International Institute of Genealogical Studies

Note: This course requires compulsory materials to be ordered. 

The Book, “Finding Your Italian Ancestors – A Beginner’s Guide” by Suzanne Russo Adams, AG is available at GenealogyStore.com

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Italian Ancestors

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

So you want to research your Italian ancestors! Welcome to a fascinating area of genealogical research. Italians have contributed to all aspects of life in the countries they immigrated to. They often came poor and destitute, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Hard work and placing great value on family helped them to excel within their new country. Their sacrifices provided a better life for their descendants. 

Italian research can be done well by anyone, whether you know the Italian language or think you have linguistic ability. Most Italian records follow a standard format which is a great help when working in records created in a foreign language. Your language proficiency will grow with time and experience as you work with the records.

This course will provide you with a solid foundation with which to begin your research. We will discuss, amongst other things:

Historical Considerations – How did historical events affect record keeping? 

Finding Your Ancestor’s Place of Origin – Why is it important?

Political Jurisdictions – How can you find the records if you don’t know how and why they were created?

Language Resources – What languages are the records written in?  Can I research in the records without being fluent in Italian? What about the handwriting?

Available Record Types – We will discuss civil, ecclesiastical, and other records.

Accessing the Records – Where are the records and what archives are there?

Research Tips and Practical Applications – I’ll share tips gained from my experiences such as  how to accurately cite a microfilmed civil record.

History of Italian Immigration – The course contains short summaries of Italian immigration to six different countries. 

There are several more advanced resources that will be discussed briefly, but not expanded upon, because this course is meant to be a general overview of Italian genealogical research. Consider taking more advanced courses later, once you have more experience, where these records can be covered in more depth. By the end of the course, I have confidence you will be ready to start your Italian research and will say Andiamo! [Let’s go!] 

Course Length: 8 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Jewish Ancestors

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

Researching a Jewish ancestor may seem a daunting task especially when you consider the Holocaust and the incredible destruction of lives, synagogues, and cemeteries in Europe. You may ask “why should I even try?” Then there is the myth that immigrants had their names changed at Ellis Island that leads us to believe that our Jewish ancestors are nearly impossible to research. All of these things scare off many from researching their Jewish family and discovering that there actually is a great deal of information “out there.” Researching Jewish ancestors is challenging, but with the research techniques provided in this course it will be revealed that much information is available. 

This course is presented with the assumption that the student may have little to no first-hand knowledge of Jewish ancestry. At the completion of the course the student will have a solid foundation to research Jewish ancestors and will understand the types of records available. This course will start with an introduction to the history of the Jewish people to better understand the challenges of this research. We will then get a basic understanding of the languages, dates, and name conventions of this unique group. Immigration patterns of the Jews as they came to North America are a valuable component to ultimately discovering their origins and the resources to assist in this research will be presented. Jewish life and record sources as they settled can provide additional clues to their origins and experiences as they came to America and Canada. Effective research strategies for finding Jewish ancestors will be presented. Lastly, the course includes an extensive discussion on resources available to pursue the genealogy of Jewish ancestors. 

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: Dutch Ancestors in the Netherlands

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

Researching Dutch ancestors in the Netherlands is very exciting because of the wealth of information available to the genealogist. Even if you are unfamiliar with the Dutch language, this course will assist you and guide you through the records that contain details about your ancestors' lives.  

This course will cover some historical information about the Netherlands and its provinces, an understanding of the Dutch language in genealogical documents, archives and repositories in the Netherlands and, the types of records available for your research. You will study, in more detail, population records, civil registration and searching the Internet for Dutch genealogical information. 

Course Length: 6 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

Optional Print Course Material: Planning a Research Trip to  Ireland

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

Having the opportunity to go on a research trip to Dublin is a very exciting prospect; however, being prepared is another matter. This course will help prepare you for such a trip and also help prepare you for what to expect when you arrive. An overview is provided for each archive or repository with a lot of very helpful and worthwhile information.

Course Length: 5 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Research: U.S. Records Using Ancestry Including DNA Strategies

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

An overview of the five essential groups of records to jumpstart your genealogy! 

NOTE: Access to Ancestry is a requirement by the student to be able to complete this course.

The use of proper search techniques and Ancestry databases will assist you in obtaining your research goals. This course will introduce very important groups of records to the genealogist: Censuses, Vital, Military, Newspapers & Publications, and Immigration records. 

Each module will provide a brief description of the record group, describing how to search for the record, what information is contained within the document, recording the information and its genealogical importance. The last module will consist of three case studies, with exercises following a family through the various record groups.

During your genealogical research project, no record group should stand alone! Although the modules can stand alone as learning tools, at the completion of this course, the researcher will be able to better understand how the various groups of records work together to provide the answers to your research quest. It is normal when researching that one record group leads you to another. The combination of the two record groups will then lead you to the third group of records, and so on. By reading the course materials, and completing the exercises and assignments, this course will teach you the importance of combining the vast amount of information available in various groups of records to develop a much more interesting family history.

Remember, this course is only an introduction to census, vital, military, newspaper and immigration records that are available on Ancestry. Additional courses are available for a more in-depth study of each of these record groups. Online virtual meetings are also provided, enabling you to ask questions of your instructor.

Ancestry has many tools that will assist the researcher in developing and recording their family history. You should have a good understanding of the tools prior to starting this course.

Course Length: 8 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: U.S. Great Lakes Ancestors, 211 pages.

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

The Great Lakes region of the United States is an area with a rich and diverse history. This course will focus on generalized and locality specific resources for six states in this area―Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. These six states once formed, in part, the first possession of the United States known as the “Northwest Territory.” A summary of each state’s history and geography will be provided, as well as tips on where to find important genealogical resources (such as census, land, probate, and vital records). A brief discussion of important Canadian records and suggestions for advanced research techniques will also be included.  

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Grandmothers, Mothers and Daughters - Tracing Women

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

Our female ancestors played significant roles in history. Yet, researching and writing about the women in our families can be a daunting task. If you have hit a brick wall in the quest to find information about your female ancestors, this course covers strategies and key sources to assist you with your research and show you how to document “her” story. 

Course Length: 7 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

Optional Print Course Material: Research: Mayflower Ancestors

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

You have traced your genealogy back to New England and suspect you may have Mayflower ancestry. Or perhaps you have actually traced a family line back to a Mayflower passenger. This course will cover various aspects of conducting Mayflower research and how to properly document the line by utilizing New England original and derivative records as well as sources specific to Mayflower research. 

We will first discuss the story of our Pilgrim ancestors and, believe me, their story is a fascinating one! From their religious persecution in England, to their exile in Holland and finally, their voyage to the wilderness of the New World, their determination, courage and abiding faith is an inspiration to us all. 

The resources available to you in order to trace back and/or document your existing lineage, whether for your own satisfaction or for membership in the Mayflower Society will be fully explored. We will discuss family genealogies, town histories and New England vital records. There are libraries, societies and family associations you should know about and specific genealogical journals, websites, and social media tools which can make your journey a whole lot easier. We will discuss the role of DNA testing to prove a lineage and you will be provided with a selected reading list so that you may delve more deeply into the historical aspect if you so choose. 

If you have ever wondered about the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, with headquarters in Plymouth, Massachusetts and what it’s all about, now is your chance to learn. We will cover its history, its objectives and its accomplishments. The society has definite documentation requirements for membership; these will be detailed as well as how and where to apply for membership. 

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: U.S. Midwestern States Ancestors

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

This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of some of the historical events that occurred in each state, especially events that shaped the state’s history, boundaries, laws, records and other items. The states included in this course were all part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which were: Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Each state is unique in its geographical formation, social attitudes, political structure, ethnicity, industry and historical records. The modules included are aimed at giving researchers information to aid understanding of these states individually and to provide tools for researching family history, not only in terms of the individual, but also in their broader social context. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Personal Historian: Oral History and Interviewing Techniques

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

A personal historian uses oral history interview techniques to interview individuals about their lives or those of their family. Combining the interview, research, and additional items like photographs and documents, a personal historian can create a beautiful story for a client. This course will discuss the things you need to know before specializing in oral histories, how to prepare for and conduct an interview, and what can be done with all the materials. Finally, we will learn how to put everything together and preserve these priceless histories. 

Course Length: 7 weeks