The bulk of the course reading material is found in Genealogy in Ontario. You will be given specific chapters for each module’s required reading and assignments. Each module will also have some extra additions or explanations. Students will learn about basic genealogical sources for this province, as well as how to find and evaluate them.

NOTE: Genealogy in Ontario was written for both beginners and more advanced researchers. For this course, we are not expecting you to learn or understand more than the fundamental sources and good research habits.

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants entered the province of Ontario (formerly Upper Canada and then Canada West) from the late eighteenth century to the twenty-first century. It has been a major arrival point, or destination, for arrivals, at first from the British Isles and the United States, and then from continental Europe and beyond. Of course, numerous families stayed for generations, but others moved on after a generation or so—countless descendants are seeking their first North American roots here. A rich mass of resources awaits the family historian new to this locale. A great deal of documentation the collections at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) in Ottawa and the Archives of Ontario (AO) in Toronto, but both centres are constantly adding online descriptions, finding aids, and searchable databases. 

Course Length: 9 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: New Brunswick Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to New Brunswick, Canada and the wealth of genealogical material available for those searching for family roots in this province. The author assumes that you want to move beyond the begats and learn as much as you can about the life and times of the men and women you discover. 

To that end we provide an introductory overview of the province, suggest repositories and methodologies for researching available resources, examine early settlement including the Loyalists, touch on vital records (birth, marriage and death), and follow-up with later settlement patterns.

This course assumes the student knows the basics of genealogical research and has some experience using common sources such as the census, vital records, church registers, land and probate documents, as well as a familiarity with forms and methods of recording family data. It also assumes a basic knowledge of how to use archives, libraries, and the Internet. 

Course Length: 5 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Canadian Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This course is intended as a guide for those who are starting to research their ancestors in Canada. It is a general guide to the records available for those conducting genealogical research in Canadian records for the first time.   

Specifically, this course is intended as a guide to researchers living outside of Canada who find that their research journey has led them to the point that they must now enter unfamiliar territory and conduct research in the records of another country, when those records may not follow the patterns with which they are familiar. To that end, each province will be examined individually in order to understand the variations in the records and storage that apply to each province. 

Course Length: 6 weeks

This course is an excellent introduction to the confusing and often complex history of the Acadians in Canada. Beginning with the arrival of the Acadians into the Maritime region, the power struggles between the British and the French, the expulsion of the Acadians in 1755 and 1758, the different areas within the world they settled and finally their return from exile. This is a very good starting point for anyone with an Acadian background or with an interest in the area. 

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Nova Scotia Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Nova Scotia, first settled in 1604 (although it did not remain), has some of the oldest history in what is now Canada. Its early history reflected the ongoing conflicts between France and England, resulting in an era of New France and ultimately, becoming part of British colonial territory that included the thirteen colonies in what became the United States. By the official end of the American Revolution in 1783, Acadia, as it was then known, was redrawn with the state of Maine becoming part of the new US Republic. 

Connections with New England, or what Nova Scotians called “the Boston states,” remained close through family on both sides of the border. Indeed, some of the United Empire Loyalists who sought refuge in Nova Scotia returned years later to rejoin parts of their family who remained across the border. The easy trip by schooner between Halifax and Boston or New York was more feasible than overland travel to other parts of Canada. In later years, as economic difficulties in Nova Scotia led to crossing the border for work opportunities, connections increased as half of a family might be living in Boston. Many went to work only and families remained in Nova Scotia. In family history research in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it is not uncommon to find people on a US Census in 1880 and a Canadian Census in 1891. Back and forth migration was a strategy for some families. Ultimately, Nova Scotians who remained in New England married, had children, moved across the United States and lost their connections with family back home. 

Many people in other parts of Canada and in the United States have an ancestor who resided in Nova Scotia for five years or several generations. For this reason, the course will focus on distance research although resources available only on-site at archives or local history museums will also be explored. 

Course Length: 7 weeks