Research in Scandinavia has a few unique challenges. The biggest challenge is keeping everyone organized into the correct families because the names are all so similar! Our ancestors had a small number of given names for men and for women Read more…
Last night I was helping my 13-year-old son look at a few things on his FamilySearch family tree. He was interested to see how far back some of our family lines have been traced. One line of my dad’s family Read more…
This week I’ve been working on a project for my professional development. I serve as a commissioner for the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). One of my recent assignments for the group has been to help Read more…
The ratio of sheep to humans in Iceland is more than 2:1 in favor of the sheep. (Depending on the time of year, it can be nearly 3:1.) Denmark has a livestock population that nearly equals the human headcount. Many Read more…
The concept of a State Church is rather foreign today, especially here in the US where we try to have a firm barrier between Church and State. When we talk about a State Church, this implies that The Church (whatever Read more…
This is the Black Church of Budir in Iceland. We visited five years ago on a gorgeous blue sky day–very uncommon for Iceland! It lies on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The unusual black color is from the wood being painted with Read more…
My dad passed away quickly and unexpectedly earlier this year. As I sat with my siblings and my mom that weekend, working through the list of immediate needs, writing the obituary became a priority. As a genealogist, I quickly volunteered Read more…
Naming patterns are an excellent tool to support our family groups and feel confident that they are complete and correct. When children are born today, many new parents select a name for the child based solely on personal preference. The Read more…
The town of Olafsvik lies on the northern coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula of Iceland. The population is only about 1000. I love this view of the town because it has all the elements of a classic Icelandic setting. The Read more…
This memorial stone remains a favorite for me. It is found in London in St. Mary Abbot’s Church in Kengsington. I feel like the inscription tells so much about this young couple. Harriet died in her twenties, yet you feel Read more…