Research Notes

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Field notes from thirty years at the record counter — practical guidance for tracing Ohio ancestors, one county and one brick wall at a time.

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Family Interviews

Three Questions to Ask at the Table This Thanksgiving

The older relatives are all in one room this Thanksgiving. The three questions that actually move Ohio research forward, how to ask them without turning dinner into an interview, and what to do with the answers on Friday. Includes a free printable interview guide.

Research Strategy
DNA Research

Ancestry's 2026 DNA Update Is Coming: What Ohio Researchers Should Do Before Your Ethnicity Estimate Changes

Ancestry's free 2026 Ancestral Regions update doubles the number of regions and will change nearly every ethnicity estimate. What's changing, what it could mean for Ohio families, and a checklist to work through before and after it lands.

AncestryDNA Research
Research Guide

Richland County, Ohio: Finding Your Ancestors with FamilySearch Full-Text Search and Catalog Search

How to pair FamilySearch's AI-powered Full-Text Search with the Catalog to find Richland County ancestors buried in unindexed deeds, wills, and court records.

Ohio Genealogy Research
DNA Research

AncestryDNA Changes Explained: DNA Highlights, Origins, DNA by Parent, ThruLines & New 2026 Match Tools

DNA Highlights, the 2025 Origins update, DNA by Parent, ThruLines, and the new 2026 close-family relationship predictions — what they can and can't tell you, and how to use them without overinterpreting the results.

AncestryDNA Research
Research Guide

Ohio Courthouse Fires: What Was Lost, and Where to Look Instead

Several Ohio courthouses burned, taking probate, deed, and vital records with them. Which counties, what survived, and where to check next — including neighboring counties.

Ohio Genealogy Research
Research Guide

The Parent County Trap: Tracing Records Before the Lines Changed

When county boundaries shift, your ancestor doesn't move — their records do. How to find the right jurisdiction before you search.

Ohio Genealogy Research
Start Here

1. Start Here: New to Ohio Genealogy?

Ohio's county lines weren't fixed — they were carved and re-carved for decades. Here's why that matters before you ever set foot in a courthouse.

Ohio Genealogy Basics
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