Articles with Family History

Ecclesiastical Marriage Banns

Religious Records are often among the first records we search for in our research projects. Many of the courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies cover various aspects of these vital records and give us a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. (See this blog post about our Religious Records courses.) This week we continue our investigation of Marriage Banns in Module 2 of the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course by examining the Ecclesiastical Marriage Banns for Sardo & Fontana. Ecclesiastical Marriage Banns – Melchiore Sardo & Giacoma Fontana Chiesa di San Nicolo, Trapani, Trapani province, Italy; “Matrimoni [marriage records, which included marriage banns], 1778”: no record number, 17 September 1778, ecclesiastical marriage banns for Melchiore Sardo and Giacoma Fontana; digitized images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 4 Sep 2019). Translation – Ecclesiastical Marriage Banns – Melchiore Sardo & Giacoma Fontana Chiesa di San Nicolo, Trapani, Trapani province, Italy; “Matrimoni [marriage records, which included marriage banns], 1778”: no record number, 17 September 1778, ecclesiastical marriage banns for Melchiore Sardo and Giacoma Fontana; digitized images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 4 Sep 2019). We can see that the 17th of September was the date of the request for marriage banns. The first bann was posted three days later, the second bann seven days after that, and the third bann only two days after the second bann. Thus fulfilling the requirement of three declarations. Both the bride and groom were living in the town of Trapani when their banns were posted. However, the bride was born in the town of Monte San Giuliano, another town in the Trapani province. This gives clues for where to search for further records on these families. You will also note that the surnames of both mothers were omitted. Locating and identifying our female ancestors is always a challenge. Thankfully, later records required more information to be recorded than earlier records. You can explore more information about these records in the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course, where we examine in detail the various forms of Italian marriages records that were created, and what genealogical information you may find in them. —————————————————- Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here. Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. *Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly. Contact information: 1…

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Marriage in the Roman Catholic Church

Religious Records cover a wide variety of documents. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers several courses covering this topic. (See this blog post about our Religious Records courses.) It is important to become familiar with the religious records relevant to the region and specific time period where you are researching. Records for the same denomination could be different depending on location and the local laws and regulations, even within the same country. As we continue to look at the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course, we find that Marriage in the Roman Catholic Church is covered in Module 2. Here is a portion of what will be discussed. A 1564 decree made marriage in the Roman Catholic Church a sacrament. This was reinforced by Papal proclamation in 1595. The requirements for marriage, as dictated by the Council of Trent, were: Marriage was a sacrament and Church business Couples had to have parental consent, appear with parents/guardians Couples could not be forced into marriage, must have free choice Marriage must be performed in front of two witness Additionally, within parish marriage records, you will sometimes find registers for the Stato Libero (statement of free status) or Sponsati Contratti (marriage engagements/contracts). These records were for marriage engagements/contracts to be performed elsewhere, and for stating that the bride or groom was free to marry. The following is an example of this type of document. Statement of Free Status – Francesco d’Averzo & nine-year-old Michela Pizzolato, Catania, Italy Note: Italy has laws concerning privacy restrictions like any other country. Italian privacy law extends for 70 years after the creation of a birth record, and 50 years from the date of the event on a death or marriage record. A priest will usually follow the privacy laws when determining whether you can access the records. You can explore more information about these records in the Italian: Catholic Church Records-Part 2 course, where we examine in detail the various forms of Italian marriages records that were created, and what genealogical information you may find in them. —————————————————- Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here. Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. *Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly. Contact information: 1 (800) 580-0165 www.GenealogicalStudies.com blog.GenealogicalStudies.com admin@GenealogicalStudies.com LEADERS IN ONLINE GENEALOGY EDUCATION

Personal Historian Courses

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers over 230 online courses, but did you know that many of our courses are not country specific. The genealogy world has certainly grown over the past few years. We have seen many changes that have led to the emergence of new opportunities for genealogists and family historians. One of those areas is for a Personal Historian. You can take all four of our Personal Historian courses individually, or bundle them together as a 4 Course Package. Check the Course Calendar for the next time these courses will be offered. Personal Historian: Beginning Genealogy This is the first of the four courses is a Basic level course and is offered every month. It explores how you can add genealogical research as an income stream to your Personal Historian business, whether you conduct the research yourself, or you hire a specific researcher. Family history information enhances any personal history project by providing more in-depth family details. This introductory course will address the process involved, some tips on what to look for when hiring a researcher, and how to do the basic genealogical research yourself. Personal Historian: Oral History & Interviewing Techniques The second of the four courses is offered every second month. This Intermediate course examines how 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. The course material 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 of the materials collected. The goal is to learn how to put everything together and preserve the priceless histories that are uncovered. Personal Historian: Video Techniques The third course is also offered every second month. This Intermediate course is designed to introduce the basics of audio-video production for personal historians and genealogists. This will appeal to people who want to use current digital audio and video tools to record, edit and share life stories. Audio-video productions encompass four phases of work: pre-production, production, post-production and delivery. This practical course is structured along these four phases. Students with any level of audio-video experience, including those who are beginners, will benefit from this course material. There is great depth and…

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Discount Codes Extended

The National Institute for Genealogical Studies wants to thank everyone who visited our virtual booth in the Expo Hall at RootsTech 2021. In case you missed the March 1st deadline to use our discount codes, we have extended the deadline until Friday, March 5th. RootsTech 2021 conference discounts are available to everyone who is at home, whether you attended RootsTech 2021 or not. Therefore, ANYONE can register for these courses using the following discount codes. All Discount Codes will now expire on March 5, 2021; however, you can choose the scheduled course dates that are most convenient for you when you register. Choose ONE offer per Discount Code. Reserve your discount today! FREE Courses As a conference special, we are offering YOUR CHOICE of ONE of the following four courses for FREE! DescriptionFreeCourses Research Using Internet Tools courses provide resources and strategies to enhance your virtual research skills. These three Basic courses are foundational for anyone researching their family history online. We recommend you make these a part of your Research Tool Box. Google for the Wise Genealogist Social Media Tools for Genealogists Connecting Family Online & Virtually We are also offering an Intermediate course for those who may have already taken our Internet Tools courses. Life of Our Ancestors explores how to find and incorporate information about your ancestor’s life to write and publish your family history story – the very beginning steps to the final product. FreeCourseHowToRegister Choose ONE course (Value $89 USD) from the four courses listed above for FREE! Use CODE: 2021free at checkout. Discounted Course Have you seen ONE of our online courses that will assist you in your family history research? Browse the list of over 200 courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Taken advantage of our featured RootsTech discount and register for an individual course. We are sure that everyone will find at least one that is applicable to their current research projects. Choose ANY ONE course from over 200 courses at 50% off: Use CODE: 2021c50 at checkout. Package Discount If you are planning to take several courses at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies, this section may be of interest to you. We have combined many courses into convenient themed packages. You can save by registering for a specific package rather than several individual courses. Choose your topic from groupings for Countries, Certificates, Records, Methodology, Skill Building, Librarianship, or…

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Discount Codes for RootsTech 2021

DISCOUNT CODES for COURSES NOTE: This Blog Post has been updated: Click HERE. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies has provided online courses for both family historians and professional genealogists for over 20 years. We want to celebrate RootsTech 2021 by making our conference discounts available to everyone who is at home, whether you are attending RootsTech 2021 or not. Therefore, ANYONE can register for these courses using the following discount codes. All Discount Codes have been EXTENDED until Friday, March 5th! However, you can choose the course date that is most convenient for you when you register. Reserve your discount today! FREE Courses As a conference special, we are offering YOUR CHOICE of ONE of the following four courses for FREE! Conference_Promos Research Using Internet Tools courses provide resources and strategies to enhance your virtual research skills. These three Basic courses are foundational for anyone researching their family history online. We recommend you make these a part of your Research Tool Box. Google for the Wise Genealogist Social Media Tools for Genealogists  Connecting Family Online & Virtually  We are also offering an Intermediate course for those who may have already taken our Internet Tools courses. Life of Our Ancestors explores how to find and incorporate information about your ancestor’s life to write and publish your family history story – the very beginning steps to the final product. Choose ONE course (Value $89 USD) of the four courses listed above for FREE! Use CODE: 2021free at checkout. DNA_Discounts Discounted Course Have you seen ONE of our online courses that will assist you in your family history research? Browse the list of over 200 courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Taken advantage of our featured RootsTech discount and register for an individual course. We are sure that everyone will find at least one that is applicable to their current research projects. Choose ONE course from over 200 courses at 50% off: Use CODE: 2021c50 at checkout. Package Discount If you are planning on taking several courses at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies (https://www.genealogicalstudies.com), this section may be of interest to you. We have combined many courses into convenient themed packages. You can save by registering for a specific package rather than several individual courses. Choose your topic from groupings for Countries, Certificates, Records, Methodology, Skill Building, Librarianship, or Professional Development packages. We are confident there will be a package just…

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